PTA member using funds to buy presents for own children

[PantonePolly]

A prominent member of our school PTA has mentioned in passing that she had been shopping for prizes for the Christmas Fair and had kept a couple of the items - for her daughters. She was quite pleased about it and laughingly said, "Well, there have to be some perks".

AIBU to be shocked by this? The money she's used is from PTA funds, largely donated by parents. Surely this is morally wrong (and actually fraudulent, albeit on a very minor scale)?

My DH was a fraud investigator (although not of PTAs). It has been known for people to be prosecuted for misappropriation of funds including claiming Tesco clubcard points for themselves when a large purchase has been made for the charity or other body. For example someone being a TV for a prize at a school and using the points themselves or gaining airmiles or train company points and having a free weekend away with their spouse.

Thanks for replies, all. I may very well approach her direct and ask her to return the items to school for Xmas Fair. Ours is a very small village school, in a small, happy community. The PTA is small and this otherwise well-meaning woman is doing her best to run it. I don't want to rock the boat over a few quid because I will be be vilified, despite the obvious flaw of that (i.e. it is not me doing something dodgy, other than posting on MN!).

Bad idea to approach her.

I would mind if the PTA got the loyalty points, but to have the items that parents have paid is very wrong.

Set up an anonymous new email address and send an email to the relevant people without giving anything away which was said directly to you.?

ie along the lines of "it would be advisable to audit pta accounts as it has come to light that a key member may be taking advantage" blah blah

would that help and take the heat off you? Either way this woman needs to be told.

Fraud by abuse of a position of trust, i would report it to the board of governors with a covering letter to the LEA in case of cronysim

ahh hassled did you not get hands as soft as your face then?

Has she kept them but intends to put money into the fair on the day for them? Does that make sense? I know at one school I worked in parents organising the fairs and fetes could take some of the donated items before the fair before everyone else saw them and then pay for them on the day. Is it something like that?

If you are sure she has acted fraudulently it needs reporting. I gave taken advantage of multibuys e.g. Bought 2 prizes for guides, and kept the 'free' one, but I only ever claim 2/3 of the cost back (assuming all equal value). My perk is that I got mine a bit cheaper, and it's also a bit cheaper for claiming from guides - could she have meant this at all?

I am sure she is going to put the money in, she probably meant that she got them at wholesale prices.

Panatone - I think you're right to approach her. If this is just a mistake about what she is allowed to do with BOGOF promotions or something then it gives her an opportunity to put that right without going outside the PTA. Or even if you've got the wrong end of the stick she'll be able to clarify what she meant. I hope that you manage to sort this out; what a difficult situation to be in.

Hang on a minute.Isn't the normal procedure that you buy purchases and then claim back reimbursment from the treasurer.So I think it is a bit of a leap to say she is going to claim for her DDS prizes too.
At the moment you have NO evidence that she is claiming her daughters prizes on expenses, so be very careful running round with these tales!

Surely she meant she was pleased to get the items cheaply, at wholesale price? I think she will put the money back into the funds.

The only perk to being the PTA chair is that you don't have to pay to get into the summer fayre, becuase you've been setting it up.

Whole sale prices? Buying 3 toys in a 3 for 2 at Boots id hardly buying 100 at Makro.

intitgrand - how can you say you are sure she is going to put the money in? Do you know her?

Omg this is shocking report to the head

No but the op should do nothing without definite proof IMO.
and all the people saying report it to the head/governors? The PTA is nothing to do with them.It is a completely seperte body with its own constitution , own officers etc.

She cannot think it is OK to keep prizes paid for out of PTA funds, even if they are BOGOF, so to have told you she is either spectacularly stupid, thinks you would approve of her fiddle, or there's an innocent explanation.

I think it's most likely that the "perk" was that she found some great things while shopping for PTA prizes. If you really think she is stealing of course you must report it - to the police IMO, too much chance that anyone involved in the school/PTA will try and hush it up for a quiet life/to avoid scandal.

I can't believe that a fraud investigator would be concerned about someone claiming a few Tesco clubcard points - I spend £100s a year in Tesco on behalf of our PTA, but at that point in my opinion, I AM THE CUSTOMER, not the PTA. That I later "sell" the goods on to the PTA (ie when I am reimbursed, which can be weeks later) is nothing to do with it - I paid MY money for the goods, so they are my clubcard points.
Now, if I had a PTA debit card or cheque book and was still claiming the clubcard points for me, that would be different, IMO.

IF she is actually doing this then it's fraud and you must report it to the police and the charities commission. Dh is our pta treasurer and a chartered accountant and that's his advice.

You'd be surprised phantom - when i worked for a large organisation we weren't allowed to keep our Airmiles and there were audits to make sure wedidn't