Just another comment I missed, an Executive Board CAN NOT remove the president in a PTA, it requires the membership to do that. If I was a PTO president, I would make sure that was in the bylaws to protect the group.
Although I'm sure many State PTA's are very professional, not all are responsive to a local unit's needs. We had a very negative experience in NJ and were finally told (at the District level) that they were too busy to help us. The state office never responded to our phone calls. Going from PTO to PTA may not get you the help you are looking for. Perhaps you could talk to some PTA's in your area to see what their experiences with the state office have been before you even consider the switch.
Regarding the statement that "As a PTO, you are completely isolated and have no "family" to lean on", I have to completely and totally disagree! I have gotten more help and ideas from this forum over the last 3 years than I would ever have believed.
We made the switch to PTO using NPN resources as well as lots of help from forum members. We actually have more controls in place now than we ever did as a PTA. No matter what your acronym, your parent group is only as good as its bylaws and members.
One of the great things about being in a PTA, is you have a gigantic "umbrella" organization to help you out.
If a local unit needs help, in steps the Council, then the District, and then State comes in to help, too, if needed.
As a PTO, you are completely isolated and have no "family" to lean on.
I suggest you look at your by-laws and see what it will take to remove this president from office. Just make sure you have someone who is willing to step up.
And consider looking into PTA. No, we aren't perfect, but at least you would have a support group if you had any problems.
Our local unit PTA bylaws don't say anything about missing a certain number of meetings causing automatic removal...I will say in nine years of PTA experience that it is nice to have someone to call and help, but I think you can get that with PTO. Also, if you are in a state like ours and the council and state officers are not very professional and/or not the sharpest tools in the box, you might feel like the dues portion is a waste of money. Just MY THOUGHTS...
Is there a chance that PTA could provide in-person help that's not available as a PTO? Yes.
I'd agree that it depends a great deal on the organization, effectiveness, proximity and willingness of your council-level PTA folks.
But the thing is that there's really only one solution to your problem, whether you're a PTA or PTO: you and other leaders of your local group need to enforce (nicely and then formally, if necessary) your bylaws and insist that your group be run as a right-running group.
No one can do that for you. In the best case, PTA could what MichelleB described -- visit, train, encourage right action. But PTA can't demand right action or make the necessary changes for you.
In this scenario, the only thing you don't have access to as a PTO is the visit. I agree with MichelleB that it's usually groups that don't have training who get into these spots. But in-person isn't the only type of training out there. I'd submit that this forum alone (among many other resources now available to PTOs) is responsible for more groups "getting it" than any other resource out there. (Aside: you wouldn't believe the amount of "lurkers" we have this year -- people who read a ton but don't post.)
To summarize, if your local PTA hierarchy is especially effective, then -- yes -- going PTA may help a bit in this scenario. Question then is: will it help enough to justify the pricetag?
But I'd argue that your problem is really independent of acronym. There are plenty of PTAs (and PTOs) that have the very same challenge you have. The only way you're going to solve it is by maturely standing up -- as an entire leadership team -- to this person using
facts and tact and fortitude and getting your group back on a better track.
