Yeah, the attorney is right technically. Know, though, that the bes way to proceed is to get some buy-in from key people like your principal (as you've done) and other admins (if they're involved).
While they perhaps "can't stop you", it's always messy/ not optimal if the parent group is at odds with the district. They can't stop you, but they can make it very difficult for you to be effective.
Good luck. I bet youll find that the resistance isn't deeply held.
I think I will do some quiet research. I spoke with the principal today, and he said that he would be behind whatever the parents at the school want to do. And the PTA president is really interested. So I asked a local attorney, and he said there is nothing that can stop a school's parents from forming their own group -- so I'm going to investigate further and see what I can come up with.
I've heard of it, but it usually comes from one person and it's usually overcome-able (? is that a word?) with education.
Often, the person pressing the PTA-only agenda either doesn't know about PTOs much at all or has mic=sconceptions about what PTO means. They almost always have no clue that 75% of parent groups are now PTO or about all the resources now available for PTOs. Or -- for that matter -- that PTOs and PTAs can and do work together in the same disrict all the time with no ill effects.
My suggestion: do some quiet, open-minded exploring of where the directive is coming from and why. And then educate the right folks on the facts.
Greetings and welcome.
Force a PTA? I sure wouldn't think so. If the group finds a PTO to be more effective, I cannot see why the school system would take issue.
Our principal encouraged a PTO instead of a PTA 2 years ago when he wanted a group started for the middle school.
I cannot see any reason not to go PTO! Compared to our districts' other schools' PTAs, we have it made.
We are independent and have this site and the magazine and conferences for support.
I was talking with our PTA president today about the PTA vs. PTO issue, and she became very excited about a PTO. When she discussed this with our school's principal, he told her that a few years ago, every school was "strongly encouraged" to form only PTAs, and that any PTOs were not going to be recognized by the school system.
Is this even possible? Isn't this the opposite of what Walmart does to keep unions out?
I have ordered the packet of information about the legalities of PTOs from this site, and hope that it will at least in part answer some of my questions. But I am curious as to what you may think about this situation.
Our school system is currently involved in a funding crises, and our county commission (who decides funding amounts) and our school board and superintended are in the middle of a very public "war." I only add this in case this might help put the whole situation in perspective.
