hmmm - I understand your viewpoint. From a policy perspective, the PTOs to which I belonged wouldn't have chosen to do this as part of the their Teacher Appreciation or Community-building efforts - mostly because of the problem of setting boundaries. Where do you draw the line, how much is too much? Even so we had the occasional exception. When our principal retired after about 20 years of dedicated service to the school, some PTO funds were used for his cake and probably a plaque.
People generally choose to have a PTO to be independent and be able to make these policy decisions for themselves.
My initial reaction is that it's not a good idea. But then I think back to our elementary school of about 600 kids and 85 staff. In a given year, there MIGHT be one wedding and one baby. At the end of the year, maybe one or two retirements. So if we had done this, it would have been max 4 times so maybe $100-$150. If this had been an important part of our traditions and community - and fully disclosed - it's not like those would have been considered significant funds considering our budget.
Would I RECOMMEND a PTO do this? No. Could I justify it to the IRS and therefore argue it's not "wrong"? Given the facts as presented, yes I could make a case for their right to do this.
Simply put, purchasing personal gifts such as baby shower, wedding, etc. with PTO funds is wrong...no matter how you look at it....I do not think most would think that using PTO funds for Teacher Appreciation would be a misuse of funds (it should be reasonable). If you want to create a "family" atmosphere, ask parents to help with a lunch or ask them to donate toward a gift outside of PTO....Purchasing these types gifts does not help the children in any way to further their education or school experience. Most parents outside of the officers/board positions probably would like at it as if they are using PTO funds for personal use...
Rocketmoms: your PTO's practice of honoring occasions like wedding and baby showers most definitely is your group's decision to make. What one group might decide to do or not do on this isn't the same as another. The important issues are: 1) you have thought it through and have a fair plan for how this will be carried out 2) your group agrees this aspect of staff appreciation is consistent with your goals as a PTO and 3) the amount being spent isn't large enough to raise concerns about benefiting individuals in an inappropriate manner.
There are many factors in the mix. Your group's culture and traditions certainly count. There's no magic amount that is right or wrong. A $25 expenditure for a group that brings in $1000 per year could be seen very differently than one that raises $50,000.
I have just become President were were pretty short to start the year. I was handed over 2 years of Bank Statements that were never opened and the account was never kept track of. The New Board took over and tried desperately to make sense of it all and all all we had was two years of checks made payable to the old treasurer. She bought everything on her credit cards and wrote herself checks. They never kept track of the money and therefore ran it into the ground. Guess how much they spent on the Library over a two year period? 0 What kind of PTO does that. Personally, I believe that the PTO money should always be used for the Children's enrichment. Gifts, parties, reimbursements for constant petty stuff is just another way that people are constantly taking advantage of the PTO. The problem is that there is no accountability.
I have to disagree rocketmoms, no matter how you slice it....a baby shower or wedding gift isn't a appropiate thing for PTO to spend their money on. Small tokens of appriciation school wide for teacher/staff Appriciation week is a whole different story but not baby or wedding gifts. While those people may be directly involved with the students, buying them gifts in that manner should fall under the OTHER staff members to take up a fund to pull together to buy a gift for a baby shower or to even throw the baby shower, that money shouldn't in any way come out of the PTO funds. Let me ask you, do you announce to the parents that you are spending their money on baby shower and wedding gifts for the teacher with money they believe is going back into the school? I for one would be highly upset as a parent if I knew that my hard earned money was going to buy a gift for someone's wedding or soon to be baby. But of course that is just my opinion.
Bylaws are a set of documents outlining the PTO rules, procedures and such, not a documented discussion of the PTO comm.
"Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away."
I am PTO president this year. his is my first year being president however I have been actively involved with our PTO for the last 6 years. We have always voted on purchasing "gifts" such as baby shower, wedding, appreciation both teacher and staff and deaths of the immediate family, at the beginning of the year we allot a certain amount to spend for each of these. They by know means equal a large amount of money. We definitely DO NOT take away from our students. We feel any purchase is justified because all of these people are indirectly involved with our kids. We feel that this creates a "Family Atmosphere". It is my understanding as long as there is a vote and all in favor that we are not doing anything morally or ethically wrong. As far as bylaws go- Are these not decisions discussed and documented by the pto committee?
