Parent-teacher associations (PTAs), historically known for bake sales and other social events in support of local schools, are becoming a driving force in large-scale fundraising, school administration, and even state politics, reports the New York Times:
Parent groups across the country, especially in affluent suburbs, are undergoing a kind of corporate makeover, combining members’ business savvy, technological prowess and negotiating skills to professionalize operations.
With many members who stepped out of high-profile careers to become stay-at-home parents, traditional parent-teacher associations (and the similar parent-teacher organizations, or PTOs) have evolved into sophisticated multitiered organizations bearing little resemblance to the mom-and-pop groups that ran bake sales a generation ago. . . .
They have raised tens of thousands of dollars for extras like new playgrounds and writing workshops amid budget cutbacks, and have taken over administrative functions that principals no longer have the time or inclination to do, like screening acts for school assemblies or signing contracts with instructors for after-school programs.
For weekend discussion: Any of my readers involved in your local PTAs/PTOs? Are they high-intensity groups like the ones featured in the Times? Do you find it worth your while to participate?
Looking at the LGBT angle: Do you feel more obligated to participate because you are an LGBT parent (or other non-traditional parent) and want to make sure your voice is heard, or have you chosen to stay away because you feel too much like an outsider?