What the PTA Really Stands For: Protecting The Administration

1.22.13 by Get the Cell Out - ATL

P.rotecting

T.he

A.dministration

Does the PTA still deserve your membership dues?  Think about all the terrible news that was contained in the SACS report recently and consider the fact that it has come to this - nearly losing accreditation - before any group calls out the problems and brings them to light?  

Where are the watchdog groups that are in our schools?  What has happened to the PTA?  It may surprise you to learn these groups are more about getting favors for the few (the officers and select volunteers) than they are about ensuring the children and teachers are supported in a system that is acting in their best interest.

As we were cleaning out the email storage drive at Get the Cell Out - ATL and we ran across this older email that we did not post at the time (since we did not have a website at the time).  

Basically, we got the runaround from the PTA on the issue of cell towers (per note below).  We followed up a few times, but got more of the same.  

Later we learned there was more PTA involvement than we originally suspected with some backing the administration or school board possibly in exchange for being promised $25K in funding for them to direct at their school.

We got so busy trying to stop the towers that we did not have the opportunity to take this issue any further, but that does not mean it is an issue that does not warrant some consideration.  Is the school system or the board using the PTA as an official arm of their communication strategy?  If so, to what extent?  Is the PTA a legitimate method for distributing flyers about important meetings or collecting feedback to send to a board member, review with the principal or just ensure that it does not go any further?  

The PTA has some explaining to do!

**************************************

June 15,2011

Dear (GTCO-ATL)

Thanks so much for your email.  I have forwarded this on to our Resolution Committee that would look into this or except resolutions from our members.  We are in flux as a New Board and New Committees were installed last weekend.  Please be patient as we get these new groups up and running. 

Thanks again.

Best regards,

Heather Dean

Controller

National PTA

From: National PTA Information
Sent: Wednesday, June 15, 2011 3:47 PM
To: Heather Dean
Subject: FW: Cell Phone Safety

Please see email below.

Thank you,

Natalie Jones

Information Center RepresentativeT  1.800.307.4782 E    info@pta.org  |www.pta.org
________________________________

National PTA has moved to Alexandria, VA. Please update your address book.

National PTA
1250 N. Pitt Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

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From: Get the Cell Out - ATL
Sent: Tue 6/14/2011 5:02 PM
To: National PTA Information
Subject: Cell Phone Safety

Hi there,

I am a parent and member of my local PTA.  I was reviewing your website to determine if the PTA had an official position regarding the placement of cell phone towers at schools.  I am trying to help the parents and teachers who are concerned about the potential health issues associated with cell towers, among other concerns, find a way to speak up and ensure their voices are heard by the administration and school board officials.

In my efforts to learn more on this topic, I was surprised to see how many other parents and other schools are struggling with the same issues across the country.  There are grass-roots groups popping up everywhere as the cell companies seem to be approaching schools with offers of large sums of money in exchange for leasing space on school grounds for their massive structures that emit radiation at low levels continuously, something that is quite possibly a hazard to children in particular. 

The World Health Organization (WHO) just labeled cell phones as possible carcinogens and suggested:

"Given the potential consequences for public health of this classification and findings," said IARC Director Christopher Wild, "it is important that additional research be conducted into the long‐term, heavy use of mobile phones. Pending the availability of such information, it is important to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure such as hands‐free devices or texting. "

Full text can be read here:  http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2011/pdfs/pr208_E.pdf

So, the reason for my email ...

First, with all of this going on, I was disappointed to see that the national PTA has not considered this an issue that warrants an official position.  I am hoping that it is one you are considering so that you can help advise the members who are finding themselves in a situation like ours.

Second, I am also concerned that you have a page on cell phone safety:

http://www.pta.org/topic_cell_phone_safety_tips.asp 

and yet it does not mention the fact that cell phones might cause brain tumors or cancer and that it is advised that children use them sparingly.  I am hoping that this is simply a page that needs to be updated since the classification

by the WHO is so recent.  Doctors from the United Kingdom have issued warnings urging children under 16 not to use cell phones, to reduce their exposure to radio frequency (RF) radiation.

I was hoping that the national PTA here might take a similar cautionary stance since it is the health of our children that is at stake.

Third, I was hoping to be put in touch with someone at your office who might help me understand how the local PTA decides to get involved or stay out of matters such as a cell company wanting to put a cell tower at a school.  Is it common for them to "stay out of it" or should they step up to allow parents a chance to discuss the issues at hand?  Do they have an obligation to inform the members and speak on their behalf?  Or, is it just left up to the officers at the time to decide how to handle the situation on a case-by-case basis?  What if the issue arises after the start of Summer?  Which board should step up - the outgoing or incoming?  And, what should I do if I have concerns that the officers may not be acting in the best interest of the majority of the members?  I would really like to speak to someone who can help me understand the role of the PTA so that I can determine how I can best help my school with this issue. 

Thank you very much for your time.  I can be reached at the numbers listed below.  At this time, I would like to keep the name of my child's school confidential since I do not want to create any problems for the people involved or for my child.  I am just looking to understand the policies.

Sincerely,

(GTCO-ATL)


To read a resolution adopted by the California PTA, please click here.