Evening star., 1955-06-09
PTAs and Politics


laws forbid their participation
in school nominating conven-
tions. The nonpartisans in Ar
lington are acting the part Of
political gangsterS-misusing
our PTAs in their political
scheme Of thingS-diverting the
energies of the PTAs from their
real purposes, channeling these
PTA energies instead of an at
tempt to keep their selfish
nonpartisan political stars in
their ascendancy.
PTA bylaws clearly state that
they cannot take a stand ION
candidates or political parties"
that they cannot support or
oppose persons or parties"
The president of the Vir-
ginia Congress Of Parents and
Teachers points out that a
caucus is acceptable; but Ar
lington has a nominating con-
vention instead with PTAs
participating in the selection
Of candidates for public Office,
and he has expressed his opin-
ion on this as follows: "a PTA
would, be violating national
congress policy If 1t partici-
pated in the selection of can
didates for public Office" He
quotes from the PTA manual
the basis for his statement and
then adds: ut is frequently
true that good people disagree
on the Interpretation of state
ments. It is difficult for me to
understand, however, how there
could be much difference of
opinion in the Interpretation
OF the quotations given above"
Gin the manual.
Knowing that the PTA by
laws prohibit PTA participa-
tion in the school board nomi-
mating convention, let all PTA
members have the courage to
refuse to break our PTA by
laws for this selfish political
group which wishes to misuse
our organizations to kick off
its political campaign.
Arlington PTA Member.
X
Many concerned Arlington
parents resent the nonpartisan
school board and their ultra
liberal friends who misuse the
PTA every time they run for
election. Several Of these par
ents have written our State
and national PTA presidents to
stop this vicious practice. The
Virginia State president stated
the practice Of convention par
ticipation by PTAs violated
PTA national policy-and
added he did not understand
how the PTA manual could be
interpreted otherwise.
The nonpartisans' cleverly
devised letter asked if a eau
Gus" would be all right-and
then used the approval as sub
terfuge to justify holding a
nominating convention. "a
caucus is an informal get-to-
gether for preliminary dis
cussions; a nominating con-
vention has as its purpose the
selection of candidates.
Arlington parents have the
duty to reject the candidate
OF any group which holds what
1t describes as a nominating
convention" and then tries to
justify its device by passing it
OF as a caucus.
A PTA Past President.
4 *
The ultraliberal extremists
who devised the nominating
convention scheme of in
volving the PTAs in politics
must have on their political
consciences (if they have any,
the knowledge that they are
having the PTAs break all
their rules in asking them to
get mixed up in their political
selections. The convention
trainers try to justify having
the PTAs break their bylaws
by saying the PTAs don't later
have to vote for them. This is
like trying to justify driving
80 miles an hour through a
l5-mile school zone by saying
you would drive slower later
on. down another section of
road.
No group. such as the Ar
lington Non-Partisans, who
are asking the PTAs to break
their bylaws, deserves the vote
of any PTA member-that's
why PTA members are voting
for Arlington Independent
Movement candidates who do
not believe in misusing our
PTAS.
Bessie A. Perrier.