Wednesday, May 11, 2005

PTA: Not political? Be serious.....

Anyone who knows me knows my feelings regarding the National PTA (Parent-Teacher Association), who pretends to be "non-partisan and non-political", but most certainly is not.

This doesn't mean I'm against the wonderful volunteers who make up thousands of local PTA Chapters. What is a shame is, many of them have no idea who they partner with when they take on the identity of "PTA Member".

With me, it's simple. A group like PTA needs to spend all its resources on improving the educational experience of children. Period. They should take NO political side, and should especially NOT get involved in politically-charged issues that may have some, or even no, relevance to schoolchildren.

I could care less if the political stands are liberal, conservative, communist, whatever, none of them are appropriate for an organization "claiming" to be non-political.

For instance, please click on this to see how the PTA discriminates against points of view and allows in a group whose leader, Ron Schlittler, openly states he thinks beliefs of his organization are "superior". (See 4 paragraphs from end of article).

This could be the other way; the PTA bringing in the ex-gay group and prohibiting PFLAG, and it would STILL be wrong. Why? They don't have any business dealing with either one.

"But what about gay bullying?", I hear from the masses.

That should be dealt with professionals who independently deal in the subject of "bullying". Note the lack of word in front of "bullying".

Let's see, what's after "gay bullying"? "fat kid bullying"? "kids with lisps bullying"? How 'bout "high water pant wearers bullying"?

We need specialized groups representing kids with pants too short?

My point exactly.

Let the pros handle "bullying". All of it. And leave the politicos with their dirty lobbying money on the side of the road.

Oh, and did you know the National PTA gets in bed with 527's? Honest.

Click here to learn about their initiative to allegedly "establish great public schools for every child". The headline reads: "National Mobilization for Great Public Schools".

Oh, and who chipped in some bucks to "educate" voters on who can make great public schools? Click here and look at the "Check It Out" box. Right after the U.S. Hispanic Institute, we find a group that became really well known in 2004.

And a group that's about as far away from "non-political/non-partisan" as it gets.

No wonder 75 percent of parent teacher groups in America now are NOT PTA's, and their membership has fallen nearly in half over the past 40 years.

Oh, and no, I'm still not released to share my PTA political sham of this past year. One day....but not today.

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