errata: "thats what the HIGHERarchy is for anywya, isnt it,,,to manage PROBLEMS."
.. i meant to say LEGAL PROBLEMS,

ie a matter concerning email use and the school directory just seems to be beyond the scope of the duties of the PTO, at least, i dont think the PTO are qualified to make decisions based on free speech rights, use of directory, and all the particulars of the matter ie, disclaimers or lackthereof.

i just think when issues get this complex or in need of specialized input ie LEGAL, the PTO should not try to do the job of those (trained legal persons) capable of quickly establishing the anser to a question.

in a nutshell, Carla: ask your district legal counsel your question, via your principal or super, wouldnt that get you a definitve answer???
all bloggers here are well intentioned but it sounds like you need legal advice and a review of YOUR directory and any disclaimer on it, and the email in questin, to get closure on your question.

ok, finito for me on the email topic.

Wow the directory is quite the hot button issue. I don't think it's as simple as "i just hit the DELETE button". With respect to all school organizations that go to the trouble and task to produce a directory for the use by parents. I think a little courtesy could go a long way. We have registered "do not call" lists and at this pace of post's the directory email address's are going to go the same way.
In our little mountain town a couple of people are going to be the deciding factors in an ongoing directory debate and that's a shame. Anyone who puts something out there should be open to the possibility that it's unwanted and to stop if asked. The "your not the boss of me" argument gets old fast when dealing with adults. I like having a school directory I use it often to contact my girls friends parents and other grade parents but I am resigned to my principle having the last word on the complaints of many about a few.
Hope to see resolution in my tenure.

and the ultimate bad hair day every day was EINSTEIN so the name fits you!

"Of course the PTO isn't responsible for how the directory is used." i really really wish the focus were on the KIDS and real life issues of pto..IF an email were truly objectionalbe, yes of course the principal and super and maybe even BOE would have stepped in to mediate....this is not the area of the PTO to pass judgement anyway, is it....and if the admin did NOT step in and take action, common sense says it probably really wasnt an objectionalbel email after all.......clara you dont say if you took your matter to the principal.
anyway, i say always talk to the pros...get advice from higher up, dont take it on yourself, thats what the HIGHERarchy is for anywya, isnt it,,,to manage PROBLEMS.....pto should focus on KIDS and not potentially problem emails.....after all who wants the job of pto officer if they have to start policeing the school email??????yikes.

when i get spam from drug companies and other people wanting to sell me something, i just push DELETE and get on with my life. i dont try to prevent it from happening agian.....not worth the trouble. and probably futile anyway. its a free world, and spam is just one of the disadvantages in our electronic age,,,hopefuylly the advantages outweigh the spam and other disadvantges.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, aOK, I know that wasn't quite the intellectual response you were looking for

Some days we're Thoreau and some days we're Bart Simpson. Either way, we have bad hair.

On a more serious note....

Of course the PTO isn't responsible for how the directory is used. It's this kind of backlash that makes many parent groups wonder why they even bother.

If the PTO had given this person space in their newsletter, on their website or on bulletin boards around the school, it would be egregious and I would expect the Principal to step in.

How to make this a teachable moment for the kids? Instead of looking for a third party to blame, make it clear that this person is responsible for her own actions and hold her accountable.

[ 05-18-2006, 06:39 PM: Message edited by: CrewChief ]

just for the record, Clara, you say "She did not know everyone she sent the e-mail to nor did they ask for her opinion (makes it spam)."

the websters defines spam as having nothing to do with opinion/content/knowlegde of reciepient:

websters online SPAM = Unsolicited e-mail, often of a commercial nature, sent indiscriminately to multiple mailing lists, individuals, or newsgroups; junk e-mail.

it doenst sound like your issue was spam at all. but just an email to which you took offense. anwya, i am sure the other veteran bloggers here have good insights into this!! i just like to define the problem before thinking about a solution.