By setting up a "hoop" requiring people to track down a board member to request the records, the PTO is already compromising its goal of having a "transparent" reputation.

I imagine that the reason for the debate is that your board members are concerned that they'll be taken to task for every financial decision the board makes if the records are automatically made available to the membership. In reality, you'll find that very few people will ever look at or make a point of questioning board financial decisions.

Plus, routinely publishing an abbreviated version in the newsletter or posting it on the website is the quickest way to prevent accusations of secrecy.

Our PTO has well documented financial records and will be happy to share them with anyone that requests them. As of this week, we have two PTO members that want the financial records to be published in the newsletter.

Is having the finances published a common practice? This topic has brought on so much debate and conflict within the group. Our principal prefers we do not publish them, but to offer it to anyone that wants to look.

Has anyone else been in this situation? What have you done? We are all for transparency, but to what degree does ones group have to go?