My take on why these backpack express bans are nonsense was posted a few weeks back.

We do like the fact that this case was prosecuted and taken seriously. Too often, groups or schools try to sweep these cases under the rug or prosecutors downplay the damage.  Make no mistake — this is stealing from kids and violating a trust.  There’s also often even further damage to the support and involvement at a a particular school for years.

More than worth it to use smart, basic money hanbling procedures.  And to get insured.

In this case, the method was forging her co-signers signature on dozens of checks.  Our most basic of financial best practices – making sure that a non-signer opens the checking statement each month — would have likely prevented this one.  Also hope they’re insured. 

That’s what happened in New Jersey.  The crime?  A couple of the organizers had a cocktail or two and the big raffle barrel wasn’t rotated/mixed enough. Give me a break, please! The original suit was for $15,000, but PTO settled for $1,000.  And now their fundraiser is less successful, as well.  I hope these folks sleep well at night now that they’ve protected the world from wine-drinkin’, barrel-half-rotatin’ school volunteers.  Good grief.

If you are a school scheduled with VG for spring or a group owed money, we’d love to hear from you, as our editorial team is right in the middle of covering this story.  editor@ptotoday.com

Here’s a bunch more:

Massachusetts town uncovers 4 cases.

Illinois HSA victimized.

As always, here’s our feature on preventing theft in your PTO or PTA group.  These basics steps are worthwhile. Please.

1. They’re preventable with some basic checks and balances.
2. It’s the worst kind of theft, stealing playgrounds and field trips and classroom supplies from kids
3. (As the comments on that above-linked article show) they invite the worst kind of suspicions and chatter about the good work of PTOs and PTAs.

New Year’s Resolutions: don’t think this can’t happen at your school and don’t let this happen at your school.  And for good measure, get the modestly-priced PTO insurance that protects you even more.

The media may have covered the story anyway, but the headline would have been about the poor PTO as victim and the lout who stole the money.  Instead, the story focuses on the principal and paints an unflattering picture of the school.

Worth re-linking to our “Financial Best Practices for PTOs” to help the next group avoid this issue altogether. Also hope these guys have PTO insurance to cover this kind of loss.

My read: yes,l I realize the local vendor was only a franchisee of the national Sign-a-Rama chain, but that parent company needs to do the right thing here. There is a connection.

Better news: we have some great, reputable school sign vendors in our School Signs yellow pages.