WHAT’S HAPPENING
- Barack Obama isn’t the only presidential first. In June, 2009, Charles J. Saylors becomes the first dad in U.S. history to take command of the national Parent Teacher Association.
- Men make up just 10% of the PTA’s 5.5 million members. But their ranks are growing every year, thanks to new initiatives like afterschool Dads Clubs (New York Times 1.6.09).
- The changing face of the PTA reflects a larger trend. From attending class events to walking their kids to school, dads are more involved in school life than they were in 1999, according to a 2008 survey by the National Center for Fathering.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- Grownups need role models, too. When men see one of their own helming the PTA they’re more likely to join.
- Brave New Dads continue to earn their wings as hands-on parents. In a world where stay-at-home dads are no longer a novelty, joining the PTA is just the latest frontier. Chalk it up to the superdads of Gen X.
- Kids with involved parents in general, and fathers in particular, have a much better shot at going to the head of the class.
RESOURCES
- 2008 Fathers’ Involvement in Their Children’s Learning: Download a .pdf file of the survey at the National Center for Fathering.
- PTA
