School tells parents: Keep your money

The parents of the Ramsey International Fine Arts Center Foundation have donated more than $280,000 to their school in south Minneapolis in the past dozen years.

That still wasn't worth the aggravation to school officials.

In a rare move, the Minneapolis School District sent a letter to the foundation, telling its leaders not to contact school staff, administration or the principal about fundraising issues. The principal sent a letter halting the annual Read-a-Thon and Plant Sale fundraisers for the foundation.

"They're treating us like we don't matter," foundation president Kristin Rigg said.

Many Minneapolis schools have similar parent fundraising foundations, but none has had as much trouble as Ramsey, said Associate Superintendent Craig Vana.

Officials with the state association of parent-teacher groups agreed that such disputes are rare in Minnesota.

The public dispute follows years of disagreements between parents and school officials over how fundraising money is spent. The dispute has persisted through changes of principals and parent leaders.

At a time when parent fundraising is becoming an ever more important asset to public schools, the standoff is stunning to outsiders.

"It's ridiculous," said Roberta McCue, who was picking up her granddaughter Savannah Ness, 13, from Ramsey last week.

"We don't have any books. We have to share," Savannah chimed in from the backseat of the car.

School board member Tom Madden said he met with members of the foundation and the parent-teacher organization (PTO) last year, but they didn't take him up on his offer of help.

"This is a very unusual situation," he said. "There's certainly room for improvement on both sides."

Strong feelings, strong letter

Money from the foundation has been used to support a school opera, to buy band and gym equipment and to pay for museum visits. But foundation officials said they suspected that the school had used some of it to pay for a teaching position. District officials flatly deny that.

The conflict intensified last fall when Ramsey Principal Karen Hart wrote that she would no longer support foundation events that used school resources, including students. The scheduled February Read-a-thon, which had been managed by the foundation since the 1990s was put on hold.

Vana sent foundation leaders a letter in late November stating that the school's officials "have been directed to focus their energy on academic achievement. They are not to be distracted by the ongoing fundraising issues."

Foundation treasurer Carol Peterson and Rigg were told "not to contact the principal, staff, or members of the site council about issues related to the Foundation."

The PTO's grievance stated that money raised by the foundation was to be spent within a year. Because the school did not spend all the money, the remainder should be returned to the foundation. Receipts for expenses have not been turned over either, Peterson said.

"We're donors to this school, and as donors we can restrict how the money is spent," Rigg said. "You are obliged to be accountable to that."

Both grievances were reviewed and rejected, said Margaret Westin, the district general counsel.

More trouble than most

David Curle, foundation treasurer at nearby Clara Barton Open School, said there haven't been any major conflicts between his school and foundation.

Sandy Zarembinski, of the Minnesota PTA, said most schools and fundraising groups cooperate for the benefit of students, but issues can arise.

Sometimes parents want control over the money because they worked to collect it. Administrators may want to use it to solve problems with state funding. Principals, she said, can also be pressured by the district to control funds that may not legally be theirs.

"Sometimes, it's who can throw the bigger temper tantrum," she said.

Can this problem be solved?

Rigg moved her children to another Minneapolis public school last year, but will finish out her foundation term in late 2008.

Asked why the district can't make peace with a group that has raised so much money, Vana said. "It's all about the foundation leadership."

Though the district appreciates the work the foundation has done, Vana said, Ramsey is more than capable of conducting fundraisers independently.

Indeed, last month's Read-a-thon went on without the foundation's help.

Vana said he's still interested in gathering all parties to talk. "My goal is to bring everyone together," he said.

But collaboration seems unlikely.