Dear Mich--now is your chance to show them how its done...you get to step back and show the true grace of being a President. Maybe offer to help with one of their harder committees, share your research or to assist the Prez with whatever her questions are. Five years is a long time, and fresh air is good. Try to take it in that vein and have your leaving be the same as your serving...a show of support for the PTO and the children.

MM-I'm a bit confused. You were on the ballot, there was a write in candidate and the write in won. I suspect you are unhappy with losing but that is what the write in ballot is for. There isn't anything that says folks cannot see who is running for a position and then place someone on the ballot in an attempt to not have that person serve on the board. That doesn't place the integrity of the vote in question...just makes you wonder why your peers would support another candidate and you not know they were doing so. If however, you question the voting process, that is an issue and perhaps you can offer to head a committee to reestablish the principals for next year. Unfortunately voting is a popularity contest (remember the old high school days) and unfortunately if I hadn't been really good at physics (based on grade averages) I wouldn't have "won" anything....d

I am a first time visitor to this website and I am looking for direction. Last week we held an election for a decision making board membership at my school and so I submitted my name/volunteered to serve. There were two positions available and two individuals running. During the election I noted that the ballot box was a "open access" cardboard container:also there was room for two "write in" canidates. Well, being new to the process, busy, and naieve (because of school apathy, & presuming that none of my peers actually cared to serve, besides us two newbys) I did not even bother to much speak of my interest in the position. Well, the powers that be arranged to have a write in canidate filled in and I was informed that I was out voted. I am now asking for full disclosure of the vote.

I do not mind my peers supporting another, however what concerns me is the slick , smooth, business as usual, presumptuous manner in which I was displaced. I had previously spoken to the write in and she express a measure of disinterest in the position; However she has now consented to accept office.(by seemingly arrangement) I am old enough to take losing/rejection but integrity does matter to me. You have my empathy. Forget all that advice about the wisdom of silence; forgive, pray and then decide howso to speak up or to be silent. Also share your ideas, freely in a good spirit. Someone whom you do not even know is humbly observing your response in this matter. Walk in love and overcome evil, fret not. You can not help but prevail as a winner! Others, even the Principal will perhaps see the GRACE of God in you.

Respectfully,
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mich in braz......
The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook. William James
and
A moment's insight is sometimes worth a life's experience. Oliver Wendell Holmes

maybe think about if you just learned a lot about how things work at your school and see if there isnt a silver lining in it all. just give it some time if youre too close to the event still. sounds to me like maybe you learned something they dont teach anywhere else but in Experienceing 101.

Wow, what a strange turn of events! I would consider this weird situation a sign that it's time for a break. Enjoy the year "off".

As for your time and effort doing research: It's not wasted if you offer the ideas and information to the new officers and committee chairs. Your great work will help to make their job easier and show them all how special and valuable you are to the group even if you're not President!

We had our elections last night. I spoke with the principal several times in the last few weeks about having "Jane" run for Volunteer Coordinator and was never corrected. Yesterday morning, I let her know that we had received a few more nominations and gave her a current slate of nominations. She mentioned that she would rather have "Jane" as historian. "Jane" of course said she would do whatever the principal wanted her to do. This raised my eyebrows a little.

Then at the meeting, seconds before closing nominations from the floor, the principal's secretary, who has never been to even one PTO meeting, suddenly nominates "Jane" for president. "Jane" turns to the assistant principal and asks if that is what the principal wants her to do.

The principal scheduled our PTO meeting for the same night as the choir concert. The concert began at 6:30 and the meeting was at 6:00. There were many parents in attendance and voting that have never been (and probably will never be) at a PTO meeting. Our bylaws state that anyone with a child in the school and all teachers are automatically members of PTO.

Our principal also made sure to stress to teachers to be at this meeting. She hasn't made a big deal about any of the other meetings this year. In fact, I've had teachers who never even knew about some of our meeting dates.

Of course, "Jane" won by 1 vote. Did I mention that "Jane" has only attended 2 PTO meetings this year? I don't mind losing, I just hate it when people try to do things underhandedly and without integrity. In fact, had I known that "Jane" or anyone else was interested in running, I would have gladly withdrawn my name from the ballot. I had been toying with the idea of not running all year, but decided that I should since no one else was interested.

So after 5 years as a PTO board member, I'm just a PTO member now. It will be a big change for me. I'm trying to be graceful about this and not make too big of a deal of it. But I know that you all are here for me to vent a little to. I just think about all the time I spent researching fundraisers and various activities for next year, all that time wasted now.