Marion, Well... I have heard this said many times at both the local and state level with one exception. The word "just or only" was in there as "We are not moms 'just' making cookies..." Advocacy and all those other benefits of PTA are important to many of their members and so often overlooked. I would not for a minute believe that she would intentionally disregard the everyday aspects that so many PTA members are involved and trained in by PTA. I also know that I am a mom, with no training in addressing the masses. I am not a professional speaker and make mistakes phrasing things. I think that may have been what happened here.
I just read the Baltimore Sun article (found in The Latest News section of this site) Does anyone else find Ginny Markell's comments insulting and condescending? She's quoted as saying "We want the public to know that we're not moms making cookies, not room moms and chaperones and dads who come to school only when they're teaching carpentry. Rather, we're parents, teachers and community members who know we need to invest in our children."
It seems to me that she just told the moms who make cookies, who act as room mothers, parents who chaperone and fathers who take time to share their skills that their contributions are inferior and that they aren't "investing" in their children.I think she could have bolstered the PTA's image without making disparaging comments about other people's contributions.
