I suspect Ange02020 meant teacher/PTO issues, not teacher/classroom issues, like maybe certain teachers not sending material home in a timely manner or not supporting PTO activities. (I agree that the PTO meeting is not the place to discuss teacher/classroom problems.)
We have the Principal, Vice Princiapl, and two teacher reps on our Board. All are voting members.
The principal ALWAYS attends our meetings and is very supportive. The others vary year to year. Some years we have both teacher reps at most meetings, sometimes they tend to switch off. Just depends on the people involved.
How we would handle a teacher problem would vary case to case. When I was president, some things I'd discuss privately with the principal. Other things we'd discuss at the meetings, and the reps would take that info/concern back to the other teachers (in a positive, helpful way).
As I said, they all have votes - but there have been a few isolated issues where the principal abstained. Most of the things we do get the full support of the Board if they go far enough be voted upon.
First, teacher issues should be brought up with the school admin and not us. Second, or teacher reps as well as the principal are given a vote as well as the parent board members as per our bylaws. We rarely have anyone outside of this group show no matter what but I think that is something that should be decided amongest your group as we sometimes hold things over to try to reduce friction if it's a heated discussion instead of limiting who votes.
The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating-in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life. --Anne Morris
We don't have any teachers attend our meetings, although they are welcome and we would love for them to be there. Our Principal and Assistant Principal always attend, but they do not vote.
As far as bring up issues about teachers, we had a parent try to do that and was told that that issue was not PTO business and needed to be discussed in private. She was not happy about that, but that is the way I believe it should be. I'm very glad that the Pres. and Principal made that stand.
We are a P T O, so yes the teachers do vote. As far as I know they are all members.
If there is a problem with a teacher, our PTO is not the place to handle that. That would need to stay confidential and be handled through our principal or SBDM (in a closed meeting).
We consider our teachers as members with all the same rights as parents. They can run for board positions and vote just like anyone else. I guess we set up our group as the "P"s and the "T"s being equal. We've never had a problem with it. We're all involved for the same reason-to give our kids the best education possible. It's a real team effort!
If you have Teacher Representatives on your Executive Board, do they vote on PTO business or are they advisors/liasons?
Do your teachers vote in general membership votes?
if the Teacher reps on board are elected by their peer? should they be able to vote for the parent positions as well?
What about the problem of parents feeling that they cannot bring up issues about the teachers at a board meeting, because of feeling that there may be reprisals from the teachers?
I wish there were McBylaws, I could pick them up at the drive thru with fries.....
Andrea
