House squashes PTA bill

A bill that fueled the fire between Utah's PTA and PTO groups failed in the House Thursday evening with a 30 to 43 vote.

SB199, sponsored by Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, was meant to give equal access to parent volunteer groups. The legislation stated schools couldn't "set up policy or procedures that favors one group over another."

A school's Parent Teacher Association group is affiliated with its national organization. A Parent Teacher Organization isn't affiliated with the national PTA, its agenda or philosophy and can choose to charge dues or not.

Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, co-sponsor of the bill, substituted the legislation so that school districts would have to create policy stating they would not discriminate between parent groups. Further, any vague language in the bill was fixed.

Then a "warm and fuzzy" amendment by Rep. Kraig Powell, R-Heber City, softened the legislation to state school districts should develop policy to "promote involvement by all parent groups that wish to participate within the schools."

An earlier amendment, which Bramble ended up killing, would have required PTA and PTO groups to allow a waiver of membership dues, granted upon a parent's request.

PTA officials are adamantly against waiving dues.

PTO leaders were disappointed with the outcome of SB199 Thursday but said at least it gave PTO's more recognition in Utah.

"The discussion has been brought to more of a foreground," said Dawn Frandsen, a PTO leader in Provo.

PTA leaders reiterated their stance after the vote.

"We never thought this should have been legislated at the state level. This is a local issue," said Sue Carey, Utah PTA Life Commissioner.

Nationally, about 20 percent of schools have PTA's while 80 percent have PTO's and other groups. In Utah, about 75 percent of schools have PTA's while 25 percent generally have PTO's, according to Bramble and state PTA leaders.

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