February 14, 2018 (Albany)–It has come to our attention that a parent group in the New York City (NYC) school system used wholly inappropriate images in an invitation for a fundraiser.

This parent group has NO affiliation with New York State PTA nor National PTA, and we find the behavior unacceptable.

Our nation’s families have many different backgrounds, talents, opportunities and challenges. PTA understands and embraces the uniqueness of all individuals and appreciates that each contributes a diversity of views, experiences, cultural heritage/traditions, values and preferences. PTA membership represents every demographic and socioeconomic class of parents. Our association is committed to addressing the diversity of our families, students and communities, and making sure that all families are represented and feel welcomed, supported and empowered to be a voice for themselves and their children. 

New York State PTA and National PTA both proudly offer training and materials to affiliated parent teacher associations on a wide variety of matters—including training on the importance of diversity and inclusion, and appropriate communications and activities. Further, in November 2017, New York State PTA launched a new Diversity, Inclusion and Equity Caucus, featuring speakers and materials on these topics available for all members.

New York State PTA and National PTA stand ready to support NYC parent groups and the work they do for the children in their school communities, as we do for all our affiliated parent teacher associations. We look forward to speaking with NYC DOE personnel in the near future to discuss this possibility, and ask that their parent groups are appropriately trained on these matters.

PTA is—first and foremost—an advocacy association. This has been the case for over 120 years. The mission and core efforts of all PTAs remain focused on advocating—before school boards, local and state government and in Washington, DC—to ensure all schools have the resources they need to provide a world-class education to every student and make every child’s potential a reality.