Thanks, everybody. I appreciate all your advice. You've been very helpful.

Well, I own the book and have never even cracked the binding! I find it easier to use rulesonline.com and just look up items relevant to me. But it sure is great to have the book sitting next to you at meetings.....

It seems it's all too easy to get into a discussion about what you 'can' do but it's wiser to focus on what you 'should' do. I agree that when parent volunteers are involved and the decisions affect everyone's children then all meetings should be open. Absolutely, there should be ground rules and attendees should follow them. I suggest that the presiding officer open the next meeting with a welcome to the guests, recognize their presence and then hand out the new meeting etiquette brochure. My school's BOE has a lovely brochure that outlines proper protocol and the repercussions of disruptive members.

If its my PTA/PTO that stuff had better not be kept private- we're not talking corporate boards here -- no industrial secrets or manufacturing secrets or recipe secrets- if my PTA/PTO is negotiating contracts in secret.. well... 'Lucy gonna have some splainin' todo'

Even though both follow RRO (supposedly- ask Enron, HP, Anderson, Blue Coss/ Blue Shield if they do or the law for that matter?)

closing board mtgs to membership (except for removal of officers) would just be group suicide (even IF legal) - your talking about apples (stakeholders) to oranges (volunteers)- stakeholders can sue their company and board BUT the volunteer has ultimate control - walking away and taking $$, support and potential gossip (if mtg closed)

Which would be more damaging a little hearsay (and open mtg)or a lot of hearsay, angry and shunned parents (closed mtg)?


<I'llfinishreadingthebooksomeday> I could care less why or who it was written to subjegate -- just what/who its applied to was my original point. (I cant <cut&paste> some material anymore) so I get my origins incorrect sometimes

But thanks I learn something new here everyday

[ 09-18-2006, 01:36 AM: Message edited by: Shawn ]

some things like contract negotiations and discussion of board appointments or removals are not for everyone's ears. Closed board meetings are usually necessary to keep some discussions from becoming fodder for gossip.

Wont be the lasttime I dont read the whole book either or misspeak...

but I do beg to differ on the closed mtg... nonprofit PTO/PTA's should never have closed door mtgs'.... non profit structure and use of RRO were taken from Corporate Exec Boards (Public and Private) incorrectly...

technically you have no 'stakeholders/ shareholders (therefore their are no members) only an exec board but any PTA/PTO that held closed door mtg (whehter local law ruled on way or the other) would be opening itself to alienation and extinction

Shawn wrote" ...but remember RRO was written originally for Executive Boards of Public and Private co's-
I beg to differ. RRNR (Roberts Rules Newly Revised) was originally conceived to reign in the congregation at Roberts'church meetings in the 19th century!!!!
He (and eventually his heirs) expanded his rules and thus you have the today's 10th edition based on his writings.
Unless you are incorporated or other civil statutes apply executive meetings are closed unless a majority of the board votes to open it.