\doc\web\99\09\pta.txt From: EPI-Update Learning More About the National PTA June and July are always hectic months for the Education Policy Institute. The National PTA convention falls during the last week of June, followed directly by the NEA Representative Assembly the first week of July. If that weren't enough, the AFT QuEST conference occurs within days following the conclusion of the NEA meeting. Rather than report from afar, EPI personnel attend each convention in order to provide in-depth information about finances, leadership, political outlook, organizational direction, and more. Full reports on each of the three meetings will be published in EPI's monthly newsletter, Education Exchange, as well as online at http://www.educationpolicy.org later this month. In the meantime, some information distributed at the PTA convention in the "National PTA Annual Resources 1999-2000" book may be of interest and even surprise many readers. The Objects of the PTA ---------------------- * To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship. * To raise the standards of home life. * To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth. * To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth. * To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education. A common perception of the National PTA is that it organizes school fundraisers, chaperones field trips, and deals with other similar peripheral school issues. Many local PTAs do participate in such activities, but the national organization is deeply involved in legislative lobbying (see bullet 3 above) and persuasion politics.=20 Concerning the interesting turn of phrase, worship and spiritual education, as identified in The Objects of the PTA above, Bylaws Committee Chair Linda Hodge wrote to state PTA presidents in May of this year: "Article II - Purposes, Section 1 lists the Objects of the National PTA. The two sections in question, Sections 1a and 1e, state the following Objects: =91to promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community, and place of worship' and =91to develop betwee= n educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental, social, and spiritual education.' "In our Objects, PTAs are encouraged to address all areas affecting the whole child. Neither =91spiritual' nor =91worship' necessarily denot= es anything religious. In fact, each of them have at least one definition which is completely non-religious -- one discusses =91affecting the immaterial nature or soul of man' and the other is =91marked or characterized by the highest moral or intellectual qualities.' These particular Objects do not ask that PTAs take a specific role in providing spiritual education. All they ask is that PTAs work for the welfare of children and youth everywhere and ensure that opportunities are available for all children to reach their fullest potential in all aspects of life." With the 2000 presidential campaign already heating up, the National PTA invited political writer and columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Molly Ivins to address the assembled guests at the recent convention.=20 Given the opportunity to lay low those she opposes politically (in her down-home folksy way), and with credentials that include doing commentary for 60 Minutes, writing about press issues for the ACLU, and providing occasional commentary for National Public Radio, Ivins' topic was the upcoming election and education. Before offering a few quotes from Ms. Ivins speech, it is useful to note that the PTA is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization, bound by corresponding IRS regulations. The National PTA's own "Tips for Treasurers" guide notes, "PTA's that have criticized, lobbied and h= eld incumbents accountable in past years can continue to do so during an election year, although the closer the election comes, the more likely criticism is to be viewed as political campaigning [which is not permitted]. A 501(C)(3) is better protected during an election year if it has been active in previous non-election years." So, it would seem, the National PTA is putting its protective measures in place. Quoting Ms. Ivins: "In general, politicians care deeply about education and they will do absolutely anything for you, except give you money." "...with the right-wing intellectual crowd the theory is that the private world can do almost anything better than the government can." "They say we must try vouchers because it would improve the public schools." "In the looniest of all proceedings, we have the school textbook hearings. Over the years, this process was captured by perfect nuthatches, Mel and Norma Gabler of Longview, and various other Christian-right bizarros, I say with all affection." "The schools that have the most money consistently do better than the ones that don't." "They [fundamentalist Christians] are perhaps the most frightened peopl= e in America...and when people get afraid they do stupid things...they decide the first thing to do is cut down on freedom." "In fairness to Charles Darwin, if there was ever good evidence for the theory that man was descended from monkeys, and damn recently -- it is Tom Delay." While Ivins' speech rambled about, and dealt little with education in any thoughtful way, her derisive tone toward all things Republican, or conservative, or Christian, was quite clear. Convention organizers know who they hire to speak, and what they want them to say. Is this really what the National PTA intends its organization to stand for? Look for more on the PTA, NEA, and AFT 1999 summer meetings on EPI's we= b site -- http://www.educationpolicy.org, later this month. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ eGroups.com home: http://www.egroups.com/group/epi-update http://www.egroups.com - Simplifying group communications ===================================================================== EDUCATION CONSUMERS CLEARINGHOUSE networking and information for parents and taxpayers on the internet Website & Archives: http://education-consumers.com You are currently subscribed to education-consumers as: arthurhu@halcyon.com TO UNSUBSCRIBE: Send a blank email to leave-education-consumers-989462S@lists.dundee.net ===================================================================== For less mail, use the following link and choose 1) a daily digest, 2) a daily list of subjects, or 3) no mail (read postings on Web) http://lists.dundee.net/scripts/lyris.pl?enter=education-consumers For more help & info: http://www.lyris.com/help or .