In response to a post by Peter Greene (“The Arne Duncan Drinking Game“), this reader describes the National PTA convention in Texas. The National PTA has received $2.5 million from the Gates Foundation, including $500,000 specifically for Common Core. Also, the National PTA provided a screening of the anti-public school “Waiting for Superman” at its annual convention in 2011. Odd.
She writes:
“I was at that PTA convention in Texas and I bit my tongue through his entire speech. I wanted to throw up. I have lost faith in the PTA. While I love what PTA does at a local level for our schools, I am sickened by what I see at the state and National PTA levels. Our voices as members have been sold out to corporate interests, and the top leadership is out of touch with parents today. Most of the top leaders dont even have children in public schools anymore so they think we are overreacting about the excessive testing and problems with common core. The leaders enjoy the power and prestige of their office and won’t listen to parents and teachers.
“Even more alarming, the general meetings at the national PTA convention were sponsored by Discover Card, Microsoft, and Pearson. During the general meetings, attendees were forced to sit through 15 minute commercials about their corporations and hear about their “partnerships” with PTA. The week before the convention, delegates received emails from PTA with advertisements for Pearson, telling us to be sure to stop by Pearson’s booth in the exhibit hall. How much did PTA get to spam our inboxes with marketing? We paid a lot of money to attend that convention, I don’t appreciate my email address being sold like that, especially to Pearson.”
Diane Ravitch's blog 
They should change the name to the Pearson Telemarketing Agency, but that would be too much truth in advertizing for them, I guess.
Perhaps with $2.5 million of Gates money, they might possibly want to use tactics embedded inside the Common Core standards and analyze the actual “text” of their name….. PARENT………. TEACHERS…….. ASSOCIATION……….
General meetings sponsored by credit cards and Microsoft .
Yep.
Seems all organizations are being sponsored ( bought? Controlled?) by big “multi f^€£ing national con fu€£ ing conglomerates”. (Dario Fo).
Read here about McDonald, Hershey and the corn refiners ( among other big foods) sponsoring, pushing samples, giving presentations and sitting on panels the nutritionist annual conference in CA.
http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/05/my-trip-mcdonalds-sponsored-nutritionist-convention
They seem to control the message.
I, too, am very disappointed in PTA, both national and state. They seem to have lost the vision of being the voice of parents and their concerns. They seem more interested in supporting and pushing a party line than being the voice of reason and discussion.
Several of our high schools in Seattle have left PTA because of this reason.
Honestly, parents have power and should rise up and take back PTA.
Yes, parent’s should westello1l, you being the first.
Everywhere anyone goes is a marketing opportunity. It’s vitally important we be sold something every minute of every day.
Agreed.
And it is vitally import and that those doing the selling control what is discussed, how it is discussed and what ” facts” are, indeed facts.
Ang, advertising is what paid for that lady to attend the pta convention. The good thing is, people are speaking their minds and that there is finally someone who has realized there is a difference in state and national concerns. National providing an umbrella to the states so they don’t get overwhelmed by the national agenda, and the States providing a conduit for their indivduals to address their concerns to a national level arena.
But how much influence does the national pta really have? I don’t know a single person who has anything to say about that organization, whereas local ptas are really influential and can be very effective, mostly at fundraising but sometimes other things as well. So much of the pushback on standardized testing seems to come from parents who are organizing at the local level, and some of that energy comes from the same impulse that makes parents fundraise at their local school. I mean, yes, it’s annoying that the national organization has been bought off, but I’m not convinced that their voice matters–though it might if enough local groups organize and stand together. Which is already happening–just not through the national PTA.
Agreed. Its the local people that matter. That being said, District 13 parent, I just wanted to say I LOVE YOUR SCREEN NAME. So does my teen, who I just shared your name with.
Thank you! But you’re clearly not a New York public school parent, or you would know that’s the community school district in which I live. Still, I have always loved the parallel, especially in these increasingly dystopian times. Hope you and your teen have a good summer!
TY PTA mom. Gates bought National PTA years ago.
It is unfortunate that PTA Mom chose to make anonymous allegations rather than confront PTA leaders personally. I would respectfully ask that PTA Mom’s personal attacks against specific PTA leaders be removed from the earlier blog.
As a public school parent I respectfully request that you give Gates back his money and the PTA should represent children and parents not bloviating billionaires who know jack💩 about teaching and learning.
If he had written the check to me, I’d gladly give it back. I remember when PTA fiercely fought against commercialism in schools and it is upsetting to see the logos & trademarks littering PTA’s materials. And I have posted that complaint on NPTA’s Facebook page under my real name. But I can’t condone taking anonymous potshots at people.
I read it quickly and I don’t believe she named anyone unless the reader knows who was publicly intoxicated the night before.
Linda,
No one was named in the PTA post.
I didn’t think so.
Terri Harris,
Please tell me who was named in the PTA post. Who was the target of a potshot? You have repeatedly made that claim. It is false. Do you question that national PTA took $2.5 million from Gates, with $500,000 earmarked for Common Core? Read the links. Were you at the 2011 national convention when “Waiting for Superman” was shown? Can you explain why the national PTA would show a propaganda film that smears public schools and applauds privately managed charters? Stop attacking the writer of the post. You are defaming her. She mentioned no names.
Diane, I am surprised at you. I would not think gossip would have a place in your blog. I also think that mentioning someone’s specific title is enough to disclose their identity without naming names. How long do you think PTA Mom would remain anonymous if her specific PTA title was disclosed?
For the first time in nine years, I didn’t renew my PTA membership. Our state PTA leadership is entirely in the grip of one very wealthy, very non-representative region. These are people who have a lot of disposable income, time, and connections to make their imprint on the state PTA’s political agenda. I know many schools that are switching to PTO’s as PTA no longer respects or reflects their reality. PTA was a great force for good, but, sadly, it’s lost it’s way.
Byron V. Garrett, former CEO of the National PTA said that the “National PTA enthusiastically supports the adoption and implementation by all states of the Common Core State Standards, which were recently released in final form.”
But let’s not forget Randi Wiengarten, of the AFT, who said the Common Core is a “foundation for better schools” that will prepare kids “success in college, life and careers.”
And what about the NEA? Lily Eskelsen, vice-president of the NEA, said this abut the Common Core: “We believe that this initiative is a critical first step in our nation’s effort to provide every student with a comprehensive, content-rich and complete education.”
The National School Boards Association, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, the National Association of Secondary School Principles, and the American Association of School Administrators issued a joint statement on the Common Core standards that makes clear that public education in the United States is in deeper trouble than many thought. The joint statement said Common Core “tests are necessary” for “use in teacher and principal evaluation.”
Like all the others, the PTA took the Gates money and then endorsed the Common Core.
This is now the face of public education in the United States.
And it’s not a pretty sight.
It’s not that hard to establish an independent PTO organization at your school or program — and when you do it, you aren’t beholden to any sort of national organization AND all of your money stays local (with your program). Why more schools don’t do this is beyond me!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx There is a website called PTO Today with lots of info. The site estimates that there are roughly 55000 PTO units in the country (national PTA maintains a number in the low-to-mid 20,000’s).
My NJ town (well-heeled metro suburban, 30kpop) has all PTO’s, but towns near us are mostly PTA.
Reblogged this on Transparent Christina and commented:
The have certainly been sold a bag of sand. Worst part, they’re buyers. PTA meeting in Texas was a Selfie-Fest. Don’t believe me, just go check facebook and twitter feeds of attendees. Delaware included.
No doubt I’ll get lambasted for writing this but I just must say this. I simply have not experienced or observed the concerns on PTAs mentioned here. I don’t doubt what anyone has written. That’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying that the 330K Florida PTA members have stood alongside parents debating everything from merit pay, to high stakes tests, to requesting common core delays, to fighting parent trigger. I have never experienced lackluster support nor denial of support from our great PTA. I’ve heard we are very fortunate as I speak with friends in about ten other states. They’re working so very hard here in Florida.
The Florida state PTA is not the same as the National PTA
This is another reason I stopped donating to my school’s PTA because they use the funds to test prep the bottom 40-50 students while the student body at large is left hanging. PTA meetings are only about fund raising to support CCSS or test prep.
Checked out mom on uws
While reading this, I just kept shaking my head. I have been involved with PTA for many years and this is exactly why I walked away this year. I am in New York and our president at the state level has a husband who is serving 8 years in prison for defrauding the Long Island Rail Road’s disability fund $1 million by falsifying medical records. Her son also owns a NYS test prep and tutoring company. Her husband has no moral compas and her son fills his coffers by “helping” struggling students. You can’t tell me that she has my child’s best interests at heart when she extols the merit of the Common Core!