National Parent Teacher Association (National PTA)

National PTA is structured as a national membership organization with many local dues-paying PTA chapters. It promotes certain critical race theory-aligned concepts, and stresses the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programming. ¹

In his 2022 book Race to the Bottom: Uncovering the Secret Forces Destroying American Public Education, right-of-center journalist Luke Rosiak criticized National PTA for taking the side of teachers’ unions and the educational establishment instead of that of parents and students.

Background

National Parent Teacher Association traces its roots to a coalition of activist mothers active in the late 1890s known as the National Congress of Mothers. The first gathering of the Congress in February 1897 consisted of 37 chartered state congresses. ²

National PTA was created when the National Congress of Parents and Teachers and the National Congress of Colored Parents and Teachers merged in 1970. ²

Activities

National Parent Teacher Association is structured as a national membership organization with many local dues-paying PTA chapters. It promotes certain critical race theory concepts and stresses the importance of DEI programming. ³ It gives awards to recognize local PTA chapters and affiliated schools for their efforts to promote diversity narratives. ⁴

National PTA has an active newsletter for its members and supporters and publishes frequent press releases. It weighs into political matters, such as voicing its support for LGBT identity politics, advocating for gun control legislation in light of the Sandy Hook mass shooting, and promoting amnesty and welfare spending for illegal immigrants. ^{5 6 7}

Criticism

In his 2022 book Race to the Bottom: Uncovering the Secret Forces Destroying American Public Education, right-of-center journalist Luke Rosiak characterized the National Parent Teacher Association as a lackluster organization that does not fulfill its role as an advocate for parents. Rosiak argued that National PTA consistently ranks the needs of teachers and school administrators at least equal to the needs of parents, including by asking parents to fundraise for local organizations while allowing officials of teachers unions to sit on its board. ⁸

Virginia PTAs gave schools principals the automatic right to vote as executive members of the groups’ committees. One Virginia principal, Tracy Stephens, tried to bar a concerned parent named Brian Davison from coming to PTA meetings after Davison asked an provocative question about testing standards and other school policies. Stephens later called Child Protective Services on Davison for trying to pick up his kids on the school premises. ⁹

Funding

National PTA receives dues from its local chapters. It also raises money from donors and foundations. ¹⁰

According to its 2020 tax returns, National PTA had a total revenue of $8,777,058, total expenses of $11,267,645, and net assets of $11,296,529. ¹¹

Leadership

As of December 2022, Anna King was the National PTA President. She was serving a term that was set from 2021 to 2023. ¹²