Question: Conflict of Interest? board member hired by school

Our PTO group has recently given money to our school for tutoring. The principal would like to hire one of our PTO members (who is on the board) as one of the tutors. Since this member helps raise funds and decide how to disperse them......would this be a conflict of interest?

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Rose H writes:
It sounds like this unfolded in fairly innocent way and it doesn't sound like anything unethical occurred. Sometimes, however, people can perceive something as a conflict of interest. And, often in life, it is the perception (not the reality) that counts. So, it is something to keep in mind going forward and in future votes. You may even consider, should an opportunity to fund a tutoring program (or similar program) come up again, that any PTO folks connected to it in a financial way don't cast a vote. Good luck with the tutoring program!