A report from Melissa Westbrook, parent activist in Washington State:
“Here in Washington State, our state PTA is joining with…McDonald’s. We are supposed to believe that because McDonald’s now has apple slices that all their food is good for kids. They are even allowing the McDonald’s Director of Nutrition to speak at the state convention.
One other interesting thing is that several of our Seattle schools PTAs are weighing whether to leave the organization altogether and become PTOs (Parent Teacher Organizations). They just don’t support the state and national PTA actions and want to see their hard-earned fundraising dollars go to their school.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
Corporate Reform: Doing for education what McDonald’s has done for nutrition.
Perfect response. I totally agree, John.
“…Doing for education what McDonald’s has done for nutrition.”
Yes, and agriculture, and land use, and employment, and wages, and…
Couldn’t resist:
“Over 15 billion students served and ruined for life . . . . Broad’s lovin’ it!”
“They just don’t support the state and national PTA actions and want to see their hard-earned fundraising dollars go to their school.”
This is going to have to happen in this and other arenas. I would not be surprised to see offshoot teacher’s unions appearing over the next 5-10 years either — in fact, didn’t that already happen in Chicago? More or less?
In a highly successful public elementary school in Santa Monica, the PTO has funded a full time tech expert who has constructed two computer labs, has installed multiple computers in every classroom, and teaches all the students, K – 6 I believe, how to research using tech.
Many schools in Ca. have formed 501(c)(3) Parent/Community Education organizations to do similar upgrading and to be able to do fund raising directed to their own school. I have been told by young parents that they are expected to donate at least $3000 a year to their public school in addition to their property tax base. Wow! It works well in middle to upper socio-economic communities, but sadly, the inner city schools have little benefit from this innovation since bake sales do not bring in the amount of cash to affect change..
McDonald’s is a former ALEC corporation. They left only after the Trayvon Martin shooting connected to ALEC’s Stand Your Ground gun laws:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/mcdonalds-alec-color-of-change_n_1415428.html
McDonald’s left under duress. The company should not be trusted now in their efforts to buddy up with PTA.
I’m sure there are some vacations and other opportunities for these PTA members. The tentacles of this monster are literally everywhere.
Of course…in this country, money talks NOT ethics.
I recommend that every parent in America read “Chew on This” to learn how insidious the fast food industry really is.
Reblogged this on Transparent Christina and commented:
Nothing shocks me about the corporatist friendly PTA that has frankly lost its way.
Excellent move! Parents should only partner with people and organizations that support all of their politics. . . .
At the rate corporate America wants to privatize schools, de-intellectualize teaching and de-cognitize learning, most of our students will only be able to handle a job at McDonald’s.
By creating a nation wide schism in the PTA, it will send a message that parents don’t want to partner with corporate America; they want only to partner with humanism.
BTW, if anyone really wants to see what the cuisine is like at fast food chains, see the documentary “Supersize Me”. . . . .
On farm equipment, PTO stands for “power take-off.” That, sadly seems more apt these days.
There must have been a quid quo pro in this instance such as a large donation or such. Go form your own organization and throw those who do not properly support out the door and slam it on them. Enough of this.
Rather than departing the field of battle, I’d suggest that the parents considering leaving instead consider retaking their PTA from those who no longer represent their interests. Local control is fine, but it too easily becomes balkanized. Size does matter when faced with the unlimited resources deformers can and will bring to bear against local units of governance. Rather than reinventing the wheel by linking local PTO’s, taking the fight to those who would co-opt the local and national PTA is a better long term solution.
Wait! McDonalds has a director of nutrition? Can we read some of those memos passed between management and the director? Ha!
CitizensArrest, I wish we could retake the PTA in our state but that would mean taking over the Seattle Council PTA (doable), WAPTA (more difficult), paid leadership of WA State PTA (very difficult). Many have tried to talk to them but they are not listening. As well, they still go our our state legislature and tell legislators they speak for “parents.” They don’t.
And they don’t speak for the Teachers, either. We tend to forget what the T stands for in PTA… I publicly withdrew my membership (as a teacher) from my school’s PTA last year – in protest of the WA State PTA pro-charter position. Later on, Ballard High School (Seattle) came up with an innovative way for teachers to be PTA members and have their membership dues go only to the school, and not to the state PTA (because they did not like their positions on some issues).
Agreed. I quit our local PTA after the state PTA started pushing charter schools. The WA State PTA has their own agenda, and it does not include teachers or kids.
Easier said than done, leaving the PTA. This conversation is only relevant to schools with higher income and volunteer participation rates. Forming a PTO is hard work that requires knowledge of federal laws, quite a bit of paperwork and cash. For small PTAs with small bank accounts, that PTA support structure and existing 501c3 status and bulk insurance rate make existence possible. There needs to be more of a support network to help with incorporation, IRS paperwork and taxes, bylaws, legal issues, insurance, and all of the business side of things. Not every school has parents with those connections, knowledge or skill sets, and hiring help (which I’ve heard of many groups doing) is too expensive.
Karen.. agreed it is a bit of work.. one option to consider is joining forces with multiple schools in the district. Second, send word out to all parents that your looking for a parent who is an accountant to handle the work. Also, other option is conduct a fundraiser with the intention of paying an accountant to handle all the paperwork. You don’t need connections…you just need the right skill. Our treasurer works for a non profit, and she has kids in the school. Between her, the president and the vp’s, we managed the work load…
Karen — while it’s not entirely simple, forming a small independent non-profit is not nearly as difficult as many think. Well more than half of the local parent-teacher groups in the country are independent of the National PTA (they’re commonly called PTOs but also have many other non-PTA acronyms), and they’re doing great. There is also group-rate insurance available for these independents.
Full disclosure: I founded a company that works in this area,
Sounds like the Washington State PTA is corporate “owned”…fight back. Fight Corporate takeover of our Public schools. I wish you all luck…I hope this doesn;’t come to my state.
Our School switched from a PTA to a PTO.. it was the best thing we ever did. Took some work on the volunteer parents. Now that we are one year as a PTO we all wonder what the point was for being part of the PTA…. we did not receive any benefits. Now that they joined on to the Gates Foundation… we are even more happier! Make a statement and leave the PTA….
They should leave.
Sent from my iPhone
Very informative post. Now I know why our local PTAs tried to get me on board with the state PTA’s view “supporting CCSS for all students.”
http://www.change.org/petitions/end-pta-partnership-with-mc-donald-s