This is another definitive reason to leave the PTA and go PTO; giving you the independence to do what's needed and what's best for your school's children.

Technically the PTA does not, in by-laws I've seen, "prohibit" these type of purchases, but highly discourages it. Our state suggests a "3 to 1" ratio of public service versus fundraisers, which can be a bit daunting, because doesn't it take funds to be a public service to your school and community?

Let's face it, PTA/PTO, whatever it is; their main purposes require them to spend lots of time fundraising, there is no way around it. Let's focus more on why it's done and how it's done (above board and beyond reproach) so our children are the winners. [img]smile.gif[/img]

One other thing...for the reasons I listed earlier we are thinking of switching to becoming a PTO so that we have control over what happens within our school...not someone else.

First of all I would like to thank everyone who replied to my post! KMAMOM I loved hearing the details of what is happening at your school. In our case the PTA is just not happy because we would like to be able to purchase equipment (playground, computers, laminating machine for teacher/parent use, etc)...but it seems that the PTA prohibits the purchase of these items. Although the only really documented verbage from the PTA is worded as such (on a handout entitled USES OF PTA FUND) it says the following..."PTAs should not provide equipement such as computers, audiovisual materials and playground equipment. As a general rule, equipment should be supplied through tax monies." I personally am starting to think that this is a pretty broad statement...especially inlight of all the budget cuts...obviously the school district can not do it on the money they are receiving so the help has to come from somewhere.

Also after reading other posts throughout this board it seems as if other PTA's are already purchasing playground equipment, computers, etc. My question is what do they care as long as we are paying our dues to them and serving all children equally in the school.

Kathie--I'm not sure what info you're looking for, but here's the scoop. I've mentioned the odd nature of our school's PTA on several different postings. Our board is very resistant to new ideas and change, and play lip service to wanting people to be involved, but when people try to come into the fold they are anything but welcomed. As a result our PTA has earned a reputation of being cliquey and condenscending and that in turn means people are reluctant to be involved to help. Compounding the problem is that they're self-made martyrs and always whining how they do SO MUCH and NO ONE helps, but compared to others in our district they don't seem to be doing much at all!

They pay for a few assemblies, $100 or so to each teacher at the beginning of the school year, run a "Kindergarten Prep Story Hour" for several weeks in the spring for incoming Kindergarteners, run a breakfast with Santa, sponsor a babysitter's first aid course and bicycle safety rodeo, and buy books for the library with the vouchers we earn from Scholastic. There may be a few things I've forgotten, or specific requests from teachers that we in the general membership aren't made aware of that they decide to grant, but that's about it. When ideas for ways to improve the school, or great programs are brought up with details and specifics (Escape School is one example I can think of) they say they have to look into it, and that's generally the end of the conversation. I don't think they pay for field trips, but I could be mistaken. It really wouldn't matter anyway, because so few of our teachers are willing to take the kids on any. They seem to like to play it very safe, and refuse to push for things on the behalf of the children. Year books are definitely NOT covered, and we don't have anything like a newspaper (or any other media), more than likely because money is needed for those kinds of things and for their reasons won't step forward to work on it. They are against fundraising--I'm sure they would claim it's an edict from above, but I don't buy it. All the other schools in our district have no issues with it.

We had a run in with the board about getting a playground committee started--they claimed that the state chapter forbade them from doing it. We took them at their word and started our own nonprofit for reasons I explained earlier. It comes to pass that they really COULD have helped out, but for unknown reasons they had they didn't want to. Whatever. It was very disheartening to have the pres say to us that she hoped we realized that the PTA in NO WAY would or could be involved in helping us (however the PTA pres at another elementary in our district was more than happy to help us out by taking care of things that we can't do, like raffles etcetera because we don't have a gaming license). Our pres and her VPs also took it a step further by creating annoying situations that have made it very difficult for us to operate. Thank God we are separate from the school, otherwise I think they would have made it so miserable for the super, BOE and principal that we would have been forbidden from doing the project. As it stands now we have to work very carefully around them--we've been advised to "not cause any trouble."

As I said earlier, we're hopefull for change with the new (more or less, our pres steps down to be 1st VP because "that's they way it's always been done") board. Sorry for the excessive details, but I wasn't sure what you were looking for!

Can we have a little more information? Our PTA pays for all kinds of stuff from field trips to technology, playground equipment, cd burner for intrumental teacher, weather station, author signed books, yearbooks, chess sets, etc., etc.

I'm not quite sure what exactly you're confused about, but this is exactly the situation our school (K-8) is having. Our PTA board CLAIMS that according to state mandates they CAN NOT raise funds for a lot of things that would greatly benefit our school (both physical equipment and programs). After some investigation, it turns out that their claims aren't supported in the PTA by-laws or procedures literature--it doesn't say "shall not" but instead "should not" when it comes to supplying things the national/state PTA feels the Board of Education should be handling. Make sure your PTA actually CAN NOT do certain things before you believe everything the board tells you! PTAs all over the US and in our own state (and even town!) are doing many of the things our PTA board told us they COULDN'T do. In the end, no one in any of the other projects involved in our school felt it was beneficial, or worth the fight, to make the board do something they obviously did not want to be involved in. But I digress.

As a result, there is the organization I head raising money for a playground now (and hopefully for other materials/programs later), and a couple of other committees for things like dances and grade trips. It's not at all confusing, but it doesn't in any way support a cohesive nature that builds a sense of community. It also creates a sense of resentment among many of the parents in the school community, because they now see "the PTA" as a "them" (which most of us pay dues to belong to!) that is a self-righteous entity because it denies the children so many things that could enhance their educational experience by insisting it's the BOE's responsibility. They way most people look at it is "yeah, well woulda-coulda-shoulda but in the end my kid doesn't have a playground, musical instruments, a well equipped art program etcetera etcetera.(I know MichelleB's feelings about this, and that's she's understandably wincing at those who wreck the good name of the PTA !

How do we handle it? The group I'm currently the president of is hopeful that the PTA's new board (taking effect with the next election) will be more willing to take on responsibilties it's been shirking. While our group understands that because of its nature the PTA isn't a fundraising entity, we hope to work closely with them from now on to raise monies that fill in those gaps. If people are as confused as you say, if I were you, I'd talk frankly with ALL the groups involved to get information.

The best thing to do is GET INVOLVED and BE INFORMED. Make your own decisions based on ALL the pieces of information you get. Just remember that all anybody really wants is to help our children enjoy and do well in school, and let that be your guide!