PTO Today

hello i'm new here and I need some advice. I'm the new vice president of my schools pta the reason for me getting involved was because I was very suspcious of the president in the way he was handiling money and acting too friendly with female students. so I was elected vice president as soon as I started I printed many of your forms and presented the to the board and told everyone how I wanted to have everything documented and all the money accounted for and he would get upset. to make a long story short we found out he was not paying any bills all the vendors were calling wanting there money he was making cheaks to cash and forging the tresures signiture and buying cell phones with the pta's account, he stopped coming in and has not been seen or heard from since. the pricipal was told what happenned but said she does not want a scandel for the school and wants everything keeped quiet but that she was going to report it to someone she knows from the board of ed and matters will be taken in there hands that they will come pick up all the evedence and decide what they will do with the situation. But I want someting to be done I want him to pay for what he did and I feel nothing is being done and I can't sit quietly and try and raise money to pay all the bills and everytime someone asks for him they want us to say he is working and everything is okay when it's not. I feel parents have a right to know what happened. I need to know how to go about it and get justice for what he did.

my personal opinion, i wouldnt listen to that principal. you are due justice. The police should be involved, those are stolen funds that parents raised. Maybe the principal knew? Maybe she helped? Sounds too fishy to me.

Well first and foremost this President needs to be notified of the issue. I would recommend doing this in writing and possibly have him sign for acceptance of the letter...

Next I would say that you as V.P. need to be officially "sworn in" as the new President. That is effectively what a V.P. is there for, to do the President's job when they can't and to become the President in a situation of this nature...

Part of the letter to the President should be how he is being "impeached" and that he is being asked to turn over all documents and materials that are PTO related...

In this letter (which you may want to have a Lawyer write) you should also explain how the finances are/have been checked and there are irregularities regarding the way he handled funds. I would even go so far as to provide copies of the forged signature checks and explain that certain purchases that he signed for and questionable and that you and the Treasurer need answers to these. I would also try to set a time table to obtain these answers and imply that legal action would be the next step...

After that you should go on for the remainder of the year as normal, without his involvement. Maybe even hold a special election, as per your Bylaws, to elect a new Vice President...

All of this should be in accordance with your group's Bylaws.

Also, you can do this quietly so as not to create a scandal, as the Principal is worried about...

Good oluck,
PresidentJim

we did call the police and they came to the school the principal freaked out and said she had to make a phone call. the police told us that they can't do anything that we had to go to the detectives. then they went to talk to the principal and when the cops came back the principal convinced them that she took care of everything and they said to leave everything in her hands. but someone told me that if she did not want to persue it with the police we could not do anything because it is her school.

You absolutely should report this to the police. This man has committed a crime - plain and simple. You should inform your principal that you intend to do this and that you hope that you will have his/her support. However, regardless of his/her response, you and the rest of the board have an obligation to the parents to do the right thing. Good luck!

If your group is an independant organization then I would say that what you are being told is incorrect. If you are independant and control yourselves, then you, as the V.P., are now in charge and it is your responsibility, not the Principals, to address this issue...

On the other hand, if you fall under the school's umbrella, then maybe this would fal, under the school's responsibility.

Personally I would not have done what you did, going to the police, just yet. I would have taken the "last chance" step with the lawyer's letter, informing all involved, and then see what happens. But you can't go back and change things now...

If the officers informed you that it is in the hands of the Principal, then you as V.P. should go talk with her to see what she is doing about it. If she is unwilling to explain or her response is not to your liking, again assuming that you are an independant organization, then it should be your responsibility to inform her of your plans and expectations. Specifically:

1. That you will be following your Bylaws to "impeach" the current President
2. That you as V.P. will be taking on the position of President
3. That you will be holding a special election to elect a new V.P.
4. That you will be filing an offical complaint with the detectives and will be taking this to the higher authorities until it is properly dealt with.


She is likely just trying to protect her school. As such you may want to back off a bit and take the approach that I previously recommended. You can explain to her that if he (the ex-Pres.) is not willing to resolve the issue privately that you will be forced to take continued legal action.

You may even want to mantion how this may need to be brought to the attention of the School Committee or Superintendant of Schools, and how you a worried that this "might be leaked to the local papers". Hopefully she'll understand the situation after that and will work with you to deal with this...

I of course recommend being careful not to outright go against the Principal. When this is all done, if you and she have a strained relationship it is going to be very difficult for you to continue your job and for your group to be successful.

PresidentJim

I would go to the bank and dispute any checks the treasurer says she didn't sign.

The bank will insist you press charges. That will get you around the principal.

You're a non-profit and responsible to account for that money.

What are you going to do? Lie on your tax forms? you have a legal responsibility to straighten out the money.

I hope that your group has insurance. If you do, you need to contact them and have them on your side. A school here recently had an issue with a Treasurer taking money and she is now facing jail time and restitution. And their insurance is covering the entire loss. Good luck to you all.