Comments about ‘Bill loses support of PTA’

If the PTA pulled their support, it was probably because the UEA told them to do so. The PTA usually marches in "lockstep" with the UEA. No Surprise here.

Of course the PTA pulled their support - the poor money hungry society might lose some income.

PTA members are volunteers who raise money to go directly to schools. They are not money hungry, but rather volunteers, freely giving their time to make schools better. PTA meetings do not require a membership card or receipt of fees paid to participate. You can donate to PTA through dues that are shared with the state and national organization or exclusively to the local school in many schools -- no one asks or cares if you pay at all.

Schools already have countless parent organizations that meet at the school and pay no membership fees (band boosters, football boosters, choir boosters, basketball boosters, etc.)

This bill is an effort to punish PTA for defeating vouchers, nothing more and nothing less. Do not let the Eagle Forum secret society posting in these comments convince you otherwise.

PTO's raise money for schools, too. The difference is that 100% of the dues stay at the local level instead of half of the money going to the state and national PTA, who often support policies that Utahns oppose.

It's about time Utah schools switched over to PTO's!

This bill has nothing to do with vouchers. It was started two years ago by a parent who didn't want to fund the national PTA's liberal agenda, but was then blocked from having a voice in her school. She had Senator Bramble carry the bill because he is her Senator. It's sad that the PTA has resorted to using vouchers to distract the public from the facts.

The reason it won't work. What if the PTA wants to hold an anti-drug assembly so does the PTO. The principal cannot do two, so neither is done. The PTA does a fundraiser so does the PTO. Which one directs volunteers into room parent positions? Which organization does the principal endorse? The school loses. PTA policies teach PTA's that all volunteers should be invited and included at the school. The parents should decide, if the school does not have a viable volunteer program bring in a PTO or PTA but only one organization can direct the volunteers or there would be competition. That organization should involve and included any volunteers throughout the year and no one is turned away. The SB 199 would only eliminate volunteers in the end not encourage them. And if you spent any time on the national pta website you wouldn't see anything about a "liberal agenda" that gets thrown out. PTA's mission is about the children not politics.

The PTA doesn't have a "liberal agenda"? You've got to be kidding me. Maintaining a government monopoly on education certainly qualifies as a liberal agenda. And don't say the PTA doesn't get involved in the politics, because that's not true either.

Politics aside, parents should have a right to be heard whether they're a part of the official PTA or not. You can't in good conscience lock a group of people out just because they refuse to be a part of your group. What the heck kind of a racket is that? As a parent, I'm ashamed of the PTAs recent actions, and I want a voice for the education of MY children, without having to be a part of some phoney organization that actively campaigns against principles I hold dear.

I have never seen parents "locked out" of a school because they are not members of the PTA. As a matter of fact, principals would have no idea whatsoever, which parents had joined PTA and which had not. There is no conspiracy here. I hope that everyone will get involved in their child's education - PTA, PTO or not. We don't need to be fighting each other, we need to work together.

The PTA reminds me of the "ghetto Police" in Warsaw. They perform front work for the Union and in turn receive a small bit of preference. I'm finished paying dues to organizations who limit liberty