Question: Legalities with the principal being on the bank account.

This is my first year being involved with the PTO. Our school is a Charter/Community school. Several parents are against signing a resolution stating that our principal be on the bank account. The management group that founded our school tells us that she has to be on the account due to liabilty issues...to cover everyone involved with monies. They also say that by Ohio law....any and all activities must be approved by the principal. So they are telling us....we have to sign this agreement...or we cant have our PTO. What are our rights legally?

Asked by UmNoor

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
It's not uncommon for the principal to be a signer on the checking account. The simple compromise is to require two signatures on every check, or at least every check over, say, $50 or $100. That's a good financial control, and it will prevent the principal from acting against the wishes of the PTO, if that's your concern. Make your president and treasurer signers, too, so that you don't need the principal's signature on every check. You don't want that, and he shouldn't, either. He's got better ways to spend his time than signing every check you generate. I don't know the details of the Ohio charter school law, but the claim that the principal must approve all of your activities seems like a misinterpretation. The bottom line is that no matter what the law says, you need the principal's cooperation to have a successful PTO. He sets the agenda for the school, can grant or deny access to school facilities, and can urge teachers to cooperate with you -- or not. Your best direction is probably to spend time creating a good working relationship with the principal. If you trust him and he trusts you, the other details will be much less important.

Community Advice

pat sutton writes:
WOW YOU HIT THE HEAD; principals should not be on pto checking accounts. yes we all have to work together but he dosent have to be aware of the balances or whats spent.yes 2 signitures should always br required above a set limit. we have bonding insurance for this purpose.were a Legal registed organization. what is it that makes pto checking accounts so magnetic? THEY ARE NOT NOR SHOULD APPEAR ON APPLICATIONS FOR NON PROFIT TAX EXEMPT FORMS TO THE STATE/S.