No it is clearly not the norm if you surf this website and see how others report they operate.

Originally posted by <amyemoser@yahoo.com>:
I am a very frustrated member of the PTO. It seems as though the 4 officers have all the decision making power as to what should be purchased. They vote among themselves and then inform the rest of the PTO as to their decision.

Is this the norm?

CrewCheif nails it again "Bylaws are only as great as the people enforcing them."

If there is no spirit of teamwork and no inclination to uphold its own rules, the only recourse you have as a parent is to vote in leaders at next election, that DO agree to uphold the spirit and letter of your groups bylaws.

In the meantime, you can just give directly to the school or your classroom teachers, $$$ or needed supplies, if youre unhappy with how your group operates ie not putting out their purchase suggestions to a general vote, if such is stipiulated in yuor rules.

Who has check signing authority? If it's only among these four people, that's the biggest problem. If they're inclined to do whatever they want to, any by-laws won't stop them. Instead, it takes someone strong enough to say, "Per our by-laws, I'm not authorized to write a check for that purpose." At our school, we have an amazing treasurer who would do that in a second. But we also have to have the asst. principal's signature and she wouldn't sign for an unapporved purchase either.

Bylaws are only as great as the people enforcing them. Perhaps what your group really needs is a few more physical checks and balances. CapeDad is right - it shouldn't be a small group making these decisions for the majority.

Dependign on your bylaws and policies, and depending what things you are talking about that they are buying.

Our group works right off of our budget -- if there was $500 allocated to a certain area -- say administrative expenses -- officers can use their discretion as to how to spend that $500.

Teachers are allocated $100 in the budget, so the officers can approve up to that amount without everyone voting, for example. Everything is reported at meetings.

We have a 'general wish list' area in the budget. requests made for general funds get out before membership for comment and vote. The membership does not have the power to reject a request, though, only to delay it's consideration until the next meeting.

If a small group is approving/rejecting requests for funds, that is bad news.

What's in the by-laws? In general, purchases/decisions should be brought up for a vote from your members at your monthly meetings. The officers shouldn't be deciding on everything without putting it to a vote. Good luck!