ALL PTO/PTA MEMBERS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THE BY-LAWS. GET A COPY AND SEE IF IT IS IN THEM THAT AT A REGULAR SCHEDULED PTO MEETING TO HAVE THE "TREASURE/FINANCIAL REPORT" READ. I KNOW IN OUT BYLAWS IT STATES THAT AT EVERYMEETING IT SHOULD BE DONE.
IF THEY WILL NOT LET YOU HAVE A COPY I WOULD ASK THE PRINCIPAL FOR SOME HELP IN RECEIVING A COPY.
PTO IS NOT JUST THE "BOARD" AND AS A MEMBER YOU HAVE RIGHTS TO. ALOT JUST DEPENDS ON THE BYLAWS. IF YOU DO GET A COPY AND THERE IS NO REFERENCE TO IT...YOU CAN WRITE UP AN "AMMENDMENT" TO THE CURRENT BYLAWS AND HAVE A MEMBERSHIP VOTE TO HAVE IT CHANGED.
I am sure there is a proper way, but I don't know it. I am also sure you are not the only one that feels this way. Maybe you could get a group of parents that feel the way you do and demand to see the by-laws, then you could bring up what they are doing wrong and asked how they will fix it at another meeting. Hope you have good luck on this. I feel it takes a large group of team members to run a PTO.
Who gets approached when PTO By-Laws are not being followed. There is a purpose for them. Our PTO is a non-profit organization. Parents have been put by the wayside (not informed of any financials, newsletters, etc., their board meetings are held during the day)at PTO General Meetings no financial information is given. And when you question it, it's like: If you interested you will come to the Board Meetings - if parents knew when they were that would be nice and when we do get notified it's usually the day before and during the day time. It's almost over two more months. I keep thinking how are we going to get parents to have confidence again in the PTO. After 6 or 7 years of going strong.
