"Again, don't members have any legal recourse? "

Typically, its parents that vote in BOE members, who in turn hire the super, who in turn hires the principal. Your vote is your 'recourse' but takes forever and doenst address your situation in the here and now.

If you think theres negligent action on the part of any school staff youve been addressing ref childrens welfare, there is a system in place at the level of the state dept of ed, google your state's website, and enter key word COMPLAINT and you will find out how to address your concerns if all lower levels fail to address tehm to your satisfaction.

Thanks, beignets. Great point! Right now I am planning on going to the school board meeting on the 12th and I will ask them that very question. Who is responsible if a child gets hurt? Unfortunately there are a small number of children in the school who have feelings ranging from being uncomfortable around this woman to being afraid of her. Why should any child feel unsafe in school?

Thank you both for your help. The school board is acutely aware of her background as she applied and got a position last year as a substitute teachers aide. She worked one day and was fired as soon as the school board found out about her past. I think that now the board won't touch this because they don't want to get sued. The principal has promised that she will be kept on a "short leash" around the kids but I am still uncomfortable since there was no election process. Again, don't members have any legal recourse? Who does the board answer to? Isn't there any laws (IRS,ect) that they are breaking by not following the bylaws? Does anyone know? I just want them to have a legal election.

Be aware that formal background checks can be deceiving. For instance, if the school were to run a fingerprint check right now, this woman would come up clean as her probationary period has ended and as part of her plea, the records expunged (unless there is another incident).

sonsx, I re-read one detail: "The school is aware but the superintendent said he checked with the school lawyers and the PTSO is a seperate organization and they can do nothing about it even though the principal is listed in the bylaws as an executive officer".

Ask him, if a child gets hurt emotionally or physically by someone in the PTSO, who is ultimately responsible?? The PTSO or the school?

Who let the parent have contact with the injured child? Who has the authority to allow/refuse parents entry onto school GROUNDS?? Every school has sign in procedures. You cant just saunter in. The PTSO surely has zero jurisdiction of PUBLIC school grounds entry/building supervisory aspects WHEN CHILDREN ARE IN REGULAR SCHOOL SESSION.

Read your school board policy manual. As your super where its kept, its public info. Has he read it lately? Maybe time for a refresher.

SHAWN, WHERE ARE YOU BUDDY?????

Whew..... I knew a reasonable person would eventually chime in! Thanks beignets!!!

I agree completely with what you're saying. This isn't altogether an issue for the parent group to decide. Whether, based on her merits, she should be an officer is certainly within their rights. Her allowed level of involvement, though, should be decided by the admin staff, just as they should with any person who has a criminal record. The pricipal and superintendent need to take a position on this issue and act in the best interests of the students.

Hey CC (I no longer use aOK - see the social thread!!), I do have lots I could say, but will stay with only this,becasue i just posted similar on another thread earlier today and it seems to be a major thing in this day and age.

sonsx: maybe my thoughts dont answer your direct question, but this is something to ponder:

this is the VERY reason most public schools have started requiring background checks on all parents who wish to participate in school activities, in direct contact with others' kids. Some shcools have less onerous screening procedures of non staff. Some schools have NO screening procedures (yikes!!).

The onus is on the public institution to make sure our kids are out of harms way at the hand of anyone, staff or other, incl 'volunteer parents' whether elected officers (who also need to have ethics and morals to run thier post, as described in the bylaws of groups that have rules - you dont want unethical people running your finances do you) or just regular parent members of school volunteer groups.

I hope your school has such measures in place, background checks or similar.

If they dont, its a good time to ask them WHY NOT and why arent they keeping up with times.

Its not YOUR job as parent group official (if you are one)to assure the safety and security and welfare of kids coming into contact with a potential problem adult, its the job of your school admin. Go talk to the top of the admin about your concerns, as high up as you need to, until someone responds.

Some level head along the ascent, will thank you for having made them aware of the issue and help you address the matter. for the good of your group and your school and the most importatn, the CHILDREN.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, was that Thomas J or Ben F? I dont remember.

PS note I am ignoring the details of what you describe, I dont even care to delve into what CC astutely describes, as finding the TRUTH first before acting. I just want to hightlight the measures schools take to prevent such matters from ever needing to be addressed by non staff. We parent groups are here to help the school and kids, not be be parent-lawyers-in-training and have to deal with legalities,,thats for the pros and the PAID staff, whom our TAXES pay for , by the way.