Not going out without a fight
The Maryland PTA revoked the charter of the Baltimore City Council of PTAs last month, meaning the organization is ineligible to operate for at least the next two years. But it's not going out without a fight.
On Tuesday, the defunct council will sponsor, along with Sen. Joan Carter Conway, Del. Jill Carter and Del. Cheryl D. Glenn, a "PTA town hall meeting" to talk about what happened. An e-mail promoting the event to local PTA chapters says the city's branch of the NAACP is also scheduled to participate, and the Baltimore City Council will be sending representatives.
The event will be held at Morgan State University's Murphy Fine Arts building from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. -- coincidentally (or not) right in the middle of a previously scheduled city school board meeting. I'm sorry I can't be in two places at once.
Comments
Great...another meeting that focuses on politics and brings in more poitical folks. In my experience there's enough trouble getting good attendance at a school's PTA meeting. How many actual parents, whose interest lies in getting the best possible education for the kids out of BCPSS (as opposed to those who are looking for visibility in order to advance their political careers) do you think will show up?
Posted by: a parent | September 5, 2008 1:14 PM
Dear A Parent:
Being both a BCPSS educator and a parent of 3 kids in BCPSS schools, my fear is that MORE parents will show up to this event than show up to meetings at schools. It appears from the posting from Sara that already more political folks are showing up to this than show up to parent/school meetings. What a waste of time and energy. I wish these same strongly willed and powerful people would show up to meetings at schools to fight for high quality education.
Posted by: Interesting Observations | September 5, 2008 3:58 PM
Well, I for one will pass - I've got three different Back-to-School nights as well as IEP-type stuff. Plus I heard nothing about the State PTA meeting that happened at North Ave on 8/11.
If anyone is trying to figure out why they have problems getting parents to come to meetings, I for one, get tired of the whole "soap-box" political lectures that I have to sit through when I go to them. I'll take volunteer opportunities where I get to move boxes or put together desks any day.
Posted by: a parent | September 5, 2008 7:22 PM
If the Council of PTA's really wanted input from parents and schools why wasn't it held closer in town so that more people could be a part of the conversation.
Posted by: Calamity | September 5, 2008 10:35 PM