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Parents tell board PTA used school branding to urge a budget vote; counsel says PTAs are separate entities
Summary
At least two letters read to the board alleged the Jericho Joint Council of PTAs improperly used school‑affiliated platforms and logos to advocate for a budget 'yes' vote; district counsel told trustees PTAs are separate organizations and outlined legal distinctions.
Speakers during public comment read letters alleging that the Jericho Joint Council of PTAs used school‑branded Instagram accounts and other district‑affiliated platforms to urge a 'yes' vote on the district budget, and that such activity would violate court precedent and state constitutional rules. The letters named case law and standards (reported in the transcript as "Phillips versus Mauer" and Article 8 Section 1 of the New York State Constitution) and asked the board to investigate possible district coordination on paid advertisements and to publicly correct any violations.
Board counsel responded that the legal issues are more complex and that PTAs are not the school district; counsel said restrictions on school‑district expenditures differ from the obligations of independent PTA organizations and that some cited chancellor regulations apply to New York City only. Counsel recommended pursuing the matter through PTA governance channels and appropriate regional PTA or IRS channels if there are questions about nonprofit compliance.
