It's sad to see that since
my last post/discussion
on PTA vs PTO, not much has changed.
Frantic requests to "make the change" and advice that is so heavily weighted (on both sides) that anyone who merely reads these posts and then decides if they should change to a PTO would not really be correct (there is more to it than the views of those on this post).
The banter, the phrasing, the dissolving and the creating of PTO's left and right backed by comments like "why waste our money to the State PTA" and "gimmie a break, no one follows the by-laws" simply reaffirm my belief of a phrase I once heard, "In the absence of true leadership, man will set his own laws".
It's been almost 6 months since I researched, read, debated and discussed on this board our decision to stay a PTA.
If you're from the south-you’ll understand this illustration----, it reminded me of a good football discussion on Sunday morning before Sunday School at church. God forbid you speak out in opposition to "his" or “her†team or reference the score at the big rival game “last night†- you're almost giving an open invitation to getting verbally slammed, ridiculed and called a fool.
It was brought up last time I did this that this site is for-profit (and all that) and everyone took the side they believed in on that - feel free to reply again about it, but I only brought that up to say this:
Tim, if your goal is to help Parent Groups - ALL parent groups - any and every parent teacher organization/association – if your goal is to encourage struggling parent groups, if your goal is to help people make a decision on PTA vs PTO – then here is my suggestion and question:
>>>Will you create a page/area on your website linking to some positive PTA stories, sites, articles? I'm a webmaster full time and I'd be glad to maintain it. Don’t say you already have it with this message board – no…not really, because EVERY post ends with your summary – slanted to your view. (Which is your right, as the owner of this site, but…)
If you are truly for Parental Involvement in Public Schools/Public Education...let's show the positive side of PTA some more....not in just the few posts affirming PTA then see them followed with your (always) reply pointing back to PTO.
My original post and the replies I received 6 months ago ended up with a strong slant toward changing to a PTO, I did not find the information and receive the discussions I really needed until I got off of this site and spoke to people in my state office.
Yeah, there are lousy PTAs out there...geesh, there are lousy churches out there, too - lousy stores, lousy people, lousy websites, and lousy governments.
But we don’t give up on them because of that.
And I know – this is YOUR website, YOUR control, YOUR views and YOUR final word – I’m just asking for you to give equal power to those who support PTA (there are many in your posts) and allow them to also have the right to have a final word on PTA.
Link out externally to a page I’ll create. Allow some FTP rights to your site (lock it in a folder) – there are many ways to do this.
So, what do you think?
((I know I'm going against an old rule of mine to not specifically address one person in a public setting, but I think it would be good for everyone to hear from you on this - show your support for ALL parent/Teacher groups))
~daron
[ 09-01-2004, 10:51 PM: Message edited by: d88keyz ]