Comments on: An Open Letter to the PTA at My Daughters’ School

By: Mandie

Mandie — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 17:58:18 +0000

HI Amy,

I’m BRAND new here…actually read your current blog post first (Would Someone Please Sit with My Kid at Lunch? – and I can’t wait for a follow-up), but boy…what is with these PTO’s? So stinking sad. Here, even if I wanted to go to a PTO meeting – I’d have to leave work early because they are at 4′oclock! Seriously?? Whatever. Anyways what a crock of BS! Sorry to hear you’ve experienced such crazy drama…with ADULTS! Pffftt!

By: Joanne

Joanne — Wed, 01 Jun 2016 22:41:28 +0000

I happened upon your post and even though I am late to the game …(6 years!) Boy did it speak to me! I have dealt with this kind of BS for years and years. Once you get on their bad side (though I still don’t know what the hell I did to be placed in the dump zone) it’s literally impossible to get out. and quite frankly if it means jumping on the “mean mom” band wagon I’d rather stay on their crap list.

By: Chris

Chris — Mon, 12 Oct 2015 13:44:45 +0000

I am a mother of 2 special needs children and a second time around mother (meaning: My children are adopted, my biological baby is 28 years old) I am a PTO member (vice-One) This will be my last year, Our President is controlling she has to be in charge of everything, The problem we have is the Vice-2, Vice-3, Treasurer and secretary are never available to help with activities ( due to work and family ) some times they don’t even come to meetings, Book Fairs, Movie Night etc… so the president and myself are doing all the running getting supplies setting up tearing down and running all aspects of the activity, the problem is we also have responsibilities outside of PTO, It is causing riff in my household because I’m always busy doing PTO stuff, I decided as of 4:10 PM on Fridays I had nothing to do with PTO till 9:00AM Monday morning, PTO blows up my phone and email all weekend with jobs or questions I’ve told them weekends are mine not PTO and they get upset with me and state I’m not taking the position seriously, I’d quit now except that would put more on the president to do as none of the other members would come forward to help. It is sad when wanting to help our children’s school becomes a nightmare, and not worth it.

By: Amysilverman

Amysilverman — Thu, 19 Feb 2015 00:38:28 +0000

Actually, that kind of thing goes on all the time — it WOULDN’T be a teacher’s salary.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Thu, 12 Feb 2015 21:09:06 +0000

PTA funds cannot be used to pay teacher salaries. It is against the by laws. Your school COULDNT use the funds for an aide.

By: Anne

Anne — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 12:13:38 +0000

I’m so relieved I’m not alone. I wanted badly when we first came here to be part of our PTO (4 years ago we moved East out of AZ and our school in AZ had no desire to deal with parents so the PTO was never formed). So we move here I attend some meetings and was met with some really crappy attitudes. I thought it was me… I’m very thin skinned. I admire a few of the folks there and I stuck around for a few more meetings. Took a few snickers from people when I commented on some of the issues brought up… okay chin up I’m new to this. Let it slide. They said they had “babysitting” and I was thrilled because I wanted my husband to come to the meetings too and I thought I could attend even if he was working late. Then we were informed by the “babysitter” that a “baby” had to be attending school… so we improvised and paid a couple 4th graders and that led to some confrontation about rules. Now being able to volunteer is harder than walking a tightrope and I’m just so finished with all that.

By: Sue Chenoweth

Sue Chenoweth — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 05:19:45 +0000

Oh Amy, This was real???? I am in such a small sheltered world at Metro Arts and have not had to deal with such crazy nonsense. I am so sorry. I like your perseverance and drive.
You rock!

By: Elaine

Elaine — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 20:17:52 +0000

Oy.

When I was in high-school (20 years ago now), my English teacher asked Andrea Useem to read her essay aloud. Andrea began reading: “My mom is a PTA mom.”

The English-teacher began laughing. He was a gruff old man, the kind of guy who pretended to be really stern but was really loving. He retired at the end of that year, and would die just two years later. I don’t think we’d ever seen him laugh like that. He shook. He fell off his stool.

Finally he stopped laughing, and Andrea kept reading, about her mother’s pathetically futile attempts to stop teenage drinking, about her mother’s overly-sincere naive misguided giant waste of time. Our English teacher kept laughing.

Andrea’s a journalist now. She’s still a great writer. And I still remember the lesson I learned that day in English class: Never be a PTA mom.

By: starrlife

starrlife — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 11:31:14 +0000

Can you say “controlling”? I do believe that often the heads of those school committees are frustrated monarchs!

By: Mary Ellen

Mary Ellen — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 04:45:40 +0000

I swear we live parallel lives. I DO work well with others but I’m unable to find common ground with the PTO gang. They are a different breed.