We are PTO but my last school was PTA. We do a lot of good things now just like we did a lot of good things at the PTA school. I will say that things were better organized at the PTA school but also that sometimes all the rules and regulations could be a pain when all we were trying to was make the school better.
I'd have to agree with the magazine article that the most important thing is working hard to make sure the school is a good place for the kids.
We don't belong to the PTA precisely because of all that other stuff you mention. We do lots for our school and even in our town politics, but we looked into PTA and it seems to involve so many issues that we don't necessarily agree with or want to be involved in (vouchers, for one).
PTA does do many similar things to PTO, but the difference is that we also contribute to the big picture of helping ALL children, not just the children in OUR school.
By being a part of the PTA we are part of a large voice that has played and is playing an important role in the lives of children across the country.
I do think that PTA is a better choice for parent groups, because the whole is often larger than the sum of its parts.
I don't think PTA MEMBERS are better, but I do think PTA is a great choice for your group.
I can only talk from the experience i've had at my own kids school. The PTO here is wonderful. They are not just about fundraising....although we do raise funds for our programs that we offer to the KIDS. We are there to provide the 'extras' that otherwise these children would not recieve. I do admit we do need $$$ for some of these events, but not all. How about decorating the school? That is from PTO funds. How about those teacher appreciation lunches? (twice a year), again from PTO funds. The list goes on and on. I'd take up too much space if I listed them all. I suppose (but I'm not sure) that being a 'PTA' would provide the same???
What is so wrong about being advocates for our own town's children????
I am not against PTA at all. I just dont think that either one is any better than the other. We all work for our childrens future, right?
Thanks for listening!
I like the article on PTA v PTO from the magazine because it's more fair to PTOs than I'm used to. Everything I ever read about PTOs just says that PTOs only care about fundraising. At least for our school, that's just not true. We have tons of family activities (many free) and much more.
Every PTA I ever read about is doing the same things we're doing.
