You should be working WITH your principal, not against. You are NOT a separate entity and represent the school in your efforts. Maybe she feels you haven't done that and are working against teh school's efforts.

My issue doesn't involve teachers as officers and I think that as you say, when the kids are put first, it really doesn't matter; we are all parents first. Do you have any feedback for me on the election process? Where do I turn for guidelines that will support:
1. we should accept nominations right up until the election night
2. A ballot isn't a ballot if it doesn't include a yes or no option, even if uncontested. Is this common practice? Thanks for any feedback! I was asking this under "PTO elections" heading as well.

I hope you guys can work things out amicably, otherwise you're in for a rough year. Your best option if you are really opposed is to find other nominees to run against them as stated above and let your members decide who they want in office. From experience, however, I can tell you that I am a teacher at my kids' school and have been the President of the PTA for two years. Another teacher with kids at our school will follow me and I believe she will also do a great job. I don't agree that we are teachers first and parents second. Do you feel that way about your jobs? For me, my kids come first. I think being both a teacher and a parent has given me a unique perspective and an ability to bring everyone into closer working relationships.

My problem is similar to yours (see PTO Elections) in that we have an unopposed nominee who most of us don't want elected. We can't find anyone to run against her (must be an 8th grade parent) so we are left with an unopposed nominee. I am hoping that we can present a ballot with : name yes___no___ so that if we get enough no votes, it will be a vote of no confidence and the seat remains empty until the Executive Board can fill it. Do you know if that is how a typical ballot is done? We have never done this. Thanks

Unfortunately, at this time, our by-laws do not reflect anything abouttachers or principals becoming executive officers or members of the active CPTO. However, we are investigating whether or not our revising and adopting the new by-laws with the new clause would be construed or considered as discriminatory. Fortunately, most of our teachers can be trusted to perform the duties with honor and have reassured us that their only interest is the student body and investing the money into extra-curricular activities and events for them. On the flip side of the coin, the Principal (in her own way) is very unscrupulous, reigns the school with a heavy fist by using extortion and coercion techniques (have seen this first hand) to control her faculty, her staff and countless attempts upon the CPTO.
Unfortunately, this is our second year as a CPTO. Our first board last year neglected to follow-through with their legal obligations (IRS, California Secretary of State, Franchise Tax Board, County Controller/Recorder filings, etc.) and we are having our 501(c)(3) questioned now. The IRS has not granted our requested filed under the Form 1023 and we are now being treated as a taxable entity. This has been the major issue since the election of the new board. At my request and approval of the Board, we put a freeze on spending (while still fundraising throughout the year) in order to get the necessary bureaucratic red-tape completed. However, the Principal has made the orad to recovery very difficult in that she has made recommendations to the Board to seek out what she considers to be "reliable resources for assistance." Taking her advice, we entrusted our filings and books to a local CPA in Apple Valley, California (whom I will not mention nor recommend to anyone) that has held onto our paperwork since December.
This whole thing is a mess and we (the Board) are trying to get it under control prior to the new Board taking over. It's too much headache to concentrate on.
Any more advice?

Instead of an attorney, I'd be looking for non-teacher parents to run against the principal's nominees.

They also probably need to be voted in, even though they are all unopposed, so if your members think it is a problem, they can show up and vote against.

Unless your bylaws prohibit teachers from being officers, if the teachers are members, then they are eligible.

Whether or not they would be uscrupulous depends on the individual. Some people are capable of putting their office above their own interest. Some are not.