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Monday, October 8, 2007Idle Thoughts from PTSA Meeting (not About Vouchers)A logo, an applause sign, randomness, parliamentary procedure. Here are miscellaneous thoughts -- not about vouchers -- from the PT(S)A meeting I attended last week at American Fork High School. There was a big banner with the state PTA logo and the motto, "every child, one voice." I'm a little surprised that we don't value diversity more than that. And isn't it my job to represent my children, not the PTA's? Do they really think they speak for every child and parent? The meeting was in a small theater. At one side of the stage was an electric "applause" sign, which could be lighted, presumably, to encourage applause. Is it there for atmosphere, or do they actually use it in class or performances? Do they use it seriously or cynically? There's a project -- a PT(S)A project, I think -- at AFHS urging students to do "random acts of kindness." It's a common enough phrase, from bumper stickers and elsewhere, but it invites two questions: How do you know when an act of kindness is random? And wouldn't intelligent, consistent, systematic, directed kindness be more effective and admirable? Last time I went to a PT(S)A meeting -- at a different school in American Fork -- some sort of matter was to be put to a vote. There was a motion, then a second, then . . . no vote. They just moved on to the next item, forgetting to the vote, and treating the measure as if it passed. This time, there was a motion, no second, and a vote. That's not as bad, I suppose. Copyright 2007 by David Rodeback. |
