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If you are interested in the publication announcement of The Politics of the PTA, by Charlene K. Haar, please send a note to Charlene. Publication date is September 2001.
At the 105th National PTA convention held in Baltimore last weekend, 1,500 voting delegates participated in what leaders called "historical decisions moving the National PTA forward" to become a new and bolder organization.
It remains to be seen just how bold the steps taken will be, but after dozens of amendments to the leadership-proposed bylaws, and hours of discussion, delegates approved the new bylaws. Suspecting that PTA leaders intended to implement a dues increase without the required 2/3rds approval from the delegate body, rank and file members included that safeguard in the bylaws. Section 4 of Article V-Members and Dues now states: "Each member of a local PTA shall pay annual dues as may be determined by the organization. The amount of the dues shall include the portion payable to the state PTA as determined by the state, and the portion payable to the National PTA as recommended by the board of directors and approved by a 2/3rd majority of the voting body at the National PTA annual convention."
In another show of authority, delegates refused to bow out of the process which would have given the board of directors the authority to elect directors from candidates submitted by the board development and nominating committee. Instead, "The ten (10) member representatives on the board of directors shall be nominated by the board development and nominating committee and elected by the voting body at the national PTA annual convention. No two member representatives shall be from the same state. Other nominations may be made from the floor, and a plurality vote shall elect…." To create a more responsive board, the new 26-member board has replaced the former 87-member board.
A controversy in recent years has been whether or not to continue student representation on the National PTA board. Delegates settled the matter by specifying in the bylaws that "two youth members appointed by the president" be included on the board of directors.
With continued emphasis on the importance of advocacy, delegates reinstated the legislation committee as one of the standing committees. The other six standing committees are: board development and nominating, bylaws and policy, finance, resource development, field service, and membership.
Following a few other changes, 752 delegates approved the bylaws; 264 voted against. An emotional, but relieved PTA president Ginny Markell announced that "We are a new PTA! This [new governance structure] is the starting ground for us" after 105 years.
Many delegates remained skeptical, even as Markell and other National PTA leaders used a variety of ways to convince the delegates that an increase in dues was also necessary to create and sustain a new PTA. Creating a new image is part of a public relations and media campaign for which the National PTA has budgeted $2.6 million this year. Expenses are expected to rise in the subsequent two years of the media campaign.
Delegates previewed and enthusiastically appreciated two new television advertisements featuring the PTA's latest slogan: National PTA, every child, one voice. Markell announced that the television advertisements, professionally created to improve and solidify the image of the PTA, would first appear on national networks during the 2001 four-day convention. The media campaign is expected to run from now to October. As delegates filed into one of the general sessions, each received a national newspaper which included a full-page color advertisement featuring the new slogan. At another session, each delegate received a large poster of the print advertisement.
Prior to the vote on the requested $1.00 per member increase in dues as proposed by PTA leaders, the leaders did a hard-sell, from-the-podium-lobbying piece in favor of the increase. Markell deemed it background information necessary to be an informed voting delegate, but some delegates were clearly offended at the tactics and voted accordingly, defeating the proposal to increase dues by $1.00. Although 550 voted in favor of the increase and 469 opposed the increase, the proposal failed to receive the necessary 2/3rds majority.
Delegates who assumed the matter was closed were wrong. Proponents pressed on and eventually 68 percent of the delegates remaining, voted to increase dues by 50 cents per person, per year. Beginning in April 2002, total National PTA dues will be $1.75 (current dues are $1.25). The final vote was 752 for; 348 against.
Many of the delegates expressed genuine concern during the debate that it is becoming increasingly difficult to raise money at the local level and then send it out of the community. One California delegate put numbers to the problem. She told the delegates about one council that represents 29 local PTA affiliates with 23,500 members. With current dues at $1.25, the National PTA takes $29,375 out of those communities; with a fifty cent increase, that California PTA council will collect over $41,000 from members and send it to the National PTA. Furthermore, these local affiliates also collect an additional $23,500 in dues which are forwarded to the California state PTA.
A Virginia delegate read an analysis of the request for a dues increase as posted on the website of PTOToday.com, an organization that provides services to 80,000 local, independent parent and teacher organizations. The PTA delegate suggested that the number of non-affiliated, independent organizations will increase as PTA loses membership after another increase of dues.
PTA membership is difficult to quantify. Markell dismissed duplicate or triplicate memberships where one person holds memberships in several schools, as being insignificant. When one delegate announced she paid dues to 25 different schools, the question of membership became more significant, but was dropped in further discussions. Current membership is still well below the 6.5 million that PTA leaders quote.
Despite probing questions from rank and file PTA members, PTA leaders were quick to respond and unified in their efforts obtain approval of new bylaws and enough of a dues increase to continue the media campaign. While many delegates danced around the issue, no one asked the critical questions: As members paying the bills, what is the measure of success of this media campaign to improve the PTA's image? How will this multi-million dollar media campaign help improve the educational achievement of children in my local school?
(Next week…additional observations and analyses of the 2001 National PTA convention.)
The message of the keynote speakers this year was a complete departure from the messages at previous National PTA conventions. For the last eight years, the predominant message encouraged parents to rely on the "village" to raise our children. In addition, the PTA audiences were encouraged to seek increased funding from the government - money which we somehow deserved, and which was deemed critical to help us do our jobs as parents.
Dr. Benjamin Carson, the director of pediatric neurosurgery at The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, emphasized personal individual responsibility, completely rejecting the concept of excuses and blame that are so often a part of the it-takes-a-village concept where no one is really accountable. Carson credited his mother for instilling in him and his brother the importance of reading, even though they discovered years later, that she could not read. While Carson doesn't begrudge athletes for their accomplishments, he feels strongly that academic achievers should be rewarded similarly. To this end, he and his wife established the Carson Scholars Fund, a scholarship program to honor the academic achievement of exemplary students.
Carson encourages students and parents to THINK BIG, his philosophy for success in life. T is for the talent that each of us has, and since very few of us can be sports or entertainment stars, Carson urges parents to encourage their children to strive for academic achievement. H is for honesty. I is for insight, which comes from listening and learning from others. Carson issued a challenge to us in the audience: Be nice to everyone for one week to see the difference it makes! K is for knowledge. As he often did throughout his remarks, Carson quoted Solomon who said knowledge, wisdom, and understanding are valuable God-given talents. Not surprisingly, B is for books; reading is an invaluable mechanism for obtaining success. I is for in-depth learning as opposed to superficial learning, which he characterizes as cramming for a test only to know nothing three weeks later. To Carson, this explains why American students are academically so far behind students in other nations. The last letter, G is for God. Stressing that "God is an important part of who we are," Carson dismissed the current politically correct idea that we cannot talk about God in public - including in public schools.
Despite his numerous professional accomplishments, Dr. Carson emphasizes that parenting is the most important job in the world. Along with his motivational speeches - often to hundreds of minority students and other black parents - Carson inspires his audiences to THINK BIG. "Accomplished people take responsibility," he said; "unaccomplished people have excuses!"
Perhaps better known as the father of golf champion Tiger Woods, Earl Woods addressed the PTA audience with a similar message. In fact, at one time, he asked the audience "Who is responsible for raising your children?" Although taken by surprise, most of the mothers and the handful of fathers in the audience responded by answering "I am." Woods then reiterated: "You are responsible for raising your children. Not the school, not anyone else. You are!"
In his emotional appeal, Woods emphasized that "every kid has a right to the dreams of America, and they have a right to accept the responsibilities that go with those dreams." He chastised parents who give up on kids too easily and who turn over their parenting responsibilities to others. Without abandoning their parent roles, Woods encouraged the PTA and its members to participate in a nationwide character development program for 11-14 year olds. The program is a partnership between the Tiger Woods Foundation and Target Stores that helps kids establish a set of positive core values that will guide them throughout life and develop their potential for success.
I spoke with National PTA Vice President for Organizational Services and convention chairman, Carol Ruley, about the distinctly different keynote messages from past speakers. Ruley confided that for the first time ever, the PTA issued a request for proposals (RFP) for those interested in addressing the PTA convention audience. Instead of getting recommendations from others within the PTA hierarchy as it had done in the past, outside speakers were considered and retained. As it is in other areas of life, competition for speakers and ideas benefits the audience. Because of the success of using RFPs, Ruley favors continuing the practice.
From among 45 different workshops offered, I attended these four: Diversity Consciousness and Educational Leadership, Millennium membership: How to Attract and Keep members in the New Marketplace, How to Give Speeches that Captivate, Educate, and Motivate, and Can Legislation Help Curb Commercialism in the Classroom?
Again, the value of competition for speakers, instead of relying on presenters who emphasized issues from only a PTA-approved perspective was a pleasant surprise in most of the above sessions. The exception was the session on federal legislation proposed to limit commercialism in schools. The idea that federal legislation proposed by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT) on the subject would increase parent involvement and also protect student privacy was challenged by a Maryland PTA member attending the session. The Maryland parent was also a school board member and criticized the federal government's increasing involvement in what should be local school board decisions. The panel participant, a former member of Dodd's staff, reminded the audience that the federal proposal is supported by the National PTA.
Co-panelist Jennifer Morales, formerly of the Center for the Analysis of Commercialism in Education, has recently been elected to the Milwaukee school board. Morales also expressed doubt about the effectiveness of federal and even state laws intended to curb commercialism in schools. Morales suggested that grassroots efforts to alert the media as well as professional groups, such as dentists are more powerful and effective, especially when dealing with controversial issues such as soda sales in schools. Morales identified eight areas through which commercialism has entered the schools: product use, exclusive agreement marketing, incentive programs, appropriation of space, sponsored educational materials, electronic marketing, privatization of public schools, and fundraising.
The National PTA is on record opposing commercialism in schools. In 1990, in response to the rise of Channel 1 in the schools, the PTA adopted a resolution opposing "Commercial Exploitation of Students in School." That resolution, however, wasn't enough to stop the PTA. Last year, local PTAs distributed to school pupils, 6 million copies of a four-page brightly colored "National PTA Newsletter" filled with advertisements for General Mills, its corporate sponsor featuring Betty Crocker.
The other workshops I attended provided useful, practical information to PTA leaders and members alike. Unlike the political oriented session on commercialism which included only a handful of attendees, the sessions with useful advice, presented in an informal and participatory format were overflowing with attendees.
Those of us traditionally in the majority, were suddenly minorities in the crowd that attended the workshop on diversity consciousness. Professor Richard Bucher, who is white, recounted his transition to overwhelmingly black Baltimore City Community College where he teaches educational leadership. Through a series of exercises, hilarious anecdotes, and his own personal experiences with his autistic son, Bucher focused on moving forward beyond awareness of race/gender. He suggested that the PTA should focus its attention on improving student achievement among diverse student populations. Effective leaders must make a distinction between diversity training - short term activities such as honoring the group of the month, and diversity education - a lifelong process of personal growth, questioning, and reflection.
In view of the National PTA president's favorable comments about a lesbian-produced video entitled "That's a Family!" that celebrates non-traditional families, I anticipated that a workshop with "diversity" in its title might focus on sexual preferences. I'm relieved and happy to report, I was wrong.
(Next week - Final observations of the 2001 PTA convention.)
One of the most popular exhibits in the past, but missing this year, was the extensive display of award-winning children's artwork. The PTA provided this explanation in its convention program: "Due to budget constraints, the Reflections Traveling Exhibit was not assembled this year, therefore, it will not be on display at convention." Reflections is the only National PTA program for children. The missing display sent a clear message about the organization's priorities: its expensive public relations campaign that is deemed essential to PTA survival over this meritorious program for children.
Exhibitors paid over $2,000 this year for a double sized spot in the PTA exhibit hall. Along with the charge for space, there is an extra charge of several hundred dollars for carpet, chairs, and tables for each exhibit, making it a sizeable investment for the three half-days that the exhibits are open to convention attendees. Companies, organizations, and government agencies incur additional expenses for staff and for sample give-aways. Most of us ate our way through the fundraising booths, enticed by the aroma of piping hot breads, pizza, cookies and funnel cakes or candies, nuts, and apples. Vendors greeted old customers, welcomed new ones, and offered special deals to conventioneers for their upcoming PTA fundraising season. Product sales, such as the products from companies exhibiting at the PTA convention, account for the majority of fundraising sales income.
A survey conducted last year by the National Association of Elementary School Principals, revealed that 91 percent of schools in America raise funds to supplement government funding. The school's PTA or independent parent teacher organization (PTO) is often responsible for the fundraising activities which can yield between $10,000 and $25,000, or even much more each year.
Exhibitors were down to 181 this year. Most notably absent were several dot.com companies that paid for multiple exhibit spaces at last year's convention in Chicago. Among the new exhibitors this year were two additional labor unions, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) and the American Federation of Teachers. AFSCME advertised that its "publications will focus on cost-effective, high quality delivery of non-instructional school services." AFSCME's "Schools for Sale," and "How to Make Government Work Better and More Efficiently for Everyone" included harsh criticisms of school districts that had contracted services with experts in the private sector; instead, public employees, their unions, and collective bargaining agreements were portrayed as the vehicles for change. AFT publications (developed several years ago by the U.S. Department of Education) focused less on unions and more on helpful suggestions that parents could use to improve their children's academic success.
According to the Auditor's Report of the National PTA's finances for the year ended December 31, 2000, the revenue generated from convention fees was $736,453, second only to membership fees of $6,364,697. This year, on-site registration was $150 for PTA members and $250 for nonmembers. Early registration was slightly less expensive.
Trust was a word used often at the 2001 National PTA convention.
Apparently, neither National nor state PTA leaders have earned the trust of their constituents as the audience learned from an outside consultant who addressed the first general session. Sandra Hughes, Senior Government Specialist, National Center for Nonprofit Boards reported how she interacted with the National PTA's Strategic Planning Committee as it was engaged in setting goals for the future of the PTA. Hughes (and other officers as well) reported that surveys of rank-and-file members and also surveys among board members, revealed that there is a definite "lack of trust" among the members and the board. (She also revealed that the least-liked responsibility of PTA leaders was "politics," yet politics and lobbying remain the PTA's highest priority.)
Is it any wonder that there is such a high degree of mistrust within the PTA? The National PTA Board passed this position statement in January 2001. It was not posted to the PTA website nor included in any materials at the convention nor has it been published in any PTA publications. If the PTA board thought everyone would approve this position statement, why not provide advance notice of it?
National PTA's belief in the democratic ideal was first articulated by our Founders who committed to "…respect all childhood, parenthood and homehood, irrespective of color, creed, or condition." That vision has inspired generations of PTA leaders to strive for equality of achievement for all children. Today National PTA remains fully committed to democracy, fairness, and a respect for the individual worth of all people.
Every child must learn to appreciate his or her own uniqueness while learning to respect and value individuals and groups in a diverse society. National PTA believes that the first and most important steps to combat hatred and violence must be made by families and supported by schools who teach tolerance, respect, and sensitivity towards others. National PTA believes that the lessons of respect are best learned when parents, teachers, and other adults model a commitment to tolerance and fairness.
All children have the right to quality education that allows each child to reach his or her full potential. Schools must eliminate discrimination and stereotyping in materials and activities. They must establish an environment in which staff and students are expected to demonstrate cooperation, acceptance, and respect for differences. They must provide every student the support needed to succeed, and be free from bullying, discrimination, or other forms of harassment.
National PTA opposes discrimination on the basis of race, gender, national origin, language, religion, age, physical and academic ability, and sexual orientation. We oppose discrimination in housing, education, health care, employment, and the justice system. We will work to ensure that tolerance and respect for differences are provided to all children and all families in schools, communities, and public policies.
Members were not invited to participate in the discussion before its approval, yet this National PTA position statement is binding on all state and local affiliates. Clearly, the PTA concealed its actions from those who pay the bills to keep the National PTA in business.
Along with many others, I doubt that even a multi-million dollar advertising campaign to change the public's perception of the PTA can overcome the lack of trust within the organization.
To view the Respect for Differences position statement on line, go to http://www.pta.org/cfplus/local/res_dif.asp
