tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post114411070866360050..comments2024-03-13T21:26:03.011-07:00Comments on Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher: Illegal Fees Charged in SchoolDarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-1144327076200168652006-04-06T05:37:00.000-07:002006-04-06T05:37:00.000-07:00NOt only should fees be banned, but so to should p...NOt only should fees be banned, but so to should private donations to specific schools. Most of the rich schools in my system get all sorts of private donations from parents that provide programs for all t he rich kids. Poor schools get little or nothing in the way of donations.<BR/><BR/>All donations should be taken by the central office and equally distributed. Of course this will bring the donations to near zero, but we can't be unjust.<BR/><BR/>Now we have more and more rich parents just moving their kids out of the system altogether. In my county only 60% of the school age children attend a public school. Every time we try to raise taxes for the school system we lose at the ballot box or in the county government as the rich people say they already pay taxes for a system they don't use and they out-vote the poor folks.<BR/><BR/>In cases where the poor folks get a critical mass to vote higher taxes the dang rich folks move out of the district and take their money with them. In my county we can't even get businesses to locate here. Our taxes are higher than the rich districts so the businesses go there. Our poor go to the rich districts to shop leaving what little money they have to fund the rich kid's education.<BR/><BR/>When we work for "social justice" the economics of self interest will cause more suffering for the poor. Personal responsibility is seen as racist or elitist. The concept of "don't have what you cna't feed" seem not to even occur to the poor. Ther seem to be an attitude that we have the right to have others pay for our "choices."<BR/><BR/>I do affirmative action grading in my classes. This is justice at the personal level. The white kids understand. They really do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-1144299303036155402006-04-05T21:55:00.000-07:002006-04-05T21:55:00.000-07:00I guess the fact that it's illegal never enters in...I guess the fact that it's illegal never enters into the equation?<BR/><BR/>The reason it's illegal here in California is simple. Once we create a stratified education system, one for the haves and one for the have-nots, we've doomed ourselves to accepting and maintaining a situation that is unjust.<BR/><BR/>Are you ok with that?Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-1144276470307217672006-04-05T15:34:00.000-07:002006-04-05T15:34:00.000-07:00Even though I am a student with these same fees, I...Even though I am a student with these same fees, I feel that teachers have to charge money for some programs, like the music program, because kids rent out instruments from schools and they go on these trips for a fraction of the cost. Do you think that money just appears?!?! If the teacher doesn't apply some fees, they can't run their program effectively because the districts under-fund these extra currecular activities many kids love to participate in. <BR/>E-Mail me at "trumpetgal_1@yahoo.com" if you want to reply.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-1144275037716008762006-04-05T15:10:00.000-07:002006-04-05T15:10:00.000-07:00That's sad, but it's preferable to breaking the la...That's sad, but it's preferable to breaking the law, in my book.Darrenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-1144262076770462442006-04-05T11:34:00.000-07:002006-04-05T11:34:00.000-07:00We had this problem in Prince George's County publ...We had this problem in Prince George's County public Schools where I teach chemistry several years ago. We were charging a $15.00 lab fee to cover lab equipment and supplies. A parent took to system to court and won-of course.<BR/><BR/>Now we do demonstrations with the $660 budget per year we have for 187 students. Students do labs on paper and no labs happen. At all.<BR/><BR/>I have taught chemistry for the last 5 years since we could not charge fees and have not had a single lab for students since. No money means no labs. Period. The system did not step up to cover the costs and I sure as hell won't spend MY money on labs, so we have none. At all. Ever.<BR/><BR/>And that's the way the public wants it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com