CHAIRING A CHALLENGING MEETING
At times, a PTA is faced with issues that ignite strong feelings from its members and community. Conducting a meeting involving these issues can be difficult for the local PTA president and board.
Before the Meeting
- Confer with appropriate officers and/or other board members to pre-plan the meeting to allow maximum participation from all points of view. Ask your council president or region director for help, if needed.
- Check PTA sources for existing positions on issues to be discussed. Check utahpta.org/resolutions for resolutions and utahpta.org/statements-positions positions for position statements.
- Prepare a thorough and thoughtful agenda for the meeting.
- Carefully study "Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised" on meeting procedures, motions, etc.
During the Meeting
- Have a copy of your local PTA Bylaws, your standing rules, your President Handbook, and "Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised" on hand.
- Establish ground rules and follow them. Conduct the meeting as formally as possible.
- If the group is willing, special rules for this meeting can be agreed upon at the outset, such as the number of times a person may speak to any one item, time limits for all speakers, etc.
- As the chair, the president has the privilege to overlook the recognition of a speaker who may be dominating the floor in favor of others who may not have spoken.
- If the group continues to disagree in such a way that further study is warranted, the chair should solicit a motion to organize a committee. Those who have expressed strong feelings on the issue should be given the opportunity to serve on the committee.
- Appear calm, even if you are distressed.
- Be polite but forceful.
- Whatever happens, keep your perspective by maintaining neutrality as a chair and your sense of humor.