Yes, newkids, I've spoken with the principal, she attends most of the PTO meetings herself. Like yours, she likes the organization being run as it is: dedicated purely to fundraising.

Our group spends all its funds on granting "teacher requests" that have first been approved by the principal. So, whatever equipment the district is lagging on buying, that's what the funds go to. Basically the group just provides backup funding for the school's "needs". The most recent expese was $17,000 to replace the school library's existing furniture (shelves and tables) with new furniture that matches the library's new front counter. I could have thought of about a million more appropriate things to spend the money on, but our principal wants the library to be very aesthetically pleasing, so it is.

Apparently our group has gotten around bothering with democratic voting by not allowing membership at all, we have no membership, just an autocratic board.

Vote them off you say? Well, the elections weren't anymore democratic than the rest of this group's operations. The president "agreed to serve" another year, as did the other board members except for one whose student had graduated. Her replacement was recruited during the summer by the president. There were no elections, though the by-laws might state otherwise.

So I could demand to see the by-laws and call them on their failure to follow them. But why? Life is too short! The writing is on the wall, the school administration of this middle school prefers ready access to the large till this group provides to whatever else this group could be.

A parent room? Now there's a concept! I would love some guidance in what I could do to help as a volunteer, but we don't have that. I am left to use my imagination and find ways to help the teachers and students without assistance from the school's administration or the so called "PTO". As you have experienced, it can be done.

Hi,
I understand how you feel completely, except I was on the board with officers who felt this way.

Have you spoken to your principal? Our principal was the one encouraging the board to go this route. It is easier for them to get funds. We had 5 people representing a school of 800 kids. And no mention of any committees.
Our first meeting I knew he was only interested in money. And I told my husband that night, I think I'm in the wrong group.

As a parent who volunteers in the classroom, I did not want this to happen. My feelings were our parents pay taxes but money they raise for PTO is for them to vote on.
Do you have bylaws? I was given permission to get a committee together. Our Bylaws went from about 2 pages to several. To make a long story short, anything over three hundred dollars must be brought to the membership for a vote. And items must be put on the agenda and given out a week before each meeting.

I resigned my position on the PTO, after a $17,000 item vote came up at the same meeting our bylaws were being approved,the last one of the year. I, as a vice president, didn't know it was coming up. The problem, we usually averaged 3 or 4 teachers, we had about 20 there that night. I think they knew the vote was coming up. You see our President is a staff member at the school.

In short, I was becoming a very negative person and didn't want to continually feel I was the only watchdog over the group.

I have gone back to just helping our teachers and kids. I work in the parent center doing teacher projects, and helping in the classroom. As room mom, I'm sponsoring a inexpensive book draw for the children in my classroom 2 each month. Monday, I'm going in to volunteer in the library. To say the least, I'm alot happier now.
And believe it or not my principal wants to nominate me for the District comittee. Even though he knows I'm a rebel, undiplomatic at times and a pain in the you know what. He knows I have only the best interest of our parents and children in mind. I'm still debating this after last year I'm not sure another committee is what I want.


I'm afraid the PTO will only become a fundraising mechanism instead of all it could be. As I tell parents who come to me and complain about the PTO just doing what they want. GO VOTE! In your case, I'm assuming they have some type of elections in the spring get your group together and oust them.
If our group had 25 parents at their meetings saying yea. I wouldn't be telling parents to get their group together and vote them out.

Well, JHB, I feel I've given it my best shot, working within their system, pushing for changes. It was so frustrating, ditching my family at dinner time to attend the meetings (for a year)where I could never have an input because the meetings are not designed for input. This very small group has barely enough people to fill the necessary positions for a board, and they totally dictate not only the discussion allowed at meetings, but the group's function, direction and activities.

Last night I even put together a nice gift basket full of fresh flowers,fruit, herbs and vegetables from my garden and presented it to the president before the meeting for use as a door prize. She only glared at me and shrugged when I asked for her help in awarding it, so I told her I would just set it in front of an empty chair for whoever arrived and sat there. The beautiful basket on the table remained a mystery through the meeting, as the president did not bother to mention it, so after the meeting I told the woman who sat closest that it was hers. Silly me, I'd thought having a door prize would be appreciated as a way to encourage meeting attendence, now I know better.

I really enjoy children and support education, but I know there is no place for me in this school's PTO. I will continue to reward the teachers and the students with bounty from my garden and with any other help I can give, but can no longer waste my time supporting a group that has set itself up to be so deliberatly and cruelly exclusive.

Actually, we have a similar system BUT with safeguards in place. And it works very well.

* Two general meetings per year. August to approve the budget, May to elect officers.

* Other general meetings scheduled if needed or for action that requires general vote.

* LARGE board so as to well represent interest of the group. (We have 25-35 people: officers, 4 school reps, all committee chairs, parent rep for each grade)

* Board meetings are open to anyone who wants to attend.

Can you work within their system, but push for some of these changes?

Attended this years first PTO meeting last night along with 3 dozen others. We were told by the president that things are done differently in this group than what we are probably used to, that is: the decisions are made by the board for whatever they think the "good of the school" is. We were also told there will be no voting and that there are no "memberships".

I feel so sad and dissapointed that our group is so lacking in democracy. I feel no more desire to contribute my energy to this group when I know I can't have an input into decisions.

I have been going to the PTO meetings for a year now, and know that soon the meetings will only be attended by board members. That's the way they like it, their own little clique. Too bad, the parents, students and school are missing out on this opportunity to work together and improve things.