oh boy, now i dont know who's pto to join, yours or crew chiefs...or that school that has cafeteria foods cooked on site.. how utterly DIFFERNT the HARD policies procudures rule regs bylaws and practices at different schools and PTOs seem to be based on what i read on this website, and how different the INTANGIBLES are, ie ethics, morals, and personal codes of conducts that pto officers bring to the table. i am truly embarrassed by what i have witnessed in our very own PTO. i am encouraged by what i hear about other's practices and comments such as yours. it does all boil down to one thing, i think: LEADERSHIP. who is at the helm/s. that guides the ship of how others do things or at least, are expected to do things. strong character/ethics in a leader are very important to all successful orgnaiztions. doesnt mean problems dont come up, but surely when they do, they are handled also in an ethical manner and with positive outcome for all.

Slippery slopes are called that for a reason and this is a great example of one. If you are going to allow free participation or perks for an event then I would say you must advertise it that way and let the larger PTO understand that if they play they can stay for free. In my mind no one person is entitled to things simply because they volunteer no matter what the occassion unless the PTO states that as part of their outreach program to encourage participation. Then let's say "what about their children" do they get in free? What about their dad's for donuts with dads. If it is an approach make it a public one, if not then everyone ponies up. Now as President I ALWAYS pay to ensure there are no questions as to how I do things. That is just my sense of ethics. I have broached the issue of purchasing small pins for our current volunteers to say thank you and in my mind "invest" in our volunteer base....but even that I will bring to the board/PTO for vote. Okay--just my .02. Dianna

what stands out here is this from an older post by the Metzymom i think:

"... I feel very strongly that a volunteer board that is responsible for raising and spending money for whatever purpose, cause, organization...needs to conduct itself with some pretty high ethical standards. It's the least we can teach our children, though they also need to learn to from us to work together, to bend and to compromise." HEAR HEAR!!!!

sounds like some people feel entitled.if you want PERKS as small as they may be, becuase you feel you are OWED something due to your volunteering, then what you really should do is get a PAID JOB.

everyone follows their own code of ethics and the examples above are pretty petty, but you have to wonder, are there larger perks these same people are demanding that are not so obvious or not broadcast to the pto members? that would be my main concern. ie where does it all stop. what else are they getting free.

Wow, now I'm really learning great stuff from all of you. :eek: If only it was a matter of those few who wanted "ONE" fundraiser at cost, or the mom who bakes it, takes it, sets up and cleans up should not be charged a fee to usher the musical event......Our PTO is in a real mess!

We also allow the ones that work the family night events to get in free. There has been no limit on how many of their family or a friend or the kids who comes with them to the event will get in free as well. How about a limit here in the by laws? It just seems so unethical. I understand that these are volunteer parents as am I, but certainly if we were in a church setting we would not see such over spending for the gain of a few, or the lack of support for an entrance fee at an event just because mom is helping as set up or take down or both. We are in a very low income area and only charge $2 per person or $5 per family.

For teacher appreciation week it was reported at our last meeting that $1,000 was spent on the week long gifts and food provided for teachers ending with a Friday luncheon caterd by a chain restaurant. The real problem comes in when the VP was told that the staff number is 60 including custodial, secretaries, and support staff and they orderd for 100 (just to be safe). Several trays of food and a whole cheescake were left over. At the end of the lunch time, all of the left over food was swiftly removed from the Teacher's lunchroom by PTO and taken home with them. In the past we have brought this up to them and they have denied having taken home any food as they stated their were "no leftovers". Would it be wrong to say that we need to add something to the bylaws that state when other than "potluck" for an event, the excess food shall be donated to a local family in need or shelter. My thought is that the over spending will be eliminated if the extras are not used as perks.

We also allow the ones that work the family night events to get in free. Their has been no limit on their family or a friend or the kids who comes with them to the event. How about a limit here in the by laws? It just seems so unethical. I understand that these are volunteer parents as am I, but certainly if we were in a church setting we would not see such over spending for the gain of a few, or the lack of support for an entrace fee at an event just because mom is helping as set up or take down or both. :confused:

Agreeing with Metzy here, if you are volunteering at an event, you're not actually attending the event either. It would be like a concert that charged the ushers to come to the concert. So in that instance, if you are working, you aren't paying. If you're paying, you aren't working. I too think that it's not that hard to decide. That's for events though, I've already put my two cents in about the other stuff.

Well, TheMetzyMom, if you worked that hard at our school I would certainly not charge you! You sound like a real gem and they are luck to have you!!!