Evening star., 1955-03-28
| AIM Drafts New Bid
To Bar PTk Hand in
Board Nominations.
BY WILLIAM ]. ELVIN

A new appeal to Arlington
PTA members to stay out of the
School Board Nominating Con-
vention is being prepared by
convention opponents who say
the PTA Manual prohibits theii
participation.
The convention bloc plans to
use the manual of the National
Congress of Parents and Teacli-
ers at PTA meetings in tint next
two months in an attempt to
convince Arlington members that
national policies bar their par
ticipation in the convention
PTA leaders already have re-
jected a similar proposal by
leaders of Arlington Independent
Movement AIM plans to have
three School Board candidates
in opposition to the convention
slate in the November elections
The convention. tentatively SIT
for mid-June. includes PTAs and
number of other county Of
ganizations, but not all of them
No Opposition Til '53
All School Board incumbents
were convention nominees. Until
the 1858 election, when AIM
made its first challenge, there
was no organized opposition to
the convention slate.
The manual includes a state
ment that, "the basic policies of
the National Congress of Parents
and Teachers govern the
organization at every level-na-
tional. State and local."
Convention supporters say the
manual permits PTA participa-
ton in the convention with this
paragraph:
ITO help determine the quail
flcations of School Board candi-
dates in the community, the
local unit or council may par
ticipate in or initiate a caucus.
All community groups should be
represented in such a caucus.
Its purpose is to review the
background of prospective board
members and provide a forum
for discussion of these facts. To
avoid partisanship and discrim-
ination all candidates for school
boards should be invited to pre-
sent their views on school edu-
cation at a parent-teacher meet
ing"
Avoids PTA Support
Under convention rules, the
role OF the convention ends with
nomination of candidates. Each
candidate must carry on his own
campaign. PTA leaders say this
procedure avoids PTA Support"
of specific candidates.
AIM supporters say the man
ual prohobits PTA participation
in this language: THE guiding
principle is simple and clear:
The parent-teacher organiza ton
takes a stand on principles and
issues. not on candidates OF po-
litical parties. ="
Convention opponents also cite
this section: "The PTA does not
indorse any candidate for Office
Any group activity IN support
of a specific candidate is a
violation of the non-partisan
policy of the National Congress
OF Parents and Teachers.
The manual heartily indorses
certain types of political action
by PTA members because good
laws and good government are
essential to the welfare of chill
dren and youth"
Voice for Youth
Political action" the manual
adds, lis therefore an integral
part of parent-teacher work. The
National Congress in the course
of its more than 56 years of ex-
istence has learned how to make
legislators and candidates heed
its voice-the voice of the spokes-
man for children and youths.
Its members have learned to
inform themselves on the issues.
to carry them to the public and
to use the political art of writing
letters and sending kilograms, of
forming citizens committees, of
ringing doorbells. They have
been encouraged to exercise
wisely and well their right to
vote"
In another section, PTA men,
pers are advised, "Partisanship,
which is support of an individual
or a party, may divide an as
ISOLATION. Cooperative effort
for some principle on which all
can agree unites the membership
and makes for growth"