I write this letter to express my concerns regarding the Roslyn Parent Faculty Association and its procedures for voting and succession planning.

In the spring of 2021, when active members of the Roslyn PFA asked to run for open executive positions in the organization, they were told that the positions had already been appointed by current officers and that no vote would be held. The organization bylaws clearly state that a vote is required if more than one person applies for a position, and that board positions are limited to one two-year term. Instead, members were told that the PFA bylaws are “outdated” and that following them would result in “misplaced rigidity.”

Moving forward through 2022, suggestions to update the bylaws were not made, as there was no “advance written notice of at least 30 days of the proposed changes to the bylaws stating the date and location of the vote for said proposed changes.” Thus, not only were the organization’s own rules ignored due to their supposedly being outdated, but proposed changes were also not considered or voted on according to the written rules of the organization.

In the spring of 2022, members of the Roslyn PFA who asked to run for certain executive positions were again told that the positions were filled, despite the term limits in the bylaws and the requirement that there be a vote. Therefore, despite my concern for potential negative repercussions to my family, I feel obligated to raise these inconsistencies in a public forum.

As the Roslyn PFA is not under the auspices of the national PTA, I feel that it is important that our PFA continues to thrive as an effective, inclusive, and legal nonprofit entity. From a legal and fiduciary standpoint, ignoring the bylaws can put our PFA’s tax-exempt status at risk. In addition, our PFA officers may no longer be insured as they have been made aware they are in violation of the bylaws. We also need to recognize that many thousands of dollars flow through the Roslyn PFA, and while certainly not material in comparison to our district’s budget, by not following the bylaws we may jeopardize our ability to implement the proper procedures and controls on the financial transactions.

I do not wish for a situation in which parents do not feel comfortable paying dues or supporting fund-raisers because they do not have confidence in our PFA officers. In addition, an appearance of impropriety may affect recruitment and retainment of involved parents and volunteers. If volunteers are turned away, and those asking questions and offering opinions are shut out, we have failed to achieve one of the goals of the Roslyn Parent Faculty Association.

I am not unappreciative of the tireless efforts of our PFA’s current leadership. However, I have watched people become disillusioned, disenfranchised, alienated and/or resign from positions in our PFA because there appears to be a lack of open dialogue and no opportunity for disagreement. Lack of an eligible (or any) pool of volunteers is often given as an excuse for not worrying about the rules, but is it fair to say we do not have enough volunteers when those who do volunteer are not given a fair shot?

If the bylaws of our organization created in conjunction with legal counsel are no longer relevant to the current Roslyn PFA, perhaps an open meeting to all parents in the community could consider how we amend them. If the bylaws were amended at the start of the PFA’s current fiscal year, then they were amended after the fact by leadership that was “offered” positions and not chosen according to due process. We should involve those who participated in the PFA in 2021 and 2022 and were not given the opportunity to run for their desired positions, as well as the current leadership. This would allow the Roslyn PFA to ensure that varying opinions are heard before any changes are made and empower us to follow rules that will ensure our PFA continues to be welcoming, productive, and inclusive. I have made some of my closest friends through my involvement in the PFA, and I would love to see others have a similar opportunity.

Carin Silverman
Roslyn