Why do 22 kindergarteners need to bring in 3 dozen pencils? Or 6 classes of 35+ high school kids need to provide dry erase markers?
My biggest beef is $5 for a math book?????? It's 100 sheets of copy paper stapled together & I HAVE to pay $5 for it becuase my kid is in a grade level math class? This is in high school. . . .
My next one is paying $10 for an elective class. 6 classes of 40 kids are REQUIRED to pay $10 to attend the class (theater) DURING school hours. What in the world are they spending $2500 on??? The supply list for theater- yourself- and your voice.
$3 per semester for a PE lock? (weren't all of the locks PROVIDED to the school through tax payer funds already?) $5 for a locker (again, the lockers were provided to the school through tax payer funds already & now we have to pay to use them)
How about $100 to park in the parking lot that was paid by the tax payers too? And now our kids have to pay to park in the lot we already paid for. . .
Where does all of this $$$$$ that is REQUIRED for things that have already been paid for by tax payer funds go? Don't give me budget cut crap & not having copy paper when I've already had to provide markers for your dry erase boards in the classroom & pay all of these extra required fees.
I think I'm done for now. Thanks for letting me vent!
Why do 22 kindergarteners need to bring in 3 dozen pencils? Or 6 classes of 35+ high school kids need to provide dry erase markers?
My biggest beef is $5 for a math book?????? It's 100 sheets of copy paper stapled together & I HAVE to pay $5 for it becuase my kid is in a grade level math class? This is in high school. . . .
My next one is paying $10 for an elective class. 6 classes of 40 kids are REQUIRED to pay $10 to attend the class (theater) DURING school hours. What in the world are they spending $2500 on??? The supply list for theater- yourself- and your voice.
$3 per semester for a PE lock? (weren't all of the locks PROVIDED to the school through tax payer funds already?) $5 for a locker (again, the lockers were provided to the school through tax payer funds already & now we have to pay to use them)
How about $100 to park in the parking lot that was paid by the tax payers too? And now our kids have to pay to park in the lot we already paid for. . .
Where does all of this $$$$$ that is REQUIRED for things that have already been paid for by tax payer funds go? Don't give me budget cut crap & not having copy paper when I've already had to provide markers for your dry erase boards in the classroom & pay all of these extra required fees.
I think I'm done for now. Thanks for letting me vent!
Just in regards to you gripe for the cost of the Math book. If you wish to copy documents at a courthouse or online the cost is $0.50 a page. So $5.00 is a bargain for 100 page book.
1985 my senior year,I paid $12 to park for the whole year at North Cobb.P.E Lockers were free,so were football and baseball lockers.
Every student had a text book.....Where does all the money go today?
The school leases a copier with our tax money. It's less than $0.03 for black & white copies over the montly allowance included in the lease (unless they signed a lease with a ridiculous overage rate.) Why are they making their own books in the first place? Why do I HAVE TO BUY MY CHILD'S SCHOOL BOOK IN PUBLIC SCHOOL??? This is not college. This is not a private school. So what happens if I don't turn in the $5? Guess I need to ask the school. .
Oooh, now I have a new one!!! So they mess up my son's schedule & completely change the career track he's been on since 9th grade (junior now) and place him in Marketing instead of Law Enforcement. They were not addressing scheduling issues at open house. Now, they won't address it during the school day & the student HAS to stay after, missing the bus, to fix THEIR mistake. And I have to leave work 2 hours early so he can get home? Erg. This full moon is working on me . . . . .
STRAWMAN, on 03 August 2012 - 02:12 PM, said:
Just in regards to you gripe for the cost of the Math book. If you wish to copy documents at a courthouse or online the cost is $0.50 a page. So $5.00 is a bargain for 100 page book.
The courthouse will charge a taxpayer that much money to use the copier they're helping to pay for to begin with? That copy costs the county $0.02; the other $0.48 must be going to gas for the county vehicles that there's been a few threads about.
This post has been edited by firehouse: 03 August 2012 - 02:37 PM
The school leases a copier with our tax money. It's less than $0.03 for black & white copies over the montly allowance included in the lease (unless they signed a lease with a ridiculous overage rate.) Why are they making their own books in the first place? Why do I HAVE TO BUY MY CHILD'S SCHOOL BOOK IN PUBLIC SCHOOL??? This is not college. This is not a private school. So what happens if I don't turn in the $5? Guess I need to ask the school. .
Oooh, now I have a new one!!! So they mess up my son's schedule & completely change the career track he's been on since 9th grade (junior now) and place him in Marketing instead of Law Enforcement. They were not addressing scheduling issues at open house. Now, they won't address it during the school day & the student HAS to stay after, missing the bus, to fix THEIR mistake. And I have to leave work 2 hours early so he can get home? Erg. This full moon is working on me . . . . .
The courthouse will charge a taxpayer that much money to use the copier they're helping to pay for to begin with? That copy costs the county $0.02; the other $0.48 must be going to gas for the county vehicles that there's been a few threads about.
I have a kindergartner and went and spent a good 70-80 dollars on all the stuff on the list- pencils, crayons, scissors, wipes, tissues, lysol and plenty of extra crayons and glue sticks to send in later on the year when new ones are needed. I consider that quite a bargain since I was considering sending my son to private school. As with last year in private pre-k, I was looking at 300 registration (to cover copies, materials, etc) and 350-400 a month tuition, plus they are always asking for wipes, lysol, crayons, etc throughout the year. Our tax base is not sufficient to cover all this. I've lived up north before and still have relatives up north. Try paying 5-10,000 a year on taxes and still being asked to send in a lot of this stuff.
It seems regardless of where your child lives or what type of school they attend parents are asked to do more financially. Its just a sign of the times and perhaps a broken system.I really don't see asking to send in $5 for a work book any different than asking for a ream of paper. I'd much rather pay for exactly what my child needs than taxes be raised to be be misappropriated along the way before actually reaching the classroom.
I do have a problem with all the fees such as parking-- I would ask the BOE exactly where the funds go.
I suggest you read "Somebody's Gotta Say It" by Neal Boortz. It will explain all of this.
BTW, when my kids were in school, particularly when we had three kids at home and little income, I refused to pay the "supply fee" that the school tried to extort out of me every year.
Ask yourself, what will happen if the high school kids don't bring dry erase markers? They won't flunk because of it. I'd refuse to bring the items.
firehouse, on 03 August 2012 - 01:36 PM, said:
Why do 22 kindergarteners need to bring in 3 dozen pencils? Or 6 classes of 35+ high school kids need to provide dry erase markers?
My biggest beef is $5 for a math book?????? It's 100 sheets of copy paper stapled together & I HAVE to pay $5 for it becuase my kid is in a grade level math class? This is in high school. . . .
My next one is paying $10 for an elective class. 6 classes of 40 kids are REQUIRED to pay $10 to attend the class (theater) DURING school hours. What in the world are they spending $2500 on??? The supply list for theater- yourself- and your voice.
$3 per semester for a PE lock? (weren't all of the locks PROVIDED to the school through tax payer funds already?) $5 for a locker (again, the lockers were provided to the school through tax payer funds already & now we have to pay to use them)
How about $100 to park in the parking lot that was paid by the tax payers too? And now our kids have to pay to park in the lot we already paid for. . .
Where does all of this $$$$$ that is REQUIRED for things that have already been paid for by tax payer funds go? Don't give me budget cut crap & not having copy paper when I've already had to provide markers for your dry erase boards in the classroom & pay all of these extra required fees.
I think I'm done for now. Thanks for letting me vent!
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
"Ask yourself, what will happen if the high school kids don't bring dry erase markers? They won't flunk because of it. I'd refuse to bring the items."
What would happen? More than likely, the teacher would provide the dry erase markers for the class anyway, at his or her own expense.
I ask parents to send in dry-erase markers because we use them often to write *on* the desks--sounds crazy, but it is a HUGELY effective way to get the kids engaged when we are writing. I generally spend about $100 a year on them, but this year I finally broke down and put it as a 'wish-list' item. I received more than 50 dry erase markers the first day--and it was so awesome
I have 2 kids of my own, and I'll admit that I do gripe to myself about the expenses. But at the end of the day, I try and send in more than what they ask, for the kids whose parents can't (or won't) send in the supplies themselves.
Your son is a junior. Just WAIT until next year. Not with the supplies but with all the Senior stuff they are required to pay for. My sons graduated in 2010 and it was absolutely rediculious what we had to pay for so that they could graduate. All I can say is start saving now, you will need it next year.
The teacher gets a tax deduction for providing the markers. The parents don't.
shoes116, on 03 August 2012 - 05:32 PM, said:
"Ask yourself, what will happen if the high school kids don't bring dry erase markers? They won't flunk because of it. I'd refuse to bring the items."
What would happen? More than likely, the teacher would provide the dry erase markers for the class anyway, at his or her own expense.
I ask parents to send in dry-erase markers because we use them often to write *on* the desks--sounds crazy, but it is a HUGELY effective way to get the kids engaged when we are writing. I generally spend about $100 a year on them, but this year I finally broke down and put it as a 'wish-list' item. I received more than 50 dry erase markers the first day--and it was so awesome
I have 2 kids of my own, and I'll admit that I do gripe to myself about the expenses. But at the end of the day, I try and send in more than what they ask, for the kids whose parents can't (or won't) send in the supplies themselves.
Live and let live, I guess.
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
It's interesting to think about this, but the idea of textbooks for children to use in school is fairly recent. The Free Textbook Act of 1937 provided that textbooks be supplied free of charge to every public school student in Georgia, but before that parents had to provide their own. The first to do it was Governor Huey Long of Louisiana in the late 1920's (and get this) a school board complained because it was ""CHARITY". So thinking over the whole history of humankind, the idea of free books is recent.
I still have some of my dad's textbooks, though most of them are college textbooks.
mimosaflower, on 03 August 2012 - 07:39 PM, said:
It's interesting to think about this, but the idea of textbooks for children to use in school is fairly recent. The Free Textbook Act of 1937 provided that textbooks be supplied free of charge to every public school student in Georgia, but before that parents had to provide their own. The first to do it was Governor Huey Long of Louisiana in the late 1920's (and get this) a school board complained because it was ""CHARITY". So thinking over the whole history of humankind, the idea of free books is recent.
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
The teacher gets a tax deduction for providing the markers. The parents don't.
Let's do the math.... I as a parent spend $3 on 3 markers for my kids class for the year. A teacher spends $100 out of their pocket and gets a $15 tax deduction for that expenditure.... The tax deduction position REALLY doesn't help all that much does it?
With the full credit of $250 and a 15% tax bracket, that is a savings of $37.50 for the educator. In a 28% tax bracket, it would be a savings of $70.00. PLUS, if they spend more than $250 they can put the remainder on their Schedule A (itemized deductions, miscellaneous deductions). By putting the remainder of anything over $250 on the Schedule A it might be more advantageous since conceivably it could bump up deductions enough to claim that particular deduction AND it could be enough to claim itemized if they needed just a little bit more in order to claim that. Being able to itemize is VERY helpful on the state return, as the standard deduction for a married couple filing jointly in Georgia is $3000.
If the deduction REALLY weren't all that helpful, I doubt it would be available.
Besides, aren't TAXES supposed to pay for schools including classroom supplies? Why should taxpayers have to pay twice (or three times if they have two kids in school and four times if they have three kids in school)?
I just really don't like the idea of paying for what other kids in class use, nor what the teacher needs. The teachers needs should be paid out of the county school budget. Other kids parents should provide for their kids.
All I Hear is Blah Blah Blah, on 03 August 2012 - 07:42 PM, said:
Let's do the math.... I as a parent spend $3 on 3 markers for my kids class for the year. A teacher spends $100 out of their pocket and gets a $15 tax deduction for that expenditure.... The tax deduction position REALLY doesn't help all that much does it?
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
... Besides, aren't TAXES supposed to pay for schools including classroom supplies? Why should taxpayers have to pay twice (or three times if they have two kids in school and four times if they have three kids in school)?
Do you truly think that someone's tax dollars completely fund their portion of any public service? I haven't kidded myself about that in a *very* long time.
If there weren't so much money spent in "administrative" fees (and particularly administrators in the school system) there might be enough.
Riograce, on 03 August 2012 - 08:54 PM, said:
Do you truly think that someone's tax dollars completely fund their portion of any public service? I haven't kidded myself about that in a *very* long time.
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
Jesus Christ, when my daughter actually HAD a teaching job, you know, before she got laid off, she had to supply paper plates, napkins, cups, etc. for her class so they could participate in a trucking pizza party. It's sad when the low paid 24 year old cares more about the needs of her class than the parents do. How about helping out because it's the decent thing to do because the county sure as hell isn't going to do it.
Your son is a junior. Just WAIT until next year. Not with the supplies but with all the Senior stuff they are required to pay for. My sons graduated in 2010 and it was absolutely rediculious what we had to pay for so that they could graduate. All I can say is start saving now, you will need it next year.
At NPHS, students are told that it you do not pay the senior fees, you will not walk at graduation. What gives? Doesn't even factor in the gown cost and such.
Just in regards to you gripe for the cost of the Math book. If you wish to copy documents at a courthouse or online the cost is $0.50 a page. So $5.00 is a bargain for 100 page book.
You can get a 500 sheet pack of copy paper at Walmart for $3, now WHY does it cost $5???? I know the ink is costly but, dang, this is something that should already be paid for!!!!
Do unto others, as you'd have others do unto you!
Live Simply, Love Generously, Care Deeply, Speak Kindly and Leave The Rest To God.
Your beliefs don't make you a better person, your behavior does!!
Helping a Neighbor in need, is a Blessing, indeed!!! 04/25/2013
With the full credit of $250 and a 15% tax bracket, that is a savings of $37.50 for the educator. In a 28% tax bracket, it would be a savings of $70.00. PLUS, if they spend more than $250 they can put the remainder on their Schedule A (itemized deductions, miscellaneous deductions). By putting the remainder of anything over $250 on the Schedule A it might be more advantageous since conceivably it could bump up deductions enough to claim that particular deduction AND it could be enough to claim itemized if they needed just a little bit more in order to claim that. Being able to itemize is VERY helpful on the state return, as the standard deduction for a married couple filing jointly in Georgia is $3000.
If the deduction REALLY weren't all that helpful, I doubt it would be available.
Besides, aren't TAXES supposed to pay for schools including classroom supplies? Why should taxpayers have to pay twice (or three times if they have two kids in school and four times if they have three kids in school)?
I just really don't like the idea of paying for what other kids in class use, nor what the teacher needs. The teachers needs should be paid out of the county school budget. Other kids parents should provide for their kids.
You realize that teachers pay taxes as well, right? So when I buy stuff for my class, as well as extras for my students, on top of all the stuff for my kids, in addition to the extras I send in for the kids who can't....
The deduction is great, when you only spend $250 out of pocket. However, I don't know of any teacher that spends only $250 over the course of the year, so that argument is pretty much out as well.
Finally, the entire purpose of public school (from the very beginning) was to better society. An educated society is a productive society. I get that you want other parents to provide for their kids. However, who's providing the stuff for your kids when you refuse to send it in out of principle?
I'm done with this argument. I know that it comes up every year, and before I myself was in the classroom, I may have totally seen your side. As it is, I just want to do what is best for my students. If buying the Lord's bounty of dry erase markers will get them excited about writing and creating graphic organizers, or buying my own materials to create textbooks since there are none, or whatever else it is that I use my own money for, then that's what I'll continue to do.
What EXACTLY do the school taxes pay for if not for the dry erase markers and textbooks? Maybe the school systems need to cut back on the number of administrators they pay and put more of that money into classrooms, like teacher salaries and classroom supplies. You can buy a hell of a lot of dry erase markers and paper for what ONE administrator makes.
shoes116, on 04 August 2012 - 05:28 AM, said:
You realize that teachers pay taxes as well, right? So when I buy stuff for my class, as well as extras for my students, on top of all the stuff for my kids, in addition to the extras I send in for the kids who can't....
The deduction is great, when you only spend $250 out of pocket. However, I don't know of any teacher that spends only $250 over the course of the year, so that argument is pretty much out as well.
Finally, the entire purpose of public school (from the very beginning) was to better society. An educated society is a productive society. I get that you want other parents to provide for their kids. However, who's providing the stuff for your kids when you refuse to send it in out of principle?
I'm done with this argument. I know that it comes up every year, and before I myself was in the classroom, I may have totally seen your side. As it is, I just want to do what is best for my students. If buying the Lord's bounty of dry erase markers will get them excited about writing and creating graphic organizers, or buying my own materials to create textbooks since there are none, or whatever else it is that I use my own money for, then that's what I'll continue to do.
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
Why do 22 kindergarteners need to bring in 3 dozen pencils? Or 6 classes of 35+ high school kids need to provide dry erase markers?
My biggest beef is $5 for a math book?????? It's 100 sheets of copy paper stapled together & I HAVE to pay $5 for it becuase my kid is in a grade level math class? This is in high school. . . .
My next one is paying $10 for an elective class. 6 classes of 40 kids are REQUIRED to pay $10 to attend the class (theater) DURING school hours. What in the world are they spending $2500 on??? The supply list for theater- yourself- and your voice.
$3 per semester for a PE lock? (weren't all of the locks PROVIDED to the school through tax payer funds already?) $5 for a locker (again, the lockers were provided to the school through tax payer funds already & now we have to pay to use them)
How about $100 to park in the parking lot that was paid by the tax payers too? And now our kids have to pay to park in the lot we already paid for. . .
Where does all of this $$$$$ that is REQUIRED for things that have already been paid for by tax payer funds go? Don't give me budget cut crap & not having copy paper when I've already had to provide markers for your dry erase boards in the classroom & pay all of these extra required fees.
I think I'm done for now. Thanks for letting me vent!
I'm sure you could propose another property tax increase to cover these cost at 10X what you are paying now. Let the goberment know and they will get right on that.
"If heaven ain't a lot like Detroit, I don't wanna go....if they ain't got no 8 Mile like they do up in the D, then send me to hell or Salt Lake City it would be about the same to me." - Uncle Kracker
What EXACTLY do the school taxes pay for if not for the dry erase markers and textbooks? Maybe the school systems need to cut back on the number of administrators they pay and put more of that money into classrooms, like teacher salaries and classroom supplies. You can buy a hell of a lot of dry erase markers and paper for what ONE administrator makes.
I think that's why everyone was so upset with T-Splost. because we voted in the education splost a few years ago and while the football fields have new turf and the high schools have pretty new auditoriums, we really really needed actual classrooms and a way to pay a teacher for those new classrooms.
But hey, the shiney blacktop in the parking lot looks really nice.
At NPHS, students are told that it you do not pay the senior fees, you will not walk at graduation. What gives? Doesn't even factor in the gown cost and such.
Graduation walk is not a required event, kids will still get their diploma. Why should schools pay for a very expensive ceremony that is for the kids and their parents benefit? I have three kids in the system and agree it's not cheap but it averages out to about $10 a month right now with 2 in Elementary and 1 a Freshman). I know it will get worse but hopefully I will be prepared for it....
With the full credit of $250 and a 15% tax bracket, that is a savings of $37.50 for the educator. In a 28% tax bracket, it would be a savings of $70.00. PLUS, if they spend more than $250 they can put the remainder on their Schedule A (itemized deductions, miscellaneous deductions). By putting the remainder of anything over $250 on the Schedule A it might be more advantageous since conceivably it could bump up deductions enough to claim that particular deduction AND it could be enough to claim itemized if they needed just a little bit more in order to claim that. Being able to itemize is VERY helpful on the state return, as the standard deduction for a married couple filing jointly in Georgia is $3000.
If the deduction REALLY weren't all that helpful, I doubt it would be available.
Besides, aren't TAXES supposed to pay for schools including classroom supplies? Why should taxpayers have to pay twice (or three times if they have two kids in school and four times if they have three kids in school)?
I just really don't like the idea of paying for what other kids in class use, nor what the teacher needs. The teachers needs should be paid out of the county school budget. Other kids parents should provide for their kids.
You are assuming that the $100 spent is under the initial $250, I am guessing it is not and therefore a schedule A deduction which supports my analysis.... I have zero issue with sending in extra supplies. The parents who do should not do it and reduce their stress.... I am sure the teachers would prefer no donation over year round bitching.... Just a guess...
Most of us are paying 50% or less of the taxes than we were 5 years ago - and now we want to know why there isn't enough money for the stuff that can easily be donated by a parent - or why we are not purchasing text books. Just frickin' amazing!!
And, if you get a math text book for $5 - you're getting a much better deal than spending any amount of tax money on a text book. And, the math book you bought is directed EXACTLY to what the teacher is teaching. The last time I had to buy a copied book that the instructor put together - it was about $120 - copyrighted material and the publisher didn't get it to the bookstore on time so the instructor had to send it to the local copy shop.
I don't disagree that we need to cut down the reasons that we need some many administrators. None of them are sitting around doing nothing. Believe me. I'm in the schools enough to watch the admins moving so fast they really need roller skates. But, we, as a community, state, and country, need to really evaluate if all of the reporting, data evaluation, etc. really needs to be done. We have paperworked and documented our school system to the point where no one can actually focus on their jobs - teaching our children. I'm not sure of the answer. But, I can tell you - the NEED for these admins needs to be evaluated.
In all honesty there is no perfect system. Home school is only as good as the parents, and frankly I will admit I'm not smart enough to be a subject matter expert in enough areas to properly educate my son. I also want him to have a good set of social skills and learn the world doesn't revolve around him - something home schooling can't teach.
In my line of work I hire a lot of High School kids. Its ALWAYS the home schooled ones that end up crying in the office becuase they can't handle the interaction with the public or working with a diverse group of people as they just don't have the experience the private and public school kids do.
"If heaven ain't a lot like Detroit, I don't wanna go....if they ain't got no 8 Mile like they do up in the D, then send me to hell or Salt Lake City it would be about the same to me." - Uncle Kracker
"Ask yourself, what will happen if the high school kids don't bring dry erase markers? They won't flunk because of it. I'd refuse to bring the items."
What would happen? More than likely, the teacher would provide the dry erase markers for the class anyway, at his or her own expense.
I ask parents to send in dry-erase markers because we use them often to write *on* the desks--sounds crazy, but it is a HUGELY effective way to get the kids engaged when we are writing. I generally spend about $100 a year on them, but this year I finally broke down and put it as a 'wish-list' item. I received more than 50 dry erase markers the first day--and it was so awesome
I have 2 kids of my own, and I'll admit that I do gripe to myself about the expenses. But at the end of the day, I try and send in more than what they ask, for the kids whose parents can't (or won't) send in the supplies themselves.
Live and let live, I guess.
To me 'can't' and 'won't are two waaaay different things. Refusing to send in anything extra when you are financially able to because you have the 'I pay taxes for that' attitude is sickening to me. Like you, I send in lots of extra supplies and I ask throughout the year what, if anything, the teacher needs. This person is teaching my child, something I don't think most parents can do or are willing to do and I'm going to begrudge her/him a wish list? I don't think so. If you can't afford to send in anything extra, that's fine and I'm happy to help take up the slack, but if you are able and you gripe about it, that's just ridiculous.
In all honesty there is no perfect system. Home school is only as good as the parents, and frankly I will admit I'm not smart enough to be a subject matter expert in enough areas to properly educate my son. I also want him to have a good set of social skills and learn the world doesn't revolve around him - something home schooling can't teach.
In my line of work I hire a lot of High School kids. Its ALWAYS the home schooled ones that end up crying in the office becuase they can't handle the interaction with the public or working with a diverse group of people as they just don't have the experience the private and public school kids do.
You have valid points.
However, my son is the most social teenager you would ever know.
He has a job where he is very interactive with customers.
He has a very active part in his youth ministry at church, in fact he is headed to a large gathering as we speak.
And he is always entertaining at the house.
So his social skills are awesome.
Also, the school that we do has teachers available by phone or online 24/7 so I do not have to worry about his lack of guidance with schooling.
I do understand that what you say is true on an overall basis, however as you said.....it depends on parental involvement and I am on top of it.
In all honesty there is no perfect system. Home school is only as good as the parents, and frankly I will admit I'm not smart enough to be a subject matter expert in enough areas to properly educate my son. I also want him to have a good set of social skills and learn the world doesn't revolve around him - something home schooling can't teach.
In my line of work I hire a lot of High School kids. Its ALWAYS the home schooled ones that end up crying in the office becuase they can't handle the interaction with the public or working with a diverse group of people as they just don't have the experience the private and public school kids do.
Agreed! We have one position that is the DREAM job, ZERO stress and pretty much a monitoring position that allows the person to pretty much roam the internet all day and we hired a homeschooler that had graduated as a favor to one of the bosses friends. They quit in three days due to stress!
mysterious, on 04 August 2012 - 08:22 AM, said:
You have valid points.
However, my son is the most social teenager you would ever know.
He has a job where he is very interactive with customers.
He has a very active part in his youth ministry at church, in fact he is headed to a large gathering as we speak.
And he is always entertaining at the house.
So his social skills are awesome.
Also, the school that we do has teachers available by phone or online 24/7 so I do not have to worry about his lack of guidance with schooling.
I do understand that what you say is true on an overall basis, however as you said.....it depends on parental involvement and I am on top of it.
That is awesome, sounds like he is WAY beyond a good bit of his homeschooling peers!
We don't need MORE money for the schools (or anything else for that matter). We need it spent more wisely.
The next time a teacher gets upset about having to buy classroom supplies, maybe they should ask their school system how many administrators they have and what their pay is. Or better yet, look it up themselves.
There is NO excuse for a teacher having to buy classroom supplies. None. I'm grateful to those who do but it should NOT be necessary. That should be paid by the school system. The school system should pay for everything a teacher needs to meet the curriculum. If there is something special the teacher wants to do, then let them pay for it or circulate a letter to parents asking for donations.
I just find the whole "you gotta pay for this or your kid won't graduate or pass or...." to be a little too much like extortion.
You're right--that IS why so many people were upset about TSPLOST. There was already a history present of the money generated by taxes not being spent on what it should be. I've seen that right here in Cobb with the 1% transportation tax. We got a couple of new intersections along Hiram Lithia which actually in some cases made the intersections MORE dangerous and not less and some trees trimmed to improve visibility. There were supposed to be intersection improvements at all intersections to include realignment and turn lanes. Has it happened? Nope. Although I would LOVE for someone to explain to me what that is at Hiram Lithia and Brownsville, across from the Shell station.
Magic Mommy, on 04 August 2012 - 07:55 AM, said:
I think that's why everyone was so upset with T-Splost. because we voted in the education splost a few years ago and while the football fields have new turf and the high schools have pretty new auditoriums, we really really needed actual classrooms and a way to pay a teacher for those new classrooms.
But hey, the shiney blacktop in the parking lot looks really nice.
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
All I Hear is Blah Blah Blah, on 04 August 2012 - 08:58 AM, said:
Agreed! We have one position that is the DREAM job, ZERO stress and pretty much a monitoring position that allows the person to pretty much roam the internet all day and we hired a homeschooler that had graduated as a favor to one of the bosses friends. They quit in three days due to stress!
That is awesome, sounds like he is WAY beyond a good bit of his homeschooling peers!
BTW, the scenario of taking the $250 deduction and then anything over that on the Schedule A is not something I found online. It was a real event for a real person for whom I prepared a tax return.
FYI, if the teacher spends $175 guess what they get to deduct?
I know no other profession that gets a flat $250 deduction for unreimbursed employee expenses, can take anything over that on the Schedule A nor do I know of any other consumer (in this case the student) who is required to pay expenses that the producer (in this case the school system) won't pay. I know when my husband was working, he wasn't allowed to reduce our income by any amount he spent just because he used his own money to buy something he needed for work. If it didn't exceed 2% of our adjusted gross income and we didn't itemize, we didn't get the deduction. Teachers get the $250 deduction without itemizing.
All I Hear is Blah Blah Blah, on 04 August 2012 - 07:59 AM, said:
You are assuming that the $100 spent is under the initial $250, I am guessing it is not and therefore a schedule A deduction which supports my analysis.... I have zero issue with sending in extra supplies. The parents who do should not do it and reduce their stress.... I am sure the teachers would prefer no donation over year round bitching.... Just a guess...
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
I am paying closer to 75-80% of what I was in property taxes five years ago. My rental assessment has not changed though the taxes have gone up and will go up this year thanks to a 28% increase in the millage rate in the City of Austell. That will more than offset any savings on the county side on either property.
Budgets need to be redone based on what is available, not what governmental agencies had five years ago. If there is less money to spend, cost cutting is necessary. Fire, police and teachers should be the last thing on the list to be cut back. Administrators, in whatever capacity, need to be cut or at least sent back to what they were doing previously. Better to lay off 5 administrators than two police officers, two firefighters and a teacher. Administrators are a lot like the job I used to have as a medical transcriptionist. We did nothing to provide care (like nurses), nothing to diagnose (like doctors), provided no billable service (like the lab or PT). No wonder medical records have gone digital. It takes fewer "transcriptionists" to handle the work. I had a fellow MT get her panties all in a wad once when I told her that being an MT wasn't a income producing job. She said she made GOOD MONEY doing it. I asked her how much her work made for the hospital she did transcription for and she drew a blank. No clue what cost effective or income producing meant.
Just thinkin, on 04 August 2012 - 08:01 AM, said:
Most of us are paying 50% or less of the taxes than we were 5 years ago - and now we want to know why there isn't enough money for the stuff that can easily be donated by a parent - or why we are not purchasing text books. Just frickin' amazing!!
And, if you get a math text book for $5 - you're getting a much better deal than spending any amount of tax money on a text book. And, the math book you bought is directed EXACTLY to what the teacher is teaching. The last time I had to buy a copied book that the instructor put together - it was about $120 - copyrighted material and the publisher didn't get it to the bookstore on time so the instructor had to send it to the local copy shop.
I don't disagree that we need to cut down the reasons that we need some many administrators. None of them are sitting around doing nothing. Believe me. I'm in the schools enough to watch the admins moving so fast they really need roller skates. But, we, as a community, state, and country, need to really evaluate if all of the reporting, data evaluation, etc. really needs to be done. We have paperworked and documented our school system to the point where no one can actually focus on their jobs - teaching our children. I'm not sure of the answer. But, I can tell you - the NEED for these admins needs to be evaluated.
See, no one in the South ever asks if you have crazy people in your family. They just ask which side they're on. -- Julia Sugarbaker
In loving memory of Mason (December 1, 2001 to December 9, 2001) and Ashley Jr. (December 1, 2001 to December 2, 2001)
As with last year in private pre-k, I was looking at 300 registration (to cover copies, materials, etc) and 350-400 a month tuition, plus they are always asking for wipes, lysol, crayons, etc throughout the year.
At the private school my son attends, parents do not send in these items. Everything is covered in the tuition. Including lunch- which is nothing like a normal lunch.
BTW, the scenario of taking the $250 deduction and then anything over that on the Schedule A is not something I found online. It was a real event for a real person for whom I prepared a tax return.
FYI, if the teacher spends $175 guess what they get to deduct?
I know no other profession that gets a flat $250 deduction for unreimbursed employee expenses, can take anything over that on the Schedule A nor do I know of any other consumer (in this case the student) who is required to pay expenses that the producer (in this case the school system) won't pay. I know when my husband was working, he wasn't allowed to reduce our income by any amount he spent just because he used his own money to buy something he needed for work. If it didn't exceed 2% of our adjusted gross income and we didn't itemize, we didn't get the deduction. Teachers get the $250 deduction without itemizing.
The original $100 I was referencing to buying a years worth of markers. I understand in SOME situations it could be the final 2 cents to push them over the edge, but that is rare. Usually they are never remotely close or already were eligible itemized deductions. But most start with $250 in expenses before school even starts much less replinishing those supplies as needed, so the whole $250 is irrelevant in most cases. My bottom line argument is, you can't justify the teacher spending $100 on markers as a tax deduction because they are the only one that get a tax benefit. If they need that extra $100 deduction then they can buy some at year end and not put it on a wish list for next year because she is well stocked. My $3 contribution (fully taxed, yes I understand that) is much easier on me than a $100 (with a small deduction) for the teacher. I know you don't agree, but that is ok, it's what makes the world go around!
I send my daughter to school with what SHE needs to get through the year with. It is the school system responsibility to provide the books and learning materials.
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