Both our district and state PTAs say over and over and over that buying lunch etc. with PTA funds is 100% OK! Their stance is that it shouldn't cost anyone anything to be a volunteer and by picking up the tab the PTA encourages parents who couldn't afford to go out to lunch to volunteer.

Did you get this information from the district and the state PTA or did someone tell you that they said it was okay? If you got it straight from them then I guess your state is messed up or they don't realize just how much money is being spent on lunches and how it's being utilized but if you didn't and you were just told that was the position, I would seriously double check that. Ask kma, what you are told is ok/not okay and what is really true can be entirely different...
I know you say you don't want to fight anymore but from the way you tell it, this board appears to be pretty strong and kma's right, either way, these people you refer to are going to fight. Not because they're PTA but because they apparently have control issues. If you were a threat to them before, you can bet trying to start what could appear to be a competing group is going to be seen as an even bigger threat. I do believe that there is room for two groups but everyone has to get over themselves for that to happen and from the way you tell it, I don't see that happening...

Sad - Here's my recommendations

- DO NOT form a new group (PTG if you want to call it something). No reason to have two groups that are not going to work together. Fix the first one and if your pricinple finds value in what you want to do, work with him/her to resolve the issues.

- Hospitality is for volunteers and staff (at least that is what we use it for). The "lunch" meetings are out of line as far as I am concerned. Why can't they meet at 3pm? Save the hospitality funds for a nice volunteer night or to really show appreciation.

- Build your new group of people within the existing PTA. Take it over (more or less). If your group is like ours, those that actually vote on offices, etc are a fraction of the entire membership - most people really don't care, they just want to help. Encourage them to make a change.

It's hard, I am going through changes at my school as well (some have been major). The old group that was involved for many years was not receptive to the changes, but they did not have much choice and we've had one of the best years (profit, parent and teacher involvement). I really think two groups is going to tear apart what your school needs done (look at the political system and how much time/money is wasted). You need to just take charge and be ready with a good group of supports to help you do it.

For the record, our PTA has never had any "hospitality" like this! I'm sure you've thought a lot about this but I know there is not room in our school for two different groups. I can't imagine people picking between the two groups to volunteer and fundraise for without deciding just to not participate.

When I was President I did get an amount set aside for training and a vp and I went to the PTO conference but we just ate the snacks from the vendors! It never even occured to either of us to eat out or look for a bar... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

We don't even have a hospitality line item on our budget. We have teacher appreciation. When we do a social, everyone that wants to brings food or a beverage. Could you get enough friends behind you to simply make that change? Cut out hospitality and have money budgeted for specific school related events? Surely, the general membership would rather have that.

Sounds like you are between a rock and a hard place, and frankly if you could have just stuck it out until your re-election with a new good group of people, perhaps the good stuff that you started could have continued.... But.....

Our family game night doesn't cost a thing. We have people bring snacks and a game. Everyone plays for 1 1/2 hours and then a few of us stick around to clean up and that's it. Good luck.

I know how you feel, because it's that way of thinking that was the catalyst to starting the group I'm the president of! I feel for the PTAers who don't subscribe to this type of behavior as well, because it's morons like this that ruin it for everyone, whether they be a PTA, PTO, HPA... WHATEVER. This sort of nonsence is like the flu--it doen't single our just one particular group; it can happen anywhere.

Starting your own group isn't too hard, and with the principal's blessing (how's your BOE?) it makes it much easier. We have marginal support from our principal, but our BOE and Superintendent have been supportive, which has been our one saving grace.

If you're going on your own--be prepared, it's not cheap to get "official," nor is it for the faint of heart when it comes putting up with resistance, which it sounds like you're SURE to get from this lot. I don't know how territorial they are, but if they gave you a hard time as president, be sure to expect problems with a new group. With support you can get past it, but it can be extraordinarily taxing and aggravating. If the PTA is as strong as you say it is in your area, be prepared from nonsence on higher levels as well. Not to pee on your parade, but speaking from experience I'd hate to see you go through an ordeal if you didn't have to.

Our group got it's start more because of finances, and PTA board attitudes that aren't sanctioned by the "PTA," but its organization did lend itself to supporting the crap we were subject to (the catalyst for us was a playground we were told the PTA could not be supportive of). We would be voted down on a lot of things because we were told it was too expensive, and the fundraising needed was not what the "PTA" is about. So we started our own group (not a PTO) to raise funds for the playground, and once that's done, we plan on moving ahead to fund a host of things our school could use--a newspaper, drama club, more family involvement/fun programs. We are still involved with our PTA, and support the programs they have in place, and in fact hope to support the PTA with our finances in the future. We've had to be more flexible and swallow a lot of pride to get where we are, but little by little we're gaining ground. One problem for us that prevented us from taking over the PTA board (and thus saving us the aggravation of starting our own group) was that our school has no underlying parent support system; people would agree with what we were saying, but when it came to taking on the board, forget it. No one wanted to, even though there were more of us than them. Having ur own group has allowed us freedom of action in many ways with small numbers for support.

Since you were president and had some power to influence people, I'd personally take back the presidency and move from there. Especially if you have support. Either way you'd get grief, at least that way you'd save yourself the time, effort, money etc. of setting up a new group. If you do decide to go the route of starting your own group though, feel free to email me, I'll help with whatever I can!

Originally posted by <Sad in the bluegrass>:

Anyway, the point of my orginial post was that I wanted to start a school focused group apart from the PTA. I have spoken to the principal who has given me his blessing. Parents who are aware of the whole mess are ready to sign on and help and even several teachers have told me they would like to get involved in a student centered group. So now we just have to figure out a name to call our group and get to work making it happen.

Hey bluegrass --

Call it anything you want. PTO is a pretty common alternative name, but you could call it ABC or XYZ and it'll be great. Sounds like you're on the right track.

Tim

Sad- I am thinking Bluegrass is the great State of KY? I have to assume that since I am frome here. There was a great article a few months back in the Courier Journal about how PTA's are declining either in Louisville or state wide, I can't remember. My point....you could do a search about parent groups on their website and perhaps get some helpful hints. I am sure that article mentioned alternatives. I haven't a clue what month but I know it was in the last year.