I don't think I would do this. Or do it on a individual base and be very breif.
Principal was very helpful to the PTO when we did x.
A lot of employers will not do letters of recomendations anymore. Due to the problems that it can cause with someone coming back on them.
The PTO doesn't need this and neither do you personally.
I've got to disagree with Venzmama here. If you write a letter on the organization letterhead you have officially spoken for the organization. I do not think it is the place of a PTO to take such a stand.
If you really do wish to write such a letter feel free to do so, but do it as an individual. Write your own letter, and feel free to say "in my role as PTO president, I worked closely with Mrs. Globnitzky..." But do not write the letter as "the PTO", write it as you.
IANAL, but I would think that if PTO wrote a letter of recommendation it would only be lawsuit fodder if "inability to work with the PTO" had been given as a cause for not picking up her contract. The PTO is certainly not in a position to make hiring/firing decisions, so such a letter should only serve a legal case if it belied something the school district told her. And even then it would be a problem for the school district, not you.
However, my position is not based in the question of legal liability nearly so much as it is in the appropriateness of the PTO taking an official stance. I would tell her that the PTO board has determined that such a letter would be inappropriate, but that she is welcome to ask the officers for individual letters of recommendation. If you knew in advance that certain people were willing to write such a letter, you might want to include that information in your polite refusal to comply with her request.
But whatever way you go, only write a letter of recommendation that you can honestly endorse.
A letter of recommendation is usually just one's opinion and in writing one you stick to neutral things..."Mrs. X" worked well with the PTO, her support was appreciated, one of her strengths was XXX that showed during her help with XXX event, and so on. If she was good, but just wasn't a good fit, then by all means right your letter. Do not include anything negative, not even that she just wasn't a good fit! If your entire Executive board agrees to it, write one letter on PTO letterhead and have everyone sign off on it. If not, write individual letters. My husband, the Board of Directors President, and I, the PTO president, just wrote these type of letters for our principal. It's not uncommon, and who better to know him than those of us who worked with him on a daily basis.
Our principal is being forced out at the end of the school year. She has asked PTO to write her a letter of recocommendation. Should we do this? On letterhead, or as individual parents? We had difficulties with her, but wish her well and would recommend her to another school, she just didn't work out here. But would an officail endorsement give her attorney ammunition in any potential lawsuit for unjust termination? (Her contract will expire and not be picked up, technically.) Will our Board of Ed be upset with us? How do weigh all these concerns and make the right decision? Anyone out there been down this road and have advice?
