Our situation seems to be a bit different... Our school's principal has way to much "say" and control over what the PTO board can and acannot do.
Parents who are not on the board have no idea what is going on and the parents that do serve as board members are to scared to step up and tell the principal when she is incorrect.
She decides how much field trips will cost, where PTO will spend money and what it will be spent on. I've tried to explain that the board has to vote and have been able to maintain some sort of control over the situation but it is a constant battle. If PTO's have no governing bodies and district's are leaving control over PTO's in the hands of the principals where do we turn for checks and balances??