I agree with the others that the Principal is an integral part of the PTO and should attend the meetings. Frankly, to ask him NOT to attend would raise concerns with me.

But that being said, not all your work goes on at the meeting. Information should get fed to you in many ways - personal interactions, committee work, teacher representatives, surveys.

I adored my elementary school principal. But we didn't see eye-to-eye on every single point, and there were times we gathered information from teachers and others in various ways. Depending on the situation, the rare times we wanted to pursue something he didn't support we had to decide to drop it, gently persuade, or really fight for it.

Not having him attend will solve more problems than it will create. Many still wouldn't openly discuss anything considered controversial. You'd still have to collect information in other ways beyond the meetings.

You are accountable to your principal whether anyone likes it or not. Trying to prevent him from being at your meetings is like telling your boss no, and it really looks like you dont want to work with the boss! Could turn into a very negative situation, if parents cant see the importance of that relationship then it is something that needs to be discussed and developed.
I will say you wont always agree but you need to develope a relationship where it is okay to disagree, and then eventually you will be able to reach middle ground with no effort at all.
How old is your group?? That may play a part of this...
You also need to remember that anything thing you do SHOULD be discussed with him and he can say no anytime he wants, does he have to explain himself? No not really, I find that with my relationships with our principals (six in 4 years) that I will often hear reasons why not and that always seems to make my eyes more open. A parent group is a piece of a very big pie and compared to all of the other pieces we are a small piece!

I just feel that it is hard to have a free flow of ideas with administration at the meeting, esp. when we are just starting. The other parents who came from other schools said the Principal was not at the meetings as a matter of course. I of course recognize that a school is a collaboration and the administration must be brought into the fold. I just think it would flow better for parts of the meeting anyway to discuss things with just parents. For example, one of the parents said "would teachers like to create wish lists?" A teacher was there and perked up and the Principal said , we do not need any more books and don't donate anymore computers. Done deal. The teacher would not contradict her boss in front of others. I felt she stifled the group along with another administrator.
Within that, it is not just my feeling, other parents felt the same way. I feel like a monkey in the middle to some degree. I actually had some parents say they would not come back unless it is just parents and teachers.

I agree with the majority here, Clyde that having the principal attend meetings is important for all of the reasons already stated and is usually a positive thing for your group.

However, if the principal is negative, unsupportive or otherwise causing problems for your group, I can see how his/her presence can be bothersome to the parents.

Is there an issue between your principal and your group, other than your group wanting to work independently from the school, that might need to be addressed?

I'm on the opposite side of this question.

Why wouldn't you want the Principal to be there?

The Principal runs the school and as such has to have buy-in on everything that you do. The Principal being there should be embraced. At every meeting I provide the Principal a time on the agenda to discuss whatever he wishes to. Usually things that are going on, new ideas, requests, etc.

I believe that the parents love having him discuss these sorts of things so we receive a bit of insight into what is coming up for our children.

In addition, by having him there, we get automatic response to questions. For example, would this date be good for the whatever event? What about adding a piece for the playground? Etc. The point is that the Principal should be included and used as a valuable resource. As long as the President maintains control of the meeting, then I say be happy, no, be ecstatic that your Principal is there!

PresidentJim

With six years as president of a pto I can't not even begin to understand why you would not want your principal there. A principal is a very key piece in a parent organization, it is about working together, parents and school.

You could also say that making the principal mad could also make your life miserable as a parent group, every thing in the entire school is a reflection on the building in sense the leader of the building. This is a relationship I would work on building not wreaking!!!!

Example My school has gone off and on with no principal at our meetings and it can be tough. Now we have a new principal coming in and hopefully his will end out streak!