Weird one. Should I be narked at this lady for swiping a collection at school and using for another purpose?

[iJoan]

Can I preface the post (NC so as not to get me in too much hot water) by saying I have had a pretty shit couple of months so may be a bit whiney and sensitive

A friend of my DD's at school got the devastating news that she was DX with a life threatening illness. She's been off school for the last couple of weeks. The family are very sweet and do a lot for others (including me)in the school. I thought it would be a nice gesture to do a collection so we could buy the girl some specific things to keep her occupied in hospital- The budget was £80 and the amount was reached very quickly and folks were very generous.

Unbeknownst to me another girl in another class had to have a routine operation last week which would require her being off school for a couple of weeks.

A lady who is senior in the PTA (who I do not know well) asked for the collection money which was being held in the school office. She told the admin staff that since the second girl was in the hospital the collection had changed (er no it hadn't)and she was going to organise a gift for her.

She spent all the money on the second girl. Leaving me looking like an idiot.

I approached her about it and got a gob full about treating the girls differently

I already spent the money on a gift for the original child which was very much appreciated. I am now £80 down and look a bit shady and am finding it very hard to bite my lip whilst the PTA lady is thanked for such a lovely idea!

RANT OVER!

Although people think the PTA woman is a 'cah' , the people to blame are the office staff whose responsibility it was to keep the money safe for you, and not give it out to any Tom Dick and Harry who asked for it.
The PTA is not anything to do with the HT, the PTA are a separate legal entity from teyh school ,usually a registered charity.It really would not be his place to get involved

No, the PTA woman abused her position as someone the office staff could trust and should go along with. She lied.

I don't disagree though that it seems odd that the office staff gave up the collection so willingly; it suggests that either there aren't good enough procedures and guidelines in place at the school (their manager's responsibility) or the PTA woman wields too much power and people are intimidated by her.

At least the school office will now be considerably more careful about following her orders, I hope.

I'd be tempted to email the HT to thank him for reimbursing you the money and ask if he wants the receipts for the school's records.
I'd follow it with a request to confirm that the money was returned by queen bee, that she understood what she did was theft and that her actions put you, the school's office staff, the PTA and the reputation of the school in a precarious position, not to mention potentially being very upsetting for the parents ans ill children at a time that they don't need any extra stress. If QB is in a position to influence anything financial within tbe PTA then I'd also add that in light of QB's actions that the accounts wl be audited to ensure that she hasn't done anything else untoward and that she will be told that she can no longer have any place on the committee.

And then I'd copy the whole lot to the governors.
And point out that if she isnt out of the committee asap then you'll be raising it st the next meeting and calling for an extraordinary general meeting to remove her for the reasons given above and so domebody trustworthy can be elected in her place...

If the HT has covered up that's nice of him but leaves qb at large.

And maybe another problem - although you did the fund raising with the envelope for the original friend. - was any if that money raised after qb said it was a joint collection?!