Question: Reimbursement

So we recently started a new school year and we have a budget in place for the teachers/principal. My question is, when we received a receipt from walmart for classroom projects, one of the items on said receipt was for a $25 gift card. The principal replied by saying the following: To be honest, my fifth grade teacher found your question to be a bit offensive. As a board you are going to have to trust the people you work with or do not give money to them or the school. Once the budget is approved in May I take it from there. I provide you all receipts as money is spent. You are going to have to trust me and the staff. Please remember your role as a PTO. You are here to support the school, teachers, and students not make decisions or question what teachers do or how things are done. This is my job. Though I am happy to answer your questions for you this time I am not going to require my teachers to provide me details of each line item on a receipt they give me unless I have a reason to question them. I trust my teachers to know what materials they need for their classroom without me questioning everything they do.

Asked by Anonymous

Answers:

Advice from PTO Today

Craig writes:
I'd suggest telling the principal it's not a matter of trust -- you certainly trust the teachers to know what they need for their classroom -- it's a matter or record-keeping. You need to know, in case of audit, what that item is intended for. Maybe it's a prize for the class spelling bee. Maybe it's to be used later for books for the classroom as needed. You're not questioning the purpose, you just need to know, in general terms, what it is. And in future years, you might want to stipulate that those funds may not be used for gift cards.

Community Advice

gjcoram writes:
Craig had a very diplomatic answer. "You are here to support the school ... not make decisions." Wow! That rankles, like the PTO is only good for fundraising, not for being involved in the school.

Community Advice

rjmat writes:
I have that similar issue with my Middle School PTO. I was the treasurer and we have a budget line item for "Gifts to School". I asked for receipts and did not get 1. I agree with the notion that gift cards should not be purchased for such an item. Make it a policy that the receipts must contain "reasonable" purchases relating to the school and Gift Cards of any kind will be forbidden.