A little history:
Mary White is one of the seven Founding Mothers of La Leche League. About a year ago, she and four other Founders rejoined the LLLI Board of Directors (BOD). One of those ladies then resigned from the BOD. Now Mary White also has resigned, and she has given permission - explicitly, quoted below - for her resignation letter to be shared with anyone who wants to read it.
All the [PP] below means the Previous Poster of this information, who used "I" in her post. It's all included to show that permission was clearly granted to share this information widely.
So feel free to copy and share.
From,
Lollie1979
Here's the quoted information, from PP:
[PP] asked Mary White directly if this letter should be shared, since
there seemed to be some confusion. [PP] quoted in full the resignation
letter below so there would be no confusion about what could be
shared.
Here is her [Mary White's] response, forwarded WITH HER PERMISSION. (And the "wide
LLL connections" to which she refers means only that [PP has] been
involved with LLL in 3 cities.) Please share this as needed, along
with her resignation letter.
Dear [Name Removed], Thanks so much for your lovely letter. You certainly seem
to have very wide LLL connections, and I think that's wonderful.
Yes, I did indeed say it was OK to share my letter with anyone
who wants to read it. I believe it is important for LLLers around the
world to know why I did what I did. (And I have it on good authority that
it's within my rights to do it.) I have been hearing from so many
wonderful mother/Leaders from around the world. I just know that with
all this support, we can turn LLL around and get back on the track.
It may take some doing, but I have hopes. God bless you. Love,
Mary White
Sincerely,
[PP]
The resignation letter:
From: Mary White <[email address removed]>
To: [removed]
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:18:20 -0600
Subject: My Resignation
Dear friends all,
No doubt you have already heard about my
resignation from the LLLI Board. The word gets around amazingly
fast, doesn't it?? But I wanted to be sure you all saw my letter, with
my reasons for my leaving the board. I have been going over some
old board correspondence, looking for your addresses, and on
rereading what some of you had written, I can only say I am sorry I
didn't resign sooner. At any rate, here it is. Do with it what you will.
I am, once again, truly sorry that so many good League mothers
such as yourself and, no doubt others as well, have been put
through so much.
Blessings to you all. Love, Mary White
********************
Dear friends, January 15, 2009
It is with real regret that I am letting you know that I am resigning
from the Board of Directors of LLLI. This was not an easy decision
to make and I don't know exactly when I first began to have serious
doubts about why I was on the board. When I first came on, a year
or so ago, I already felt some apprehension about why I was there.
I felt that I wasn't fitting in. (Actually, there was a certain chill in the
air having nothing to do with the air-conditioning.) I did not feel "at
home" or even welcomed, though you were always polite, and my
questions were usually answered if I was persistent enough. I
frequently felt like a `fifth wheel' as it were.
( Incidentally, I always had deep reservations about the Chaordic
Organization. I know you've given it a different name, but
nonetheless its influence, I fear, has been and still is greater than
some of us realize. It has not been good for our League.)
Things didn't change much as the months went by. When the e-mails
flew around, as they did so often and so voluminously, I would
comment now and then, but my questions were frequently
unanswered and comments were in general ignored. (I know this
doesn't apply to all of you, and my thanks to those of you who took
the time and trouble to try to explain things to me.) Issues arose
which were very important, primarily the ones having to do with the
"recalcitrant" Leaders (who, no matter what they did or didn't do,
seemed to be getting into hotter water all the time.) I make no
excuses for those women who, believing that they never got a proper
answer to their questions, lashed out in frustration – sometimes very
inappropriately. They were out of line and I was saddened to see such
language used by a La Leche Leader.
I think it all came to a head for me with the abrupt firing of so many of
the office staff. That was truly appalling. Badly mishandled, done at the
wrong time, and with no warning. It appears that the ones chosen to be
let go were mainly the good, old-time Leaders, who have given so much
to the League and who were so helpful and knowledgeable and kind to
others. Some left in tears and shock. For this I am truly sorry.
Too, the implication that all the founders who were on the board when
these events occurred, approved of it all, was wrong. A great deal went
on while I was there that I never had an opportunity to vote on. (Was
there always a vote by the Board? Were we ever asked? I don't think so.
Things just happened, and we heard about them afterwards.) Too many
decisions were made solely by the Executive Committee and the CEO [Executive Director],
(who, by the way, should have been replaced long ago.)
To sum up., I have felt effectively shut out most of the time, more so by
some of you than others. Please know that I speak only for myself here.
Marian has already left the board for her own reasons. I am going to leave
for my own reasons. I have tried to lay them out here.
La Leche League has changed a great deal, largely at the Board level.
Somehow the heart of the League is giving out. Our main concern seems
to be money and prestige. What a shame. We've had money problems in
the past, some really bad ones, but we have always worked through them.
I believe we could again, but NOT by using our present approach, not by
making the drastic changes that are going on now. Some have said that if
we didn't, the League would never survive. I say that if we don't stop the
way we're doing things now, the League will surely not survive. The ill-will
out in the field is growing every day. I blame the inept handling of our
relations with our fine Leaders at all levels for this. Who is responsible?
(As Billy Crystal used to say , "You know who you are." )
I remember when Betty was Executive Director. Some who spoke at her
Memorial Service said it well. She was warm-hearted, had time to listen to
everyone, was cheerful and friendly with the office staff and it was a happy
place. Betty was a happy person, selfless and giving.
In the beginning the League felt like an exciting, joyous extension of our
own families. The mother-to-mother philosophy we lived by was really what
it was all about and it permeated our lives. Sharing the joys and sorrows of
those new mothers was something that just came naturally to us as
mothers ourselves. The sense of accomplishment when we helped a
mother work through her difficulties and happily nurse her baby was all the
thanks we wanted. Then, she, in turn over the years, shared her mothering
as a Leader with more new moms coming to the League. (Maybe you were
one of them.)
Some fine new members have come on the board, and I hope you will listen
to them. I hope too you will look into your own hearts for some answers as
well.)
Now I am going to devote more of my time and energy to my beloved family,
who have joys and sorrows and many needs of their own. I can be there for
them and happily share in their lives.
So, since I can't say "Thanks for the memories", (because I'd just as soon
forget them,) I will say thanks for the good moments and I shall surely pray
that La Leche League finds itself again, and gets back on the road to happy
mothering.
God bless you all, Mary White
Mary White is one of the seven Founding Mothers of La Leche League. About a year ago, she and four other Founders rejoined the LLLI Board of Directors (BOD). One of those ladies then resigned from the BOD. Now Mary White also has resigned, and she has given permission - explicitly, quoted below - for her resignation letter to be shared with anyone who wants to read it.
All the [PP] below means the Previous Poster of this information, who used "I" in her post. It's all included to show that permission was clearly granted to share this information widely.
So feel free to copy and share.
From,
Lollie1979
Here's the quoted information, from PP:
[PP] asked Mary White directly if this letter should be shared, since
there seemed to be some confusion. [PP] quoted in full the resignation
letter below so there would be no confusion about what could be
shared.
Here is her [Mary White's] response, forwarded WITH HER PERMISSION. (And the "wide
LLL connections" to which she refers means only that [PP has] been
involved with LLL in 3 cities.) Please share this as needed, along
with her resignation letter.
Dear [Name Removed], Thanks so much for your lovely letter. You certainly seem
to have very wide LLL connections, and I think that's wonderful.
Yes, I did indeed say it was OK to share my letter with anyone
who wants to read it. I believe it is important for LLLers around the
world to know why I did what I did. (And I have it on good authority that
it's within my rights to do it.) I have been hearing from so many
wonderful mother/Leaders from around the world. I just know that with
all this support, we can turn LLL around and get back on the track.
It may take some doing, but I have hopes. God bless you. Love,
Mary White
Sincerely,
[PP]
The resignation letter:
From: Mary White <[email address removed]>
To: [removed]
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:18:20 -0600
Subject: My Resignation
Dear friends all,
No doubt you have already heard about my
resignation from the LLLI Board. The word gets around amazingly
fast, doesn't it?? But I wanted to be sure you all saw my letter, with
my reasons for my leaving the board. I have been going over some
old board correspondence, looking for your addresses, and on
rereading what some of you had written, I can only say I am sorry I
didn't resign sooner. At any rate, here it is. Do with it what you will.
I am, once again, truly sorry that so many good League mothers
such as yourself and, no doubt others as well, have been put
through so much.
Blessings to you all. Love, Mary White
********************
Dear friends, January 15, 2009
It is with real regret that I am letting you know that I am resigning
from the Board of Directors of LLLI. This was not an easy decision
to make and I don't know exactly when I first began to have serious
doubts about why I was on the board. When I first came on, a year
or so ago, I already felt some apprehension about why I was there.
I felt that I wasn't fitting in. (Actually, there was a certain chill in the
air having nothing to do with the air-conditioning.) I did not feel "at
home" or even welcomed, though you were always polite, and my
questions were usually answered if I was persistent enough. I
frequently felt like a `fifth wheel' as it were.
( Incidentally, I always had deep reservations about the Chaordic
Organization. I know you've given it a different name, but
nonetheless its influence, I fear, has been and still is greater than
some of us realize. It has not been good for our League.)
Things didn't change much as the months went by. When the e-mails
flew around, as they did so often and so voluminously, I would
comment now and then, but my questions were frequently
unanswered and comments were in general ignored. (I know this
doesn't apply to all of you, and my thanks to those of you who took
the time and trouble to try to explain things to me.) Issues arose
which were very important, primarily the ones having to do with the
"recalcitrant" Leaders (who, no matter what they did or didn't do,
seemed to be getting into hotter water all the time.) I make no
excuses for those women who, believing that they never got a proper
answer to their questions, lashed out in frustration – sometimes very
inappropriately. They were out of line and I was saddened to see such
language used by a La Leche Leader.
I think it all came to a head for me with the abrupt firing of so many of
the office staff. That was truly appalling. Badly mishandled, done at the
wrong time, and with no warning. It appears that the ones chosen to be
let go were mainly the good, old-time Leaders, who have given so much
to the League and who were so helpful and knowledgeable and kind to
others. Some left in tears and shock. For this I am truly sorry.
Too, the implication that all the founders who were on the board when
these events occurred, approved of it all, was wrong. A great deal went
on while I was there that I never had an opportunity to vote on. (Was
there always a vote by the Board? Were we ever asked? I don't think so.
Things just happened, and we heard about them afterwards.) Too many
decisions were made solely by the Executive Committee and the CEO [Executive Director],
(who, by the way, should have been replaced long ago.)
To sum up., I have felt effectively shut out most of the time, more so by
some of you than others. Please know that I speak only for myself here.
Marian has already left the board for her own reasons. I am going to leave
for my own reasons. I have tried to lay them out here.
La Leche League has changed a great deal, largely at the Board level.
Somehow the heart of the League is giving out. Our main concern seems
to be money and prestige. What a shame. We've had money problems in
the past, some really bad ones, but we have always worked through them.
I believe we could again, but NOT by using our present approach, not by
making the drastic changes that are going on now. Some have said that if
we didn't, the League would never survive. I say that if we don't stop the
way we're doing things now, the League will surely not survive. The ill-will
out in the field is growing every day. I blame the inept handling of our
relations with our fine Leaders at all levels for this. Who is responsible?
(As Billy Crystal used to say , "You know who you are." )
I remember when Betty was Executive Director. Some who spoke at her
Memorial Service said it well. She was warm-hearted, had time to listen to
everyone, was cheerful and friendly with the office staff and it was a happy
place. Betty was a happy person, selfless and giving.
In the beginning the League felt like an exciting, joyous extension of our
own families. The mother-to-mother philosophy we lived by was really what
it was all about and it permeated our lives. Sharing the joys and sorrows of
those new mothers was something that just came naturally to us as
mothers ourselves. The sense of accomplishment when we helped a
mother work through her difficulties and happily nurse her baby was all the
thanks we wanted. Then, she, in turn over the years, shared her mothering
as a Leader with more new moms coming to the League. (Maybe you were
one of them.)
Some fine new members have come on the board, and I hope you will listen
to them. I hope too you will look into your own hearts for some answers as
well.)
Now I am going to devote more of my time and energy to my beloved family,
who have joys and sorrows and many needs of their own. I can be there for
them and happily share in their lives.
So, since I can't say "Thanks for the memories", (because I'd just as soon
forget them,) I will say thanks for the good moments and I shall surely pray
that La Leche League finds itself again, and gets back on the road to happy
mothering.
God bless you all, Mary White
I love New Beginnings magazine as well.
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