School Fees?

[Guest mcgyver210]

I don't mind providing supplies for my daughter. However, my wife told me a coworker had a list of supplies that included an iTunes gift card for "music for the class". Let's see, the cheapest ones ive seen are $15. With 25-30 kids in each class the teacher is well on their way to a new iPad.

-southernasylum

iTunes gift cards can only be used on iTunes. You can't buy iPads with them.

OK so it sounds like the teacher is going to have a really nice music/movie/App collection to go with her Apple collection if even half the parents buy a Itunes Gift Card WOW how ridiculous. I don't know this teacher at all so I guess it is unfair to judge but the minimum card size I have seen is $10.00 which still is allot with that many students.

This teacher would definitely be giving me more explanation for such a "luxury" request. Not to mention If she made this request in the past or does this every year which would mean the collection just grows.

Now what most likely happens is the same thing that happens with taxes. Only a few parents pay so the rest get their entitlement thanks to those that pay.

[strickj]

Well that's the problem, it already does. I've dropped thousands upon thousands in property taxes over years when I had no children in the education system. If it comes at a price of raising property taxes to reflect the increased operating costs then so be it. However, one would figure that the more kids in the district, the more money being generated through property taxes. Of course, we all know the answer to this riddle. It is the sh##bag parents that don't pay taxes, expect the schools to pay for lunches and so forth, while the responsible parents who are using their money on necessities are taken advantage of by a system that rewards parents who blow their money on booze and meth.

Everyone pays school taxes. Even deadbeat parents that rent.

We know damn well that the crappy parents wouldn't consider paying it anyway, as that would cut into their Newport budget. So why should I?

Because they're your kids and your responsibility?

If I wanted to pay for kids' education than I would have had children. Please don't make me pay any more for your kids than I already do.

[TMF]

Because they're your kids and your responsibility?

If I wanted to pay for kids' education than I would have had children. Please don't make me pay any more for your kids than I already do.

Sorry, I already pay. I'm not sending the kids to school with a wad of cash to meet some demands from a teacher. Especially since, like I said, I know damn well I would be one of the few sending my kids in with money. The majority of kids in school nowadays expect the state to pay for their lunch. How effing absurd is that? Am I to believe that these parents that can't afford to make a PB&J are going to send their kids in to school with a wad of cash to pay a teacher? I don't believe it.

Like I said, if schools need more money for operating expenses they need to raise property taxes or manage their money better. I won't be guilted into giving a teacher my money because it isn't fair that teachers have to buy their own supplies. I'd gladly pay an extra couple hundred bucks a year in property taxes if that translated to a better education and higher pay for teachers rather than send a single dime of an extortionist guilt fee.

If it is that bad then teachers need to either raise hell about it or find another profession. Nobody chose my path for me and I didn't choose it for the teachers.

Edited August 11, 2012 by TMF

[TMF]

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Edited August 11, 2012 by TMF

[DaveTN]

The lottery is doing very well in Tennessee. PowerBall recently went from $1 to $2. Why are you all having to pay these “fees� Wasn’t Tennessee one of the states that got gambling approved by saying the money would go to the schools?

[Guest Grubbah]

I have said for years that they botched the entire lottery money thing. The funds raised by the lottery should have been pumped into the early education systems, K-12 is where you make the biggest impact. That money could have been put to great use keeping state of the art schools, attracting and retaining the best teachers, and making sure our kids have every opportunity they can get.

It sounds great at first that more people are getting to go to college, but if the primary schools are rated in the bottom 5 of the nation, big whoop... Many of those scholarships get lost after a semester or two when the students fail to keep their grades up and what do we have to show for it then?

ugh, thats a soapbox I need to step off of...

--edit--

Hah, DaveTN and I were on the same train of thought it appears. We even posted at the exact same time!

Edited August 11, 2012 by Grubbah

[Guest mcgyver210]

The lottery is doing very well in Tennessee. PowerBall recently went from $1 to $2. Why are you all having to pay these “fees� Wasn’t Tennessee one of the states that got gambling approved by saying the money would go to the schools?

I have said for years that they botched the entire lottery money thing. The funds raised by the lottery should have been pumped into the early education systems, K-12 is where you make the biggest impact. That money could have been put to great use keeping state of the art schools, attracting and retaining the best teachers, and making sure our kids have every opportunity they can get.

It sounds great at first that more people are getting to go to college, but if the primary schools are rated in the bottom 5 of the nation, big whoop... Many of those scholarships get lost after a semester or two when the students fail to keep their grades up and what do we have to show for it then?

ugh, thats a soapbox I need to step off of...

--edit--

Hah, DaveTN and I were on the same train of thought it appears. We even posted at the exact same time!

I'm sure if the truth came out there is more of the lottery funds going to many other things before education. One thing that is always a Fact "When Government is involved with anything there will be Corruption & miss-handling of the proceeds".

Now as for where to put it I 100% agree & said the same thing, it should have gone to k-12 instead of the chosen few that qualify for the rigged scholarship system. But again I have always wondered why there isn't enough funds since taxes have been raised many times for schools, all businesses legally operated are taxed for schools, people that never use any the public school system are taxed for it which includes those with no kids & those like my family that have never sent their kid to any public school for even i day. Oh & lets not forget even the ones that use the system will pay into it for the rest of their lives.

So with all that tax money that should be available from sources that don't or no longer use it, why do teachers need to bring anything to school? I know the answer. Government Corruption, Deception & LIES.

[Moped]

Just wait until your child's Senior Year! Then see what the fees will be like!

[Guest mcgyver210]

Just wait until your child's Senior Year! Then see what the fees will be like!

I agree we have been given cost for this & it is high but we wont be asking others to pay it either. I just don't feel it is right to punish successful people with having to pay for others.

[TripleDigitRide]

As i see it, there are two reasons why we always seem to have budget issues within ot school systems. First of all, schools are operated by the government. Secondly, there are far too many loser parents out there who either simply can't afford to have children (another reason why more people should have abortions), or they'd rather spend money on b*** s*** like cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, car payments, cable TV, internet, or any other b*** s*** they shouldn't be buying (and another reason why more people should have abortions).

I wouldn't be surprised if 50% or more of the students are receiving free or reduced lunches through the school system. Not only that, but when students receive free or reduced lunches, they automatically receive a whole host of other freebies and discounts throughout the year. This includes things like field trips, year books, etc. As a paying parent, I know exactly how much this can add up to per student.

As far as the teachers go, I couldn't be one (which is why I chose a different profession), but it's not easy for me to feel sorry for them.

I'm sure some things differ from district to district, but based on the numbers here is Sumner County, teachers are off roughly 16 weeks (4 months) per year. This is taking into account things like vacation time, personal leave, sick time, holidays, spring break, fall break, summer break. That doesn't account for other possible paid days off. Other than politicians, who else get that's kind of time off?

The average salary for a Sumner County teacher is $41,406 per year. If you devide that salary by 8 months, that's $5,175 per month. Multiply that by 12 months, you come up with an average salary of $62,100 per year. Not oo shabby, if you ask me.

You can nit-pick the actual number of days off, but I don't think it's very far off either way. My neighbor is a teacher, and she spent almost the entire summer between Arizona and Spain. A friend of mine is married to a teacher, and she spent almost the entire summer traveling the U.S. selling her artwork.

[Guest mcgyver210]

As i see it, there are two reasons why we always seem to have budget issues within ot school systems. First of all, schools are operated by the government. Secondly, there are far too many loser parents out there who either simply can't afford to have children (another reason why more people should have abortions), or they'd rather spend money on b*** s*** like cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, car payments, cable TV, internet, or any other b*** s*** they shouldn't be buying (and another reason why more people should have abortions).

I wouldn't be surprised if 50% or more of the students are receiving free or reduced lunches through the school system. Not only that, but when students receive free or reduced lunches, they automatically receive a whole host of other freebies and discounts throughout the year. This includes things like field trips, year books, etc. As a paying parent, I know exactly how much this can add up to per student.

As far as the teachers go, I couldn't be one (which is why I chose a different profession), but it's not easy for me to feel sorry for them.

I'm sure some things differ from district to district, but based on the numbers here is Sumner County, teachers are off roughly 16 weeks (4 months) per year. This is taking into account things like vacation time, personal leave, sick time, holidays, spring break, fall break, summer break. That doesn't account for other possible paid days off. Other than politicians, who else get that's kind of time off?

The average salary for a Sumner County teacher is $41,406 per year. If you devide that salary by 8 months, that's $5,175 per month. Multiply that by 12 months, you come up with an average salary of $62,100 per year. Not oo shabby, if you ask me.

You can nit-pick the actual number of days off, but I don't think it's very far off either way. My neighbor is a teacher, and she spent almost the entire summer between Arizona and Spain. A friend of mine is married to a teacher, and she spent almost the entire summer traveling the U.S. selling her artwork.

Well said & I have used a similar analogy for other professions that try to say they don't make much etc etc which is why we should feel sorry for them. One thing I can say is being a business owner wasn't my first choice. My actual first choice was something I almost did but after thought, time & research I decided it wasn't for me. So with that said if you are a Teacher, Business Owner, LEO, Fireman, Politician etc... at some point in your life you chose your path & you have to live with it Good/Bad or change your path.

P.S. I know teachers that have retired from a second career they had while a teacher. I couldn't do that since I really rarely get an off day even while on Vacation.

Edited August 12, 2012 by mcgyver210

[TMF]

So with all that tax money that should be available from sources that don't or no longer use it, why do teachers need to bring anything to school? I know the answer. Government Corruption, Deception & LIES.

But for some reason us good parents are to feel responsible for the woes of the teachers. Not that I don't respect their profession and don't believe they should have to buy their own supplies, but that isn't my fault and I won't be made to feel as if that is my fault. If they don't like it: 1) Change it. 2) Get a new profession.

It isn't as if it is some great secret the BS that teachers have to put up with. Anyone that becomes a teacher knows what they're getting when they're going in. If they don't, well then they probably shouldn't be a teacher because they're obviously lacking in intelligence.

[Ray Z]

When we raised our boys we lived in one of the more affluent school districts in Ohio. We still had fees for this and fees for that sometimes twice a year. We always had school supplies to get. Didn't like it, but it was just part of school.

Now they are grown and on their own. We still like to buy the school supplies for our grand-babies. It's our way of showing them that we support them.

According to the local newspaper, Monroe county is one of the poorest county in Tennessee. Average family income is $21000/yr,. The schools spend $6020 on each student. Some of the supplies that are purchased go to those that can't afford $45 at the beginning of the year.