I am the pres. at our school and we are having trouble with a dad who wants to be treated as a member of the board (he is not, he wont step up and actually hold an office), have control of everything and bully until he gets his way. He has been doing this at meetings and to teachers for years. He is very arrogant and snotty and constantly offends people. We put up with him last year because we desperately needed his wifes help, 4 of us were doing everything, we were lucky if 5 other parents showed up at events to help. This year we are much more organized and have done a committement drive and are thrilled with the response, but after his behavior at our last meeting I'm afraid we will lose what few people we have gained. Our school is a small, inner-city, poor school and it's tough to get parents involved. At every meeting and event he announces "he knows" how whatever should be done because he graduated from a top private college here, blah blah blah. He has attacked me and our vice president personally with snide, completely inapproprate comments, done the same to our secretary's husband last year, and basically offends everyone everytime he opens his mouth. At our first meeting he was asking ridiculous questions, esp to our new principle with a really snotty "i know the answer do you attitude", and afterwards a new mom at our school, this was her first meeting, asked me about him and couldnt believe the way he acted. I'm afraid if she felt the way she did, how many others there did and wont come back. Who knows who he will offend at upcoming events. He strikes me as a very insecure person who always has something to prove and whose opinion is obviously superior because of who he is. I've had it, I did make it clear to the board that he is no longer to be included in our conversations or our business, he had everyone upset and fighting all summer, I actually only went to 1 of the summer planning meetings because I just couldnt deal with it. I just dont see how we can make our PTO a positive experience for anyone with him around. If I have to say something to him, I dont want other people to be scared off. He is very intimidating because he is so loud and obnoxious, and frankly after how he treated me I'm also afraid I'm going to lose my temper, even though I would love to put him in his place. At our open house we had a large basket filled with goodies that new members could enter to win if they signed up and he put his wifes name in it. When her name was drawn I went back to ask about it because they consider themselves a part of the board and he announced with arms outstretched that they are not board members and should win it. I had teachers and parents make comments to me about this. UGH. He even made comments to one of our custodians who we love and who does so much for us at open house, and made her mad. HELP!! Anyway, the principle has said there is nothing she can do because he's a parent. HELP!!!!!!!!!!! Do we have to continue putting up with this stress?
