By Nicole C. Wong
Mercury News

The Palo Alto Council of Parent Teacher Associations overwhelmingly voted Wednesday afternoon not to rescind its resolution in support of gay marriage, by a vote of 50 to 10.

The umbrella group for the Palo Alto Unified School District's 17 school PTAs in April became the first PTA board in the country to oppose any U.S. legislation that would define marriage solely as a union between a man and a woman.

The PTA council's April vote had drawn criticism from parents and other PTA members who felt they were left out of the decision-making process, and that the PTA council had overstepped its bounds.

Last week, opponents of the resolution collected hundreds of signatures on petitions that called for the resolution to be rescinded. In response to the outcry, the PTA council held a special meeting today to reconsider its stance. More than 100 people packed the school district board room for a 40-minute lunchtime debate.