It might be OK with the bylaws, but you dont know whats in teh school board requirements, and maybe the principal does.
every board has their own requirements and code of ethics etc. even tho board members are not staff, they do have to uphold certain duties and responsibilities and avoid potiential conflict of interests, and i emphasise POTENTIAL.
Seems like your prinicpal just wants to make sure that there are no conflicts, and even if none, that appearances dont cause any headaches or bad vibes in the school/parent community, regardless of what the rule books say.
Becuase IF the school board is on the ladder of conflict resolution for school/parent group matters (in the event the parent group is a part of the school and not indpendent), one should not have a school bd member be able to cosign checks, just as good business practice and to keep the hats separate. all IMO of course.
Originally posted by writermom: It depends on your bylaws. I don't see why she couldn't be a signer though if you have a two signer policy and the board and/ or membership approve expenditures. It's not like she can run around writing checks on her own. We had a board member last year who was also a sub at the school and she was a check signer and we had no problems.
I agree with writermom but wonder if the Principal is seeing a conflict of intrest with his employee having such a responsiblity. You know, what if...what if somethign happens and there is a terrible mess and she is asked to leave because of a PTO misunderstanding and not something through her employer.
I would check the by-laws and call the Principal to hear what his/her thoughts are. If your by-laws are clear how this works this could be assuring to the Principal that his employee is fine.
It depends on your bylaws, sure. But bylaws aside... does your group operate out of your school or are you your own 501 c3? If you are part of the school, there would for sure be a conflict because she is on school board (state school board associations generally have rules that govern these sorts of situations). In this case, even if you don't practically "answer" to your school board, you technically do & she would have a problem there. If you are your own, separate group w/ 501c3 tax exemption, as long as there isn't a provision in your bylaws, there is not a legal conflict. Whether she SHOULD be signing checks is up to your group & the parents involved. If your principal is having a problem w/it, than it will probably always be an issue. You have to pick your battles. If this is really important to your group than you can fight it out, but isn't life just so much easier/happier when the PTO & principal are getting along?
It depends on your bylaws. I don't see why she couldn't be a signer though if you have a two signer policy and the board and/ or membership approve expenditures. It's not like she can run around writing checks on her own. We had a board member last year who was also a sub at the school and she was a check signer and we had no problems.
But in the absence of bylaws, you guys gotta figure out for yourselves what works best for you. Everyone does things differently and there are no "rules" that govern PTO's, except bylaws. If you decide she can't be a signer, it's up to you to decide if she still can be president. I don't see why she couldn't, but there is no rule.
We have been informed by our principal that our PTO pres can not be a check signer because she is a school board employee. She is a sub and has a child at our school. She has not subed at our school this year. My question is that is there difference between being pres and check signer. I feel that she can be pres and I as vice can be signer. Or does the rule state that the president has to be a signer. Or can the vice and the treasure sign on a account.
Thanks,
Nicole
