I may sound bitter, but I'm not. I just wanted to point out that you can't always be the nice guy and take the high road. In my case, I have to admit, that I am almost relieved not to be the prez next year. I've already started moving on. A few of the other PTVO's in this area have asked for my help improving membership, running fundraisers, organizing events. I am going to spend my time next year working with them and working to combine funds from the local PTVO's so that we can get bigger entertainment for our kids. I recently spoke to Jim Moore (of the Animal Band) and he is really great. His program is awesome and he is very 'kid' friendly. I am now working to bring him and his band to our area. I already have 3 PTVO's on board. 3 to go. I will also be volunteering at school, being a RoomMother and such. Thing is, if I'm not the prez anymore, am I still entitle to post on this site? I know ya'll have mixed feelings about me, but I always try to see things from both sides, a 'devil's advocate' if you will. Since I won't be stressing anymore, maybe I'll stop that? We'll see...lol... [img]tongue.gif[/img]

OK, I can't help it, I want to vent a little bit more. I am sick and tired of these"back seat drivers". They want to complain and tell you what to do constantly, however they don't want it to be their necks on the line in leadership. I am tired of knowing that the secretary will find something to criticize on everything that I do. However, I have decided to just do my job to the best of my ability the next two months. ( Luckily her term and my term will be up July 1st.) Then I will have summer vacation to recooperate and come back refreshed for the kids.

Metzymom-i am sorry to hear that. I too was voted out of office-before i even got there I guess! As you know I was running for president and well I guess you could say I lost. Although I am protesting the election. I too took the high road when it came to the past president from three years ago, and I should have confronted her the first time she took a committee from me. She has been so sweet to my face that it was really difficult to believe she would do anything so cold and heartless. This woman called people and told them not to vote for me. She even went so far as to get two memberships, which the president and principal allowed, so that her and her husband could vote. I asked him at least three times to remove her from the nominating/election committee because of her biasness. He told me I had no proof. I was even on the phone when another PTO parent called about her and he swore that she didn't want to be near the ballots because she did not want to be accused of anything. She sat her butt right at the table. When these parents came in they knew she wanted them to vote for the current president. There was no privacy in the voting. She basically stared people down. Meanwhile there is only a box and these peoples ballots on the table. Gee, who do you think they voted for?? The main reason I am protesting is that only 31 out of 95 people got to vote. He only made the elections from 5-7 p.m. Many of these parents have to work and he would not let them have absentee ballots or even come in earlier in the day to vote. I have parents signing petitions stating that they could not make it to vote because of work or whatever and that they wanted to vote. Also,none of the by-laws were followed and where there were questions, we are supposed to follow Robert's rules. None of this happened. I am so ticked that I am ready to call the school board about the way the principal has handled this whole election. I cannot believe this woman got what she wanted again. The current president is just her little puppet that she tells what to do. She knows that I am a strong willed person and won't put up with that. Sorry I guess I too am venting. I just wanted to say sometimes you have to get down and dirty with these people if that is the only language they understand.

I know I'm gonna hate myself for this, but here goes:

All year long I battled with the Vice Prez. She was a wonderful person right up to the minute she was elected. She turned. On me. Now I won't go into all the specifics, but suffice it to say that it just kept getting worse. Everyone told me to take the high road, and I kept taking that same path. I tryed killing her (with kindness), I tried reasoning with her (don't even ask), I tried ignoring her (she's like a gnat-always in your face). From the very first time she crossed the line, I personally wanted to ring her neck. I didn't. I took the high road. When we held our elections last month, she brought in a room full of nasty-just-like-her-never-been-to-an-event-or-meeting-never-even-met-me group of people, who were kind enough to vote me out of office. Now, all I have to say is this: Sometimes you just can't be nice. If I hadn't taken the high road in the beginning, if I had stopped her the first time she called me a name under her breath DURING a general meeting, I might not have had to deal with her and the problems she brought to the table all year. I don't know. I wouldn't have had to hurt her.... much.... lol......
Like I said, I know I'm gonna hate myself for posting this, but I just had to vent... You can't always take the high road. Sometimes you just have to put a stop to it. For me, the time is past to stop it. However, at the upcoming (our last of the year) meeting, I am going to address the problems similar to the way mykidsmom suggested. I'm going to ask them to close their eyes and imagine their own beloved child trying to run a student council meeting, and ask them to imagine what it would be like for their child if the children were behaving the same way they themselves had behaved during our last meeting. Then I am going to remind them that I am someone's beloved child. And with that, I think I'll hang it up.

MO2- I'm stepping into an area I'm not crazy about but what if you talked to her husband to find out how or what can be done to change things. You have to give him credit for trying to help mediate things! Is it an option to ask her to resign? I would rather work things out but if her heart is not in this and can't get past the petty junk.....she needs to do some thinking and maybe her husband can help with this.

I agree a Secretary is a key person to the President after have serving as one for 2 years and lossing mine this year as President. My first year was great, the second year was long and this year have been alot of work.
Hang in there.....

I've had that "why am I doing this to myself" feeling over and over again. It's not like each Friday, twice a month or whatever we get a financial reward for what we are doing - instead I put it in perspective and get that reward every night when I tuck my kids in - THAT'S WHY WE DO IT - not for self-gratification or financial reward, for the kids. When you are in it for the RIGHT reason, and you can remind yourself what that reason it - it helps. Good luck and stick with this forum for your support group. Notice that in all of the posting areas the negative people stay away and the positive people stick together. Kiss your kids and it will help! [img]smile.gif[/img] [img]smile.gif[/img]