OK. You're miffed about Tim making a buck. We get it. We got it when you were doing this before. You left (but were lurking somewhere) and now you're back. You're 'asking' Tim to do help PTA out by creating a website for just positive articles. Have I got this right? And he can't put his comments on it because you say he is too pro-PTO? Is that correct? And you, who just happens to be pro-PTA, will 'maintain' it. So far, so good, right?

PTA has a site where they post all their good things. Or don't they? They should. It isn't Tim's responsibility any more than we would expect the PTA to maintain a website that puts PTO up on a pedestal. And your slant towards PTA's isn't any different than Tim's slant towards PTO's. Let's say I sell hats for a living. I charge $20 a hat. My competitor sells them for $25. They would like me to sell mine for $30 so that they can do better, but would never ask me to. That's business. So it looks like a draw there.

Our group recently joined NPN. It cost us $179 for the year. We were given immediate access to NPN resources. Two days ago, we received a box from NPN. For our $179 we receive: a direct line for help with all things PTO (and that includes all other acronyms). Not a recording, a real live person (a special Thank You for this service). That comes out of that $179. We received NPN Online business cards, enough for all of our officers and some to spare. That comes out of our $179. A heavy duty Parent Group Planning Calendar, complete with all the dates EVERY parent group needs to know. That comes out of our $179. Flyers and Forms. Those come out of our $179. Big Beautiful Professional Posters. Those came out of our $179. A 46 page start up guide, a 51 page guide to managing group money, a 42 page guide to building involvement; those all came out of the $179. Add to that insurance info, newsletter, magazine, and lots of other goodies and wrap it up in a heavy duty, beautiful 3 ring binder. All that came out of the $179. We got our moneys worth. As a matter of fact, I'm trying to figure out how he made any profit. Not only were those items provided, he paid someone to do copying, assembling, printers, etc. And I get more stuff as the year goes on?!!! Yeah, I can see where you'd be miffed about him making a million off trying to help parent groups...lol... It's gotta come from advertising... OH WAIT!!! That's what he tried to tell you over and over and over...

Tim and his staff do great work. They help thousands and thousands of schools every year. So does PTA. Can't you just leave it at that?

My grandmother always said that if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. Good words to live by Daron.

[ 09-04-2004, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: TheMetzyMom ]

Daron -

So nice to have you back.

In the time you've been gone, we've added approximately 30 more feature stories to the Website, not a single one of which has been about PTO v PTA. The forum has seen approximately 3,000 more posts, maybe 10% or less of which have been in the PTO v PTA area (and 50% of those have been pro-PTA). We've added a another free (for all) School Family Night option with more on the way.

And yet we get the frown face in your subject line. Darn.

In general, I ask that feedback about how the Web site is run be sent directly to me (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and the same will be true in this thread. That said, if you decide to start a web site and create content that's helpful and that people appreciate and enjoy, we'll look at the possibility of linking to it. Glad to take a look at the very least.

Tim

It's sad to see that since my last post/discussion on PTA vs PTO, not much has changed.

Frantic requests to "make the change" and advice that is so heavily weighted (on both sides) that anyone who merely reads these posts and then decides if they should change to a PTO would not really be correct (there is more to it than the views of those on this post).

The banter, the phrasing, the dissolving and the creating of PTO's left and right backed by comments like "why waste our money to the State PTA" and "gimmie a break, no one follows the by-laws" simply reaffirm my belief of a phrase I once heard, "In the absence of true leadership, man will set his own laws".

It's been almost 6 months since I researched, read, debated and discussed on this board our decision to stay a PTA.

If you're from the south-you’ll understand this illustration----, it reminded me of a good football discussion on Sunday morning before Sunday School at church. God forbid you speak out in opposition to "his" or “her” team or reference the score at the big rival game “last night” - you're almost giving an open invitation to getting verbally slammed, ridiculed and called a fool.

It was brought up last time I did this that this site is for-profit (and all that) and everyone took the side they believed in on that - feel free to reply again about it, but I only brought that up to say this:

Tim, if your goal is to help Parent Groups - ALL parent groups - any and every parent teacher organization/association – if your goal is to encourage struggling parent groups, if your goal is to help people make a decision on PTA vs PTO – then here is my suggestion and question:

>>>Will you create a page/area on your website linking to some positive PTA stories, sites, articles? I'm a webmaster full time and I'd be glad to maintain it. Don’t say you already have it with this message board – no…not really, because EVERY post ends with your summary – slanted to your view. (Which is your right, as the owner of this site, but…)

If you are truly for Parental Involvement in Public Schools/Public Education...let's show the positive side of PTA some more....not in just the few posts affirming PTA then see them followed with your (always) reply pointing back to PTO.

My original post and the replies I received 6 months ago ended up with a strong slant toward changing to a PTO, I did not find the information and receive the discussions I really needed until I got off of this site and spoke to people in my state office.

Yeah, there are lousy PTAs out there...geesh, there are lousy churches out there, too - lousy stores, lousy people, lousy websites, and lousy governments.

But we don’t give up on them because of that.

And I know – this is YOUR website, YOUR control, YOUR views and YOUR final word – I’m just asking for you to give equal power to those who support PTA (there are many in your posts) and allow them to also have the right to have a final word on PTA.

Link out externally to a page I’ll create. Allow some FTP rights to your site (lock it in a folder) – there are many ways to do this.

So, what do you think?

((I know I'm going against an old rule of mine to not specifically address one person in a public setting, but I think it would be good for everyone to hear from you on this - show your support for ALL parent/Teacher groups))

~daron

[ 09-01-2004, 10:51 PM: Message edited by: d88keyz ]