If you are 501 then you are seperate from your school so he can not fire or dismiss your officers, HOWEVER your relationship with this person can dictate what goes home with students through backpack express, ability to use school faciliaties when you have events/meetings. If you use the school's tax Id number or their checking account then you have problems there is more control over your group. But once again there is all of the stuff above...truth is what principal likes a parent that speaks their mind openly? If I could tell you about me and our old principal you would probably laugh, we had the biggest love hate relationship ever. we learned eventually to meet half way in the middle, not to say I didnt fight to the day she left, she is our asst super. now and I am still fighting my battles from time to time. Maybe your officers and principal need to meet once a month to talk behind closed doors and air what is up...let us know what happens. Also if your group is strong how would your principal look if he disbanded your parent group? keep working on getting more involvement and that support will mean alot!

I may be new to this message board but oh boy We have been there too, We have a very small school about 100 kids, boy let me tell you. She never tryed that again with us, we went and kicked her out of our town meeting, told her that she didnt belong in here b/c she doesnt live in our town,the town fathers told her she couldnt say a word. the nexted day she came to our meeting and never said a word again. Pay back darn what a bummer lol.To this day shes willing to help out and do what ever she can. Keep us posted on what happends.

I am always amazed when I hear stories of pricnipals butting heads with PTO officers like this.

If you operate as a committee of the school, like our group used to, the principal probably has that power, unless your committee has agreed upon rules that say otherwise.

If you are a separate legal entity, the principal is way out of line.

I would make sure the principal knows that the member in question has the support of the rest of the board. I would also suggest that ousting this member would damage the relationship between the board and the principal. Will the next person with a dissenting opinion be booted out too?

I might even call her bluff and let her dissolve the group (if it's a committee). Parents can find other ways to get together and help the students without being a traditional parent group. If you are not missed, then maybe your time is better spent in other ways, anyway.

Our staff and administration totally support our group, but we give a lot more to them than they give to us. That's how it should be, but your principal makes it seem like she is doing all of you a favor by allowing the group to exist.

Except for the 'without your tax dollars ...' part, I agree with kathiep.

Stiffen up those backbones and speak up! Unless your by-laws state that a Principal has the authority to "fire" a board member then they don't. I would suggest a small meeting with the board members (minus the one in question) and the Principal. Better to do this right away then let her get away with it. I would bring a copy of the by-laws and be prepared to talk about what your PTO does for the school. She's not your boss, you don't get paid and you are the one doing her a favor by lending unpaid help and support to her, the students and the school. Without your tax dollars, she wouldn't have a job.

Are you a 501 3C? If you are, your principal doen't have a leg to stand on. YOu are a separate entity.
Take her to task on this. What do you have to lose? Remember, you are a taxpayer, she works for you, not the other way around.
Good luck and keep us posted.

Can the Principal fire a PTO officer and/or dissolve the PTO? We have a very difficult and controlling Principal who wants to remove an officer who spoke out with a differing opinion than hers. The officer has good ideas and has been honest. The majority of the other officers support this officer but are afraid to speak up to the principal! The bylaws don't address this specifically, but do say that an officer stays on until their kid is no longer in the school or they resign and are replaced.The principal also likes to threaten to dissolve the PTO everytime something happens that she doesn't like.Help!