Boy does your story bring back memories of the hell we went through four years ago....
In a nutshell, after the second meeting of these crazy parents the school had three police officers present. I was almost arrested (hang on this is hilarious!)when I yelled at our PTO President to "SHUT THE (beep) UP!" I was her Sec. AND 8 months pregnant so the cop let me go! HA!!!
Please talk to your principal before the meeting to have a plan of action. I like having a plan A and a plan B and (in this case) someone on speed dial!
Something else to talk to your Principal about, a letter sent home adressing the said issues/rumors. This has been very effective at our school.
We have an issue "brewing" at our school as well and I fully anticipate it being brought up at the first PTO meeting of the year. I've addressed it with our principal and the board and plan to state the following (o.k. - take out the quotes because I don't plan to have note cards, but you get the picture.)
"I understand that you have a concern, however - it is one that is a school issue and not a PTO issue. My recommendation is that you contact the office tomorrow morning and schedule an appointment to address it with the principal."
No - it probably won't win me points with THAT parent - but our PTO is about so much more than meetings, yet they are a necessary evil as is fundraising. Without them we don't exist and we don't continue to do the good we do for all the kids. Therefore, I am committed to not having a meeting last more than one hour - and if I break my word, we won't have people at meetings. It's a vicious cycle.
Hope that helps and stick with it honey - the kids need you!
omg......all I want to know is WHYYYYYYYYYYYY????
Why would any full grown adult behave this way around kids???? I feel so badly for those people's children, hopefully they are young enough they don't understand it.
Sounds like you have a good plan for this. If it does not address the issue at hand, then to state so is perfectly okay.
If they persist, you can stop the meeting and ask to speak to them in the hall (or somewhere out of the way)
And state, I realize that you have a concern with this, but this is not the time or the place to discuss it. We are here to work on PTO business and if you can't participate civilly then you will be asked to leave... ETC
I agree with the other comments made. Things that have nothing to do with the PTO have no place being discussed there. And your answer to discuss other PTO ills after the meeting is awesome! That will not give them the forum they want and will take away from the satisfaction they are looking for.
No matter what these miserable people do. DO not lose your cool! As long as you remain calm you do not give them any satisfaction or power. Plus people will see them for what they really are!
If they can't get any satisfaction maybe they will slink away!
Actually, the mom and grandma are two peas in a pot . ..the grandma feeds off the mom's negativity and they battle as a team??? If the grandma comes to a PTO meeting, you know they are going to fight us about something, that's just how it works with them.
I have thought about just stating that
"if you have a PTO issue personally, I can't speak for the rest of the committee, but I'd (the president)be glad to stay after the meeting to get it resolved as I don't think it's fair for the other parents who have taken time out of their evening tonight to have to sit here and listen to this and if anyone else has a personal issue with the PTO, they are more than welcome to stay as well, now lets move on to the next item on the agenda" and be done with it.
It may show the other parents who have been turned off by situations in the past such as this, that we aren't going to be "bullied" by anyone and neither should they.
