By Christopher Wright
Some parents at Wasatch Elementary School in Provo said they are displeased with the PTA''s decision to terminate its affiliation with the national PTA.
David Cardon, father of two Wasatch students, said he feels the vote inaccurately reflects the overall opinion of the parents.
'I doubt the majority of the parents at Wasatch really wanted to leave the PTA,' Cardon said.
Louise Helps, president-elect of the Provo Council PTA, said she feels the Wasatch PTA misunderstood Utah''s role in the national PTA agenda.
'The strength of the Utah PTA is the size of the PTA, if people simply withdraw from the PTA, we will lose our national voice,' Helps said.
Concerned mothers in the United States established the 'National Congress of Mothers,' which later became the PTA, as a political organization in the late 1890s, Helps said.
Carolyn Wright, legislative vice-president of the Provo Council PTA, said the PTA supplies an opportunity for Utahns to make their beliefs heard.
'The PTA gives the state of Utah an opportunity to voice broadly held values of our state,' Wright said.
Both Wright and Helps said the Wasatch chapter failed to see how the national PTA benefits children on a nationwide level.
MaryAnn Christiansen, an active member of the Wasatch organization and former PTA president, said the national PTA is unclear on exactly what the organization stands for.
'They will not take a stand explaining their values,' Christiansen said. 'I think that the national PTA needs to take one side or another on issues that I feel are important.'
Several parents of children attending Wasatch Elementary School approached members of the PTA regarding their concerns with the national agenda as far back as eight years ago, Christiansen said.
Christiansen said she is excited about the decision. She said since the decision, the organization has seen increased parent involvement.
Mitsy Collins, president-elect of the new Wasatch organization, said she feels alienated by the national PTA''s stance on sensitive issues.
For example, the national PTA approved a video called 'That''s a Family.' The video teaches children about gay and lesbian lifestyles.
Members of the former Wasatch PTA said they do not feel comfortable with what the video advocates.
Collins and other members of the new organization said they believe the PTA''s national agenda appeals more to a liberal point-of-view.
'Because the national PTA is a very large organization with a diverse membership, they don''t want to take specific stands on certain issues in order to avoid alienating some of their members,' Collins said.
Last week another Utah school, Vista Elementary in Taylorsville, Salt Lake County, voted 34 to 2 to leave the PTA.