Oh golly... Just when I think things can't get any crazier, they do.
I have been subbing all last week in the library again. The librarian's father passed away right after Christmas. I enjoy the library but it is so far out there in West Davis County that I don't have cell phone reception in the library. I have to go outside and sit in the car. That makes it pretty hard to teach :) But I managed. The internet was down at the school so I didn't have e-mail or anything, either, which is the equivalent of cutting off my arm.
To make matters worse, it was THAT week that the state PTA decided to start pushing their considerable weight around. They had seized $5000+ dollars which was supposed to pay for student field trips from our account when they invited us to cease being a PTA. They promised to sent it back to us but they keep finding ways to refuse to give it back. First they said we needed a 501(c)3 number, which we obtained. But then they said they needed a letter from the IRS saying we had been approved by the IRS as a 501(c)3 organization (i.e. tax exempt). That process takes 6-12 months so we didn't have that. We offered to them that they give it directly to the school but they refused saying it wasn't a 501(c)3 organization. We then suggested they donate it to the Davis Schools Foundation which is a 501(c)3 organization. They again refused saying it was not in their policy to donate money for the purpose of field trips. We responded, saying we had been donating that money for over 10 years for the purpose of field trips and they had never said anything to us about it. In fact, they had approved our minutes and certified us every year.
Finally on Friday I got a phone call from the Salt Lake Tribune saying they had received an e-mail from the state PTA. Apparently the PTA had e-mailed EVERY media outlet in the state saying something to the effect that there was an issue between the PTA and East Layton Elementary PTO and if WE contacted them, they were to also contact the PTA so they could comment on the story. That, of course, piqued the curiosity of the media. I fielded phone calls all day. Then on Monday the story ran on the
FRONT PAGE of the Ogden Standard Examiner
. Yikes! So again, the phone was ringing off the hook.
I don't get it... Why would an orginization like the PTA want this kind of publicity? Why would they want to look like a big bully, taking away little children's field trips? In what world would this seem like a good idea? They are only going to drive MORE parents from their organization!
Today I have been back and forth with them again. They said they needed a copy of our minutes where we approved the expenditure of the $5000 for the field trips. I sent them that now they are saying it isn't valid because we weren't members when we voted. I sent them back a letter saying we
were members when we voted but when they kicked us out of the PTA, every member requested a refund of the dues they'd paid (which is true) and that was before membership dues were due so there were no memberships sent in. I don't think they're going to buy that argument, but it is true.
Sheesh! What a mess. And I feel responsible even though it wasn't my idea to leave the PTA in the first place. I am just the only one willing to take on the fight. Now I am regretting it because it is taking up so much of my day fighting these crazies.
Sigh. I wish it burned calories to argue by e-mail with crazies but I'm pretty sure it doesn't.
