Reading over what you just wrote here, I think you just did say it nicely and reasonably. It's a pretty good bet that you aren't the only one having these thoughts. It's something that every PTA I know of talks about at some point or another, even if they don't ultimately decide to leave. I would just say exactly what you just said here. It should be sufficient to get the conversation started, and you can all go from there.
I have been actively involved in the PTA for many years. I enjoy doing things with the children and the teachers and have always been happy to say I am a member of the PTA. However, for the past year I have been really wondering why our schools belong to a National PTA that really does absolutely NOTHING for us. The PTA is supposed to be a national advocate for all of us... what have they done for us?
My school, along with some others in my county, send a lot of money to our National PTA. We have a tight group of parents and teachers here and whenever we have done something for the PTA in the past we all have really banned together.
Now as our school is running out of supplies and some of the teachers are bringing in their home computers and the library can't afford new books, I look at our school PTA's finances and wonder what the heck have we been doing sending our money to the National PTA when we need our money right here.
As apparent as our financial situation is, I am reluctant to bring up disbanning our PTA from the National PTA because of fear of rejection from the other parents and teachers. I have been on the PTA for many years and am good friends with the other members, parents, and staff.
I am looking for a nice way to bring this up without being oppositional. I think people will be stunned to hear me even mentioning this, but given the amount of money we send to the National PTA when we need it so badly seems a bit ludicrous, especially since I can not cite one thing the National PTA has ever done for us.
Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can nicely approach this subject?
