Hats off to you for sticking in there. You have had a very tough start.
Robert's Rules is actually a very good thing especially in your situation. It ensures everyones rights as members and you simply cannot go wrong.
Because we have had so many "trouble" parents attending our 15 units meetings our PTA council has offered the assistance of a parliamentarian for them. I even have a parliamentarian at all of my council meetings that I chair.

Also, the glory of being the chair is that you simply preside at the meetings. It is actually the membership that brings up motions and decides the course of action. The president simply chairs the meetings.

Now, there are things that I have wanted to do in our unit but the way I get these things before the membership is through an executive committee report. Discussed at the board meeting anything they present at the general meeting is considered a motion and does not need a second. (Because it is more than one persons recommendation) The chair then states: "The question is to allocate $100.00 for staff appreciation breakfast, is there any discussion. After all have had there turn to speak, (and you could limit that also) and it is time for a vote take the vote.

It is not that the president has no input, we just have to have someone else present our thoughts.

In the end, every thing your unit does should be the result of the membership voting for it. The president does nothing - the membership decides all. Therefore you have not done anything! The membership has!

First of all were you not voted into to this position? Where were all these people then? I also love PTO ex officers who can't let go. My response to the your ruining everything we've done is, "I know what a great job you've done in the past and I would like the opportunity to try something different, our new board wants to keep things new and fresh so no one gets bored with the same things year after year." I love it when people say that you are doing all this for a personal agenda...what do you have to gain from volunteering endless hours of your time, stressing out over every detail of a function and having to deal with people such as this?? The only reason you could have is that you care and want to help all the students, and to attck you on a personal level with how you choose to raise your children is grasping at straws to try to discredit you. I feel sorry for their children...these always so vocal parents are doing no service to them. They need to either be helpful or keep the nastiness to themselves. What you need to do is keep doing what you are doing, the "good" parents will see that your are capable and once you get your feet wet so to speak you'll do fine. I have found the best ways to extinguish the loud ones is to do a good job. Remember no one is perfect and when they complain ask them so sweetly, would you like to help chair this issue. Most only like to complain ...not help! good luck and keep remembering the kids appreciate what parent groups do and that is all that matters.

hi guys, I need some advice. Ever since I became the pta president, I have had problems with a few members. They don't feel that I know what I'm doing, that I'm ruining everything they have done, etc. It has now gotten very ugly. I have now been accused of lying, being ignorant, not raising my child right, having a personal agenda, etc. (this was a letter I received that also was sent to the principal). I don't know what to do. I would like to walk away and be done with it. On the other hand, people seemed to come out of the woodwork to our first meeting and seem to want a change. What would you guys do? (keeping in mind that some of these people claim to have all kinds of experience and really don't, suddenly want to invoke robert's rules to the letter (including suddenly having a parliamentarian) HELP!!! thanks.