Mom's Resignation from National PTA
by Hans Zeiger

My mother has resigned from the National Parent-Teachers Association. And that is a significant thing, for my mom has been a leader in the local PTA in our hometown for the past 25 years. She is fed up with the overwhelming political correctness that rules the National PTA, evident in its partnership with Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) at its recent convention. "I do not think the gay agenda should be addressed with my dues money," my Mom explained.

The National PTA Convention, held June 26-28 in Anaheim, California, featured a workshop called, "All for One and One for All: Ending Anti-Gay Bullying." PFLAG's description of its workshop says, "Speakers will identify issues facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender students and their families. Through the presentation and discussion, an understanding of how an "anti-gay" climate impacts the entire school community will be explored." Replies mom: "As a Christian, a mother, and a teacher, I don't think that the gay agenda should be brought up in schools anywhere. I'm very offended by it."

The homosexual workshop was not the only disturbing activity at the recent convention. Other workshops included "Bias-Free Foundations in Early Childhood" by the Anti-Defamation League, "Sex Education and Parents" by anti-family professor Jane DiVita Woody, "Effective Parent Involvement for the Divorced and Blended Family," and "Represent That! Effective Advocacy for the Hip-Hop Generation" for (presumably hip-hop brand liberal) students only. National PTA lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C. are decidedly opposed to parental choice in everything from school vouchers to sex education. For years, the National PTA has lobbied Congress for increased federal funding for all manner of social welfare programs.

In 2000, then-National PTA president Ginny Markell announced that the PTA would be promoting the homosexual film "That's A Family" as a resource for schools to teach "tolerance." Markell told a Clinton White House audience that the video was "a starting point for all of us to understand our differences."

My mom would prefer that I keep her response to the PTA-radical agenda quiet, because she is not a woman who seeks controversy. But I begged her permission to write about this. My mom is not a political lady; she is a faithful Christian and a devoted mother above all. When I asked her for a quote, she responded that she would prefer not to offend anyone. My interest in writing about divisive political events has nothing to do with my mom. Indeed, she has taught me there are things more important than politics through her constant devotion to the simple and lovely things of life.

Simple and lovely expresses my mom's commitment to the arts through the PTA Reflections program. Beginning in 1979, my mom taught Fourth Grade, and there she organized the school's Reflections competition for her students to enter fine arts, music, literature, and photography. When I was born, my mom left teaching to be a stay-at-home mom (to her, the world's most important occupation), but she continued to be a judge of school district-wide Reflections entries. And for six years in a row, she was the PTA chair for Reflections at the elementary school my younger siblings and I attended. She was the PTA designated volunteer "classroom parent" in all our classrooms, and she was involved in almost every PTA activity from Teacher Appreciation Week to Field Day.

Today, my mom is back in the classroom, and on top of that she serves as chair of the PTA Reflections arts program for the entire school district. And she's darn good at what she does. That's the kind of member the National PTA is losing because of its odious preoccupation with political correctness.

My mom isn't the only one resigning from the National PTA; so is my father who is also a former teacher. My parents will maintain their membership in the local and state PTA, but they will deduct the equivalent of the National PTA dues from their annual dues check. It's about time more folks like my parents withdraw their memberships from the National PTA and make it known that political correctness and good parenting do not mix.

Hans Zeiger is president of the Scout Honor Coalition and a student at Hillsdale College. www.hanszeiger.com. National PTA president Linda Hodge can be contacted at info@pta.org or 1-800-307-4PTA.