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What is this? Hello? PTA's have liberal agendas in areas where liberals live. PTA's have conservative agendas in areas where conservatives live. The state levels are perhaps more liberal than the locals. That said the work happens locally. They raise money for teachers, teaching assistants, various programs, school lunches, etc. They generally do a world of good, much like churches and charities do similar good work.

Just because the education establishment is liberal, it doesn't mean the local teachers in the trenches don't deserve health insurance or grants to buy teaching supplies.

How is the PTA Membership really helping our schools other than supporting their liberal agendas?

Paying for field trips, benches for the playground area, playground equipment. Or would you rather stick the taxpayers with those bills?

I belong to the PTA. I joined it because I wanted to be more informed and involved with my daughter's school. The PTA does many different things. They raise money with fund raisers to pay for things like theater groups to come to the school. There is the sunshine fund for sick teachers and children. We have a fund for trips, pizza parties when a class reads so many books etc. We have a fund to pay for children who can't afford to pay for their class trips. We buy things that the school wouldn't normally get. We also have a fund for children that need coats or if they lose their house in a fire or something, we will help the family out.... It costs me $2.50 a year for dues. I don't always agree with some of the ideas for fund raisers I am more outspoken then most. I also got elected to sit in on the board of education meetings. Thats a few hours meeting and I always leave there angry when I see where the money goes. I tend to speak my mind and I am sure they will be happy next year when I am gone from those meetings.

PTO's are independent and locally controlled, keeping any fundraising money or dues close to home. Whereas a large portion of PTA monies are sent to the national PTA and are often used to subsidize groups like PFLA (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) and various other liberal causes (and teachers unions). I hope these links work re: pto's.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A43260-2004Oct18.html http://www.educationpolicy.org/files/PTAkaput.htm Article about PTA and PFLA:
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/zeiger/040624