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Maryland PTA Leadership Defiant after National Group Revokes Charter

March 30th, 2021 by WCBC Radio

WBAL reports the National PTA is revoking the Maryland PTA's charter. The Maryland organization, however, plans to continue. On Friday, National PTA President Leslie Boggs said officials had worked for more than a year to bring the state organization in line with national standards. “National PTA is committed to directly supporting the local and council PTAs previously chartered by Maryland PTA until a new entity can be formed and leadership elected by the members," Boggs said in a statement. "National PTA and PTAs nationwide remain dedicated to supporting the needs of students, families, schools and communities, especially in this time of crisis in our country. Our goal continues to be to ensure that all PTAs in the state are strong and healthy and to keep everyone focused on the mission of PTA: to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.”

However, Maryland PTA President LaTonja Carrera said in a letter to parents that she believed the action was retaliation against her "revelation of a plot of individuals affiliated with National PTA attempting to mismanage and bankrupt our organization."

In December, federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C., charged Carrera with financially exploiting an elderly person, a felony. As the administrator of a mental health community residential facility, she allegedly used the account of a 73-year-old veteran to pay her personal bills.

The national organization put the Maryland PTA on probation after complaints at the local level about the new state board of directors, Maryland Matters reported in September.