<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>After some people raised their hands, she gave them dirty looks and said, "Well, you may be aware that they had a national convention, too. But did you know it was ALL ABOUT FUNDRAISING?"<hr></blockquote>

This saddens me to read. Alas, it appears that she does not understand that tearing you down does not make me stronger. If her desire is to insure that PTA is the strongest education advocacy group in America (and I'm fairly sure it is), wouldn't she be better served trying to build PTAs up, rather than trying to tear PTOs down?

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Believe me, we are doing everything in our power to inform people of the "true nature" of the PTA and keep our school as far away from it as possible!<hr></blockquote>

If you want to dispute the political nature of the PTA, then ask yourself this question: can you name ONE example of the PTA taking a position in disagreement with the NEA? Just one? On anything?

Personally, it doesn't bother me that I belong to an organization with an official agenda I am not 100% in agreement with. I agree in principal on enough items. Others may feel differently. That doesn't make them bad people in my eyes, and I hope it doesn't make me a bad person in their eyes.

But it doesn't make PTA any better to tear down the unaffiliated organizations. No more than it makes those unaffiliated organizations better to tear down the PTA. A or O, there is place for each.

pmichel, I have never personally seen PTA acting politically. It certainly would jeopordize their non profit status. Lobby for legislation, yes. It may be that I am too close to see but what on the web site is political? I myself have a problems with a few of their lobbying efforts, none of them affect my state but, I know that my $2.00 a year goes into those efforts also. I wish that their were National Organizations that I agreed 100% with, but I have not found one. I still send my dues because there is so much they do that I want to continue.

I understand their position on vouchers. National PTA stands in support of our public schools so the stance on vouchers does not surprise me. There reasoning is sound. The public schools should shape up and do the job. I happen to agree with that. I do not believe vouchers is going to improve our public school system. But I have to admit, if their stance was pro-voucher, I would probably still support them, because of everything else still far out weighs the issue.

I am curious too, you write "Believe me, we are doing everything in our power to inform people of the "true nature" of the PTA and keep our school as far away from it as possible". What are you informing them of specifically? I am also wondering what reflects a "left wing political agenda". It drives my husband nuts that I don't pay attention to the terms and get lost quick when they are used. Thanks!

For plw -
I'm sorry, but you are just dead wrong that PTA is not a political organization. Just a quick look at their website proves that. And your statement that anyone who looks at all the legislation that the PTA has been involved in would make them want to support PTA is also SO WRONG! I know dozens of people who are aware of all of the PTA's lobbying and their positions on educational issues - and these people absolutely REFUSE to have anything to do with PTA because of those political positions. Once we received a list from our children's school of the official PTA positions on a number of issues. After that, we NEVER joined PTA again because we don't want our money going to support their leftwing liberal agendas. The PTA has gotten far off track of what they still "claim" to be doing - supporting improvement of children's education. They also have a "we know better than you do" attitude which I resent.

We now have our children at a Charter School. And I've read what the PTA thinks about that as well as vouchers and anything to do with school choice. Some of the leadership at our school is questioning whether to join PTA or go with a PTO. Believe me, we are doing everything in our power to inform people of the "true nature" of the PTA and keep our school as far away from it as possible!

What I see coming from the PTO is much different than PTA and is much more representative of what the parents I associate with believe to be best for their children.

Tim, quite right I was not at the PTOshow which is why I posted the link. You are also quite right about my statement: "Even though it seems their Show was not ALL about fundraising, quite a bit does pertain to it."
Though I try to post my thoughts accurately it does not always happen. I was thinking of the difference in workshops between PTOshows and PTA Conventions. Much of it is the same as far as the need for information about running a group and it is beyond that we see the differences. Though we have financial workshops, and of course, fundraising, we have less need for things that cover 501 status, the law, etc... On the other hand we have many that cover advocacy, legislation, and issues that confront our schools. It should have read that quite a bit refers to subjects not focused on by PTAs. As you saw my post was confusing, off subject and long. I did go back and edit, just missed my confusion in the first paragraph. I know you will except my apology and I thank you for pointing it out and giving me the opportunity to have digress.

Mass PTO-There are many good schools that do not have PTAs but PTAs presence is there in nearly every public school out there. The laws that PTA help lobby for will touch your school without regard to the parent group involved. Schools with parent involvement will be a far better school than those without. Schools that embrace a meaningful parent involvement policy will fare even better. Parent involvement has less to do with the parent group and more to do with the district and staff involved.

I'm talking about P.T.A.'s in our state. The article on this site said that there's only like 100 groups in the whole state that are P.T.A. and there are thousands of P.T.O.'s.

I was probably a little bit angry last night about what that person said in Oklahoma (sorry if that was harsh), but it is pretty clear that you don't need official P.T.A.s to have good schools.

Are you talking about the STATE Mass. PTA or your unit--If you have great schools you must remember that National an Stte PTA's have a big play in that.

Unless you have expereince with the State level i would be careful about I read. You probably can check and I will also look into the State of Mass PTA website if they have one. If not you can contact your units president and ask them to get some information about your state PTA. But if you are a member of that PTA you can even log on to www.pta.org and email them to get information, and let them know what you read and where.
As far as a "weak" PTA- that can only result in the leadership and membership- They have control on how strong they want to be, and how they plan on implenting the National PTA's goals and objects. It is unfortunate( and one of the reasons why National PTA is on a major marketing campaign) that many PTA's out there are operating under the PTA charter and name, but only ovding services a PTO does. A PTA is a child advocacy and education organization, not a charity, or service organization.