When parents and the PTO were having problems with our principal, I found that having made other connections within the school administration-asst. principal and cir. coordinator-became the people we could ask for guidance in addressing these issues. It happened that a lot of teachers, almost 2/3, had requested transfers because of the principal and they were also helpful in telling us who to contact about our concerns. So start with your child's teacher or any other staff you may have a good connection with. In the meantime, I know a school whose principal said they couldn't use money from the previous school year so they put those funds in a CD and just let it keep building until they got a new principal who saw things their way and then they had a nice sum to make some great changes with.

Where does the Superintendent stand in all of this? I think you should get a few people together and go talk to the Super. Express your concerns and see what he/she has to say. You can also speak with board of Ed members and go to board of Ed Meetings. I have learned that speaking to a couple of board members can certainly get the ball rolling and you would be suprised to find out that sometimes the board of Ed has no idea about things that are going on, on a daily basis inside your school.

I had a board member tell me last year that it is imperative that parents come forward with issues because that sometimes that is the only way they find out about them and can then investigate the matter.

I am not familiar with the PTA process, but I would also follow Michelle B's advice and contact some of your upper reps to see how they can assist you.

Seems as if not a day goes by that another issue doesn't comes up concerning this new principal. I think it has gone way past the PTO/PTA money thing.
We had something come up that we are not sure which way to go with it.
We have a parent that was very active with our PTO at our school (before we merged with this school) She worked as a sub with the bilinguel program. Last year she would only sub for our program and it became a fact that the teachers would request her when and if they needed a sub for their class.
Last week Sub-finder left a message for her to come to work for our program and she arrived at the school ready to work and this new principal took one look at her and said that no parent would be allowed to sub there at the new school.
The parent (sub) had to leave. Just like that! This parent (sub teacher) has a great record to teach. Like I mentioned before, teachers are
requesting for her to be in their classrooms and now she is not 'allowed' to teach at all in that this school area.
What can we do besides the obvious?

kma- trying to check the boards quickly and sorry if I repeat something you already said.

Since you are now a PTA, you may be able to do a bit more in this regard and have someone above you with a bit more experience in this arena.
I know that one of our state board members goes up against the district and is all about the process. I can't imagine there isn't at least one in every State PTA.
Contact them and see if you can get some council on how to approach this.
For example, when the district chose to eliminate a set of parent teacher conferences without parental input, our personal "warrior" took them on. She knows who to go to first at the district when there is an issue and who to go to after that. She's a valuable resource in situations like this and I can almost here her now if I told her about taping the meetings....
HAve you called your State office yet?

Welcome to the boards--too bad you couldn't start off on a better topic!

While the Pollyanna in me feels the correct response is to cut the new principal slack (they are, after all, new, and maybe feeling overwhelmed), the parent in me feels what you described is just a LITTLE excessive. Is this how the principal was at their old school?

The little kids with signs thing is inappropriate--are the parents aware their children are being used for this purpose?

As far as the taping goes, I think that's iffy, and may go state by state. I think as long as one of the people knows they're being taped (in this case the principal) it could very well be legal. About taping the "after meeting" between the parents--I'd tend to think NO. Do you have any "lawyer friends" you could ask?

Why did you have to go from PTO to PTA?

Is this an issue the PTA has considered taking on? Not to confront, but perhaps..."intercede" or "negotiate?" How do the teachers feel about all this? I'm not sure how PTA rules are with meetings being held opff school grounds -- MichelleB would know best about that. I don't see why you couldn't though.

The money issue is beyond me. I've the feeling it's untouched because of the PTO to PTA issue, but I could be wrong. Why anyone wouldn't WANT those funds is strange.

Getting a principal removed is a tricky and difficult business, and school boards are not interested in the trouble unless the person turns out to be a felon or sex offender. While the rules this new principal has instituted are a bit wacky and extreme, they don't seem to be breaking any laws (the kids with signs thing might be a different case though).

Does this principal have tenure? If she doesn't she certainly is doing a good job in making sure she doesn't get it. A lot of parents complaining to the BOE and superintendent don't make for good tenure negotiations!

Good Luck--keep us posted!

There is no way to say it nicely...we have a horrible micromanaging new principal.
Our program was at a building that was being leased, when the school district built a new beautiful building our program as well as another school combined. The Principal from the other school took over everything.
It has been a nightmare ever since. First our PTO is now a PTA. That in itself is not a problem. But everything that our PTO did in the past was not welcomed at the new school. We raised thousands of dollars that is now sitting in a bank account since we raised it for new playground equipment and events for this year and she does not want anything from the old school including our money.
The children that in the past years you could see them walking down the hall holding hands and smiling...now have to follow behind the teacher in a perfect straight line with their hands behind their backs! They can't have recess, they have to come straight into the school when they arrive...doesn't matter if they are early. They must all gather in the gym before school starts, get into straight lines and not talk before they are dismissed to their classrooms. The Principal yells all the time on the microphone.
She is seen running around outside telling people where to park, get off the grass, don't run...you aren't 'allowed' to park in the visitors parking lot if you are just dropping off your child. She has small kids holding up signs telling parents to only drive 5 miles an hour! Is this OK to do this with young children??...the list goes on and on and on...
To get to the issue at hand now...we had a PTA meeting and now I have found out there is a good chance the Principal taped the meeting without letting us know the meeting was being audio taped. The meeting itself wasn't anything to bad, but a couple of parents stayed after the meeting to discuss their concerns about this new Principal and now we are sure they may have been taped also. They did not say anything they would not say to this Principals face...but is it legal to tape conversations?? or meetings?? without everyone's consent?
Can we hold meetings outside of the school? Does the principal have to attend parents PTA meetings? How can a school group have a principal removed?? Has anyone had any of these issues before?
Thanks for any help you can send our way...