THANKS FOR YOUR SUGGESTIONS! IM SAD TO REPORT THAT THINGS GOT WORSE FOR ME THIS WEEK. THE NEW PTO PRESIDENT (I WAS LAST YEARS PRES.) HAS DECIDED TO INFORM ME THAT I WILL NOT BE NEEDED TO CHAIR THE TWO EVENTS THAT I SIGNED UP FOR! (I DID NOT KNOW YOU COULD BE FIRED FROM BEING A VOLUNTER)
WHAT MAKE THINGS WORSE IS ONE OF THESE EVENTS WAS SOMETHING THAT MY BOARD HELP RAISE 5,000.00 FOR AND SHE IS KNOW TELLING ME THAT THIS WILL BE AN EXECUTIVE BOARD PROJECT AND THAT THEY WILL BE HANDLING IT! NOTHING LIKE BEING TOLD THANKS BUT NO THANKS! IN RESPONSE TO THE BOARD MEETINGS I AM 1 OF MAYBE A HANDFUL THAT ATTEND. WE ARE A SMALL SCHOOL AND SEEM TO HAVE SMALL TURNOUTS AT OUR PTO AND SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS. i COULD TRY TO MEET WITH THEM AND DISCUSS THE ISSUE BUT I DO NOT IF THEY WILL GET INVOLVED PTO MATTERS, ALTHOUGH I WOULD BE DISCUSSING THE PRINCIPAL AND HER STAFFS ABUSE OF THEIR AUTHURITY. WALKING AWAY AND LETTING IT GO IS WHAT MUST FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE SAYING BUT I DONT THINK ITS THAT EASY FOR ME, I CARE, I CARE AND I DO WANT TO BE INVOLVED AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE BUT AT WHAT PRICE? THATS THE QUESTIONS. HAVE YOU BEEN IN A MESS LIKE THIS BEFORE? WHAT DO YOU THINK I CAN DO TO CHANGE WHAT
THIS PRINCIPAL IS TRYING TO DO! (CONTROL THE MONEY AND MAKE THE PTO HERS!)
Hi..I have to say I don't agree with going to a school board meeting and facing them and telling them in front of members of your community what is going on. I know you could look at this as publicity but it could backfire. The board could decide to side with the principal right then and there, you would be better off meeting behind closed doors with the superintendent or board president... you really probably don't want everyone to know about the friction. Trust me right now you are talking out of anger and I have been there...it's very hard to swallow it but you have to try other steps first. Even if you need someone to mediate, try anything before going to the board. The fact that you say most parents don't care means that you will be the one looking bad...is that worth it. Try the close door thing first...please.
"When you stop learning you stop growing."
I personally would not put anything any the paper. I would just attend a school board meeting. Not an executive pto meeting a school board meeting. Take the other Pto members with you and tell the board members what has happened. I can't tell you what will happen because I haven't been in your shoes but you need to go to a higher source and the board members is a higher source and they may be able to help you. If they can't they might be able to tell you who can.
I'm sorry to hear about your situation. I wish I had some ideas on the first part of your post.
I am a co-president we share the title, we are set up where I deal with all of the fundraising, and run the meetings. My co heads up all of the volunteers and special events. (that don't make money) It works well for us. We get much more done than if one of us had to do it all.
IM SO FRUSTRATED I DONT KNOW WHERE TO START! MY PTO HAS BEEN SEIZED BY THE PRINCIPAL AND SHE HAS REPLACED THE PARENTS WITH STAFF. I AM AMAZED AND ANGRY AT THE LACK OF SUPPORT FROM OUR PARENTS. THEY SEEM TO NOT CARE AT ALL ABOUT THE PTO AND THE FEW WHO DO CARE AND VOICE THEIR OPINIONS, ARE CONSIDERED AND REFERRED TO AS THE "PROBLEM PARENTS"! IT SEEMS AS THOUGH I AM ON A SINKING SHIP AND HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO QUIT THE PTO.
IS THERE A PLACE TO START? I THINK I COULD GET A FEW PARENTS TO CONSIDER TO RE-WRITE SOME OF THE BY-LAWS AND PUSH FOR A VOTE SO THAT WE CAN REGAIN SOME CONTROL. ALTHOUGH THIS YEARS PTO HAS DECIDED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE PRINCIPAL NOT TO FOLLOW THE BY-LAWS OR INFORM MEMBERS OF THE PTO ON ANY OF THE SAID CHANGES THE EXECUTIVE BOARD SEES FIT. THIS MEANS THAT DECISICIONS ARE BEING MADE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS AND NO VOTES ARE TAKING PLACE. BASICALLY THE PARENTS (MEMBERS) HAVE NO VOICE! ANYONE WHO I HAVE TALKED TO SAYS THAT THEY ARE AFRAID OF SPEAKING OUT BECAUSE THEIR CHILDREN MAY SUFFER! I UNDERSTAND THEIR CONCERNS, I FEAR MY CHILD MAY HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED THIS FATE. FOR SURE I HAVE BEEN LABELLED A "PROBLEM" AND HAVE HAD A HARD TIME EVEN GOING INTO MY CHILDS SCHOOL! THE SCHOOL MY TAX DOLLARS PAYS FOR! HOW DO YOU STOP A PRINCIPAL THAT IS SO CONTROLLING? MANY HAVE SUGGESTED TALKING.. I BELIEVE WE ARE WAY BEYOND TRYING TO TALK! IS CONTACTING THE LOCAL PAPER A GOOD OPTION? THE SCHOOL BOARDS AND THE SUPERINTENDENT ALL SEEM TO HATE BAD PUBLICITY!
HELP!! p.s. HAS ANY ONE EVER HEARD OF CO-PRESIDENCY// TWO PEOPLE SHARING THE POSITION OF PRESIDENTS SEAT?
