Tim, I have a job and I work just like any other person does, I have bills to pay just like you do and there is nothing wrong with making a living but in the Boston Journal 2-1-2001, it states

The magazine, founded in May 1999, has accordingly proven lucrative, according to Sullivan. Produced five times yearly from Sullivan's home in Franklin, PTOtoday became profitable in October, and last year generated around $200,000 in revenue, said its founder.

If you were generating a revenue in 2001 before the PTO shows, before NPN, are you telling me or us, that you're barely squeaking by in 2004?

PTOs are the ones that are likely to spend their money on your products. PTAs have conventions very similiar to what your PTO shows offer, they have a network and resources just like NPN provides, PTAs will likely not be spending their money on PTO products like these but PTOs do.
Are you telling me that when a PTO pays to attend a show, that you don't turn a single profit from it? That NPN membership $179, pays only for the operating costs and materials?

PTO Today is a business that according to this same article

So, Sullivan struck on the idea of creating a venue by which such groups could share ideas with each other, and importantly, could themselves become the targets of ideas from school-related advertisers.

which again, in turn provides you revenue from fundraisers by making these PTOs readily accessible to the fundraising companies. You even own the domain name www.fundraisingtoday.com You even write articles about these fundraising companies- www.cherrydale.com/inthenews.htm

You can't honestly say that you aren't making money off of PTOs because then you'd be contradicting your own words, not mine. I don't personally care either way, I love the forums and I've never stayed on any forum like I have here but be honest, promoting PTA would be bad for your business.

I might get irrated by the Anti-PTA stuff from time to time but just like my membership in the PTA, I weigh the good with the bad and have decided that the good outweighs the bad. Any other PTA people who come here, need to learn to accept it because that's just how it is. If we don't like the anti-PTA rhetoric, we can leave but there isn't any reason why they shouldn't understand why it is the way it is either.

[ 07-23-2004, 07:29 PM: Message edited by: Michelle B ]

Now for MY $0.02 :

PTO Today is a FOR profit magazine (NOT that there's anything wrong with that), and this IS its website, so in all fairness to Tim, I can understand the "anti-PTA" slant--he's not here to champion the competition.

THAT said...

"PTA" does take a LOT of bashing here from the powers that be, and I honestly don't remember the last time I saw a story in BLOG that showed an anti-PTO story--either thievery or questionable bedmates, and we ALL know it's out there in places besides the PTA. Normally I wouldn't care, BUT--Tim DOES tout the fact that this is a NONPARTISAN site, and well...it certainly doesn't look that way, so that's why I take umbrage with the PTA "bashing." I've noticed a number of PTA "slanted" posts deleted from the boards (a couple of them were MichelleB offering help by recommending a PTA article), and I found that...interesting. MichelleB is obviously very passionate about her work with the PTA--I think it just happens to be what she chose--she could have just as easily picked a local PTO, and to be quite truthful, I don't see the big deal. It's not as though she's a militant PTAer running rampant through the boards preaching the EVILS of PTOs, and how ONLY the PTA gives the true "word," and that if we happen upon the PTA site we're all going to turn into PTAs!

When it comes to our work in the schools, we're really all doing the same thing. Myself, PTA isn't for me--I have an authority issue and like determining my own rules--it's just to hard to fight as big an organization as the PTA, national or state to do what I want to do. BUT--that IS the sanctioned group in our school, and I "admit" I'm a dues-paying member (GASP!) . In my school's case most people don't understand the difference between PTO/PTA--to them it's just a name.

I did start another group in my school--we're building a playground now, but hope to take it further once that's done. We're supplementing the work the PTA does--if the PTA board members don't want to take on a task or program or don't want to argue with the principal and teachers to get them to do something, my group willl try to take it on. I can't see the advantage of pushing out the PTA--they have things to offer too.

But I digress....
The way I see it this site isn't SUPPOSED to be about PTA/PTO--it's SUPPOSED to be about parent GROUPS and the people that they're comprised of having a forum to share ideas and bitch about the universal aggravations we all seem to have. I would find it refreshing to see some "anti" PTO articles, or at least acknowledging the problems they can have.

I agree--less anti-PTA sentiment, please--I get enough aggravation in my neck of the woods,and I hate to see anyone else have to take hits either!

Originally posted by Michelle B:
you're a business that makes money off of non-PTA groups. PTAs may use the site but the PTOs pay for your resources, shows, and NPN, that is where you make your profits. .

Actually, you're wrong. Like TV Guide and Sports Illustrated and hundreds of other media/magazines, we (hope to) make $$ from advertising. We are able to sell advertising because we have a great, passionate audience. We have a great audience because we try to provide a great media product. If our editorial sent people away that would be bad for business.

Thanks for being here.

Tim

In the menu to the left it says, the latest news- that's the blog and one of the featured stories starts out "Ouch. This writer takes PTA to task for ongoing relationship with Coke."
There is no such thing as a stupid question!

Just exactly what is a 'blog' and what is 'ouch'? Don't laugh... I really don't know!

Well I am very conservative. PTA is not my thing, but I can't say I am against it, I just don't believe in many of their demonstrations.

As far as this site is concerned I just like it when parents ask questions or share tips with other parents to benefit their children's school and acronyms do not matter when it comes to the children.

Just my .02.