Are there any bylaws for this group? I am guessing probably not and if so then they are probably catering to this. This is a very strange situation that is happening at your school, are there any other schools within your district? If so how do they run their meetings? I am thinking this is a huge parent involvement nightmare!
Truth is I am not sure what you could do to stop it, you may asked the superintendent or board of education but chances are they are going to back what the building principal says and wants to do.
Other than get a petition going, get more parents involved, start a group outside of school your hands may be tied.
Have you tried talking to your principal about this? From my experiences I am guessing that there is history with some bad parent stuff at your school and that is why it is done this way. truth is your principal doesn't even have to let there be a parent group and I use that term lightly...keep us posted.
If the majority of parents are against this approach and the principal will not listen to reason, perhaps you could all stop giving your time and money to this group. That might serve as a wake up call. You can still support the teachers and kids by volunteering in the classroom and either buying things for the classroom or organizing parents to purchase things that are needed in the classroom. That way the kids won't be hurt by your pulling out of the group. The group won't be very effective if most of its members dont participate and perhaps they will reevaluate this situation. Just a thought.
Thanks, I agree. Tell that to our school. Our principal is very controlling in her approach, not a bit child or parent friendly. She has a small group of well intended parents who are on the Board for the PTO who play her game well.
The rest of us are stunned at the fact that we belong to a school community where parents are not really a community at all.
I have never heard of such a thing and do not see how it can be effective. One of the goals of our PTO is to foster a sense of community--how can you do that when everyone is in a different room??
How can you have a meeting without any discussion?
That would never meet the requirement for a membership corporation in Florida. We have to have meetings set in our bylaws, and they need to be actual meetings.
If Your group is just a school committee, though, there are few regulations.
If you don't expect too much from me, you might not be let down. <img src=images/smilies/smile.gif>
How common is it for PTO meetings to be held without common assembly?
Our PTO meetings are held by broadcast over the intercom, and each parent reports to the child's homeroom. When votes are cast, members of the board go room to room to do this.
This just started a couple of years ago, when parents began to question poor choices by the school administration.
It is my contention that this is designed to fragment the parent body.
The last meeting I sat in, I sat in homeroom with four parents. We were stunned.
The principal later said it was done that way because of fire code regulations, which is bull.
There are never that many parents in attendance to fill the gym!
