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TimOriginally posted by NMmom:
Anyway, my point is when newspapers write stories, it's easier to pick on a PTA because it is everywhere than it is to pick on PTO, or PIE, or HSA, or ....
This is the 100% simple answer to the original point of this thread. You nailed it NM. Why does national PTA take more guff in the press than PTOs? Because national PTA is very high profile. There is no equivalent for PTOs. Everyone recognizes the acronym PTA (think Harper Valley...). NEA takes guff. Microsoft takes guff. John Kerry and George Bush take guff. PTA takes guff. It goes with the high-profile territory.
I feel like PTO Today is here more to help the little guys .
Love that. Thanks.
The actual origins of PTO (and I am NOT saying this is the way it is now) was in response to desegregation. From the book "Taming the Storm, the Life and Times of Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. and the South's Fight over Civil Rights",Originally posted by Michelle B:
I don't disagree with that, but as any business goes, when your customers start to ask for something, you pay attention and do what you can to provide it. This leads to the growth of your business and a better bottom line.
Lightbulb moment. I used to think your issue was our being a for-profit business. Now, I see your issue is actually our being a poorly run for profit business. Thanks for your concern with our bottom line. My wife shares your concern.
Another analogy (perhaps more explanatory)- If a business claims that they provide all carpeting at a low cost and when you enter the building, they only sell hardwood floors, and a couple of throw rugs in the back, it's misleading.
Ugh. (I was going to say "ouch", but ouch gets me in trouble.) Methinks you're misstating the case here by a long shot. Please feel free to go and measure the square footage (web pages and words) dedicated to helping all parent groups vs. the square footage spent on the PTO v PTA issue. It's something like 95% to 5%, hardly a couple of throw rugs in the back.
Now, you ask the question </font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr /> Someone educate me – is not the birth of most PTO groups basically disgruntled, former PTA groups? I am sincerely asking this.
Oh man...Originally posted by Michelle B:
This is the link to the National PTA website's first page. www.pta.org Do you readily see the anti PTO sentiment there? How many times do you click a link before you find a negative PTO statement? Where is the negative PTO story?
That said, you seem to think there's some kind effort to conceal here. We have a dot-com url. Our About Us page and our Advertise with Us are available for all to see. 95%+ of our content is 100% great for every kind of parent group imaginable. Call off the Truth Squad -- we're a business trying to provide a great product and service. You got us.Originally posted by Michelle B:
If you were generating a revenue in 2001 before the PTO shows, before NPN, are you telling me or us, that you're barely squeaking by in 2004?
Kids ate last month. Mortgage got paid. And I (almost) got a vacation. Our business of serving parent group leaders is going OK. Thanks for your concern.
Are you telling me that when a PTO pays to attend a show, that you don't turn a single profit from it? That NPN membership $179, pays only for the operating costs and materials?
Sadly, yes. That's what I'm telling you. Neither our conferences or our Network are profitable. Working on it, though. (Guess my frequent strategy sessions with Bill Gates and Warren Buffet aren't working out that well.)
You can't honestly say that you aren't making money off of PTOs because then you'd be contradicting your own words, not mine.
Actually, those would be a reporter's words, not mine.