You know sometimes it's not the idea that's presented, but the presentation itself. When I was a VP I presented my ideas in person to the President and told him/her that I would like to talk about it at the next board meeting if they thought it was possible. I never got turned down. As President I would hope that the other members of the board would do the same for me. It can kind of make you feel a little defensive if you percieve someone's efforts as bypassing you or even maybe trying to take your place, which I think might have happened here.

If your Prez is one of those types who is unwelcoming of new ideas(or ideas that aren't hers)then you're just going to find yourself butting heads.

In either case, I would recommend that you follow proper protocol, be polite, and be patient with her for the rest of her term. The group may not get much accomplished and it may be frustrating, but at least you will look like the good guy and won't ruffle any feathers or cause any controversy. Then next year go for broke. Put together a great team of leaders and implement changes and positive progress.

I have suffered under a bad prez in the past. One who was a control freak, did not welcome any new ideas, and had no clue how to speak to people.
But, because she was in charge we had to live with her until the clock ran out and her term was over.

Just like you we wanted change, we wanted to try new things and make our group the best it could be. However the person in charge was not in the same camp and it just became a battleground. For the sake of the organization that year we learned just to bite our tongues and move on until she was gone. The fighting was helping no one and it certainly was not accomplishing anything positive for the group. So my point was that from my experience the best advice I can give you is to lay low and bide your time. Run for election next time and take the presidency and shape up your PTO. You even said you were so upset and thinking about resigning. Don't let yourself get to that point.

Perhaps I missunderstood you, but when you wrote

I also email the board with copies of the forms I would like us to start using and my reason behind it

. That implied to me that you were implementing the forms rather then asking the prez how she felt about them.

Of course I would prefer board members to discuss these types of things at Executive board meetings.

[ 11-08-2005, 12:39 PM: Message edited by: Serendipity ]

I'm not offended at all. I enjoy a lively debate and getting other people's opinions.

So let me get this straight...you would rather your VP brought up a suggestion about procedure in a general meeting, rather than seek your approval, and that of the board, beforehand? I never implemented anything--I just said look, I think we should use these forms and this is why. I sent them to the board members for their comment. I don't see how that is wrong.

We have no by-laws. I have been told that it is my duty to assist the president. However, I feel that I am responsible to the members of my group, the parents, and as such it is my duty to see that finances are handled in a responsible way so that no money disappears again this year.

I think it must be a matter of you the President perceives herself. Our last Pres was ver similar to yours and no one felt they could speak their mind or offer sugggestions because of her attitude. Needless to say, we were all very excited when she resigned early because it meant we could get started trying to make the group sucessful. I am the current Pres and at every meeting I ask for suggestions and comments about everything and the members all feel that they can speak freely and I have gotten some wonderful suggestions. We they aren't wonderful, we talk about them so everyone is on the same page as to why something will not work. But all of this depends on the President because they set the tone for the group. So hang in there until it is your turn and see if you can get some of those parents back.

Why is it that if I was a general member I would be well within my rights to make a suggestion about something I felt would benefit the group,and yet because I am a board member, I don't have that same right?