County court temporarily halts National PTA effort

Plans would restructure Maryland PTA leadership

An Anne Arundel County circuit judge has issued a temporary restraining order to halt National PTA’s plans to restructure the Maryland PTA’s leadership.

The National PTA announced at the end of August that it was restructuring the Maryland group after it fell out of compliance with the organization’s “Standards of Affiliation,” according to letters obtained by The Baltimore Sun. Restructuring means the National PTA can assist the Maryland PTA in electing new leaders and gives the national group access to Maryland PTA funds and records, as well as the ability to arrange an audit.

The National PTA cited “hostile leadership” at the Maryland PT A preventing board members from completing their duties and causing turnover.

The Maryland PTA filed for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction two weeks ago in Anne Arundel Circuit Court to block the National PTA’s restructuring plan. On Thursday afternoon, Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Elizabeth S. Morris granted the restraining order request, “enjoining the [National PTA] from taking any action in furtherance of restructuring of the [Maryland PTA] until a full hearing can be held,” court records show.

Morris wrote in her decision that the state group “will suffer irreparable harm” if the order isn’t issued, such as a restructuring “without due process being afforded” to the state group. The autonomy of the state group’ s organization would also be“compromised ,” court records show, and Morris wrote that the National PTA hasn’t performed “the proper steps of investigation to determine if there is fault.”

Charles Tucker Jr., an attorney representing the Maryland PTA, said the state group has tried to work with the National PTA to avoid litigation, but “they kept trying to escalate a takeover whichwas both arbitrary and capricious.”

“The court clearly saw fit to issue the order to stop this unjust takeover. Now maybe we can allow Maryland PTA to get back to the good business of servicing the parents and children of the State of Maryland,” Tucker said.

National PTA President Leslie Boggs said in a statement that her organization will continue to make efforts to meet with Maryland PTA’s leadership and help them meet the national group’s requirements.

“National PTA understands that, in the current situation, we are all facing almost insurmountable challenges; however, we continue towant towork with the Maryland PTA leadership as long as they address their areas of noncompliance. It remains our goal to keep Maryland PTA and all PTAs in the state strong and healthy and to move forward, together, in the best interests of our members and support of the PTA mission for all children,” Boggs said in a statement.

The PTA is the nation’s largest child advocacy group with 4 million members, and itworks with schools by volunteering in classrooms and raising money for supplies. The Glen Burnie-based Maryland PTA represents hundreds of local parent-teacher associations in the state.

The national group wanted the Maryland PTA to verify that all officers were properly elected and qualified, and to provide proper notice of all special meetings, to provide board members access to documents prior to meetings, and to establish “a cooperative working environment.”

But in August, Maryland PTA President Edna Harvin-Battle sent a letter to the PTA stating all special meetings were announced, according to a copy provided to The Sun. Harvin-Battle wrote that “at no time has the current executive committee violated the bylaws regarding its authority or in conducting Maryland PT A business .”

The restraining order is in effect until Oct. 22. A hearing has yet to be scheduled on the state group’s request for a preliminary injunction.