Community Chat

[Malacha]

I have always strongly resented that a majority of my personal property tax is geared towards various school taxes! As much as I love children, I don't have any of my own. Why am I having to pay towards funding schools? It is NOT right at all! Friends of mine who are also childless feel exactly as I do! If you have kids, YOU alone should pay taxes for schools, and no one else! This has been discussed on many radio programs, and believe me, I am not alone in my views on this by any means! I need my money for my bills, etc., who helps me?! Totally wrong!!!

[Isobel Archer]

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@donna47 wrote:

I have always strongly resented that a majority of my personal property tax is geared towards various school taxes! As much as I love children, I don't have any of my own. Why am I having to pay towards funding schools? It is NOT right at all! Friends of mine who are also childless feel exactly as I do! If you have kids, YOU alone should pay taxes for schools, and no one else! This has been discussed on many radio programs, and believe me, I am not alone in my views on this by any means! I need my money for my bills, etc., who helps me?! Totally wrong!!!

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While I agree that an educated public is necessary, I also agree that money is not the total answer in education.

The Washington Post has reported in the past that the DC schools cost more per student than the elite Sidwell Friends (you know where Presidents and Congress send their kids) and the graduation rate and test scores in reading and math in the DC schools are abominable.  Yet the constant refrain is that they need MORE money.

[garl]

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@blackhole99 wrote:

What are the parents supposed to do? Most everyone needs to work and can't stay home with their sick kids. We better start demanding more from the powers that be as far as day care and time off with pay when your kids are sick. This is a poor and middle class issue yet we are not fighting for it. The money has to come from somewhere, either out of your own pocket or an increase in taxes.

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Herein the problem with the "it takes a village" approach which now runs rampant in this country.  The primary responsibility for rearing children belongs to those who chose to have them, something, blackhole, you seem not to understand.  In many families there are two breadwinners, not because the money is needed for bread, but because it is desired to afford a third car, a second home, every electronic toy ever made, etc.  The rest of society is forced to take care of your children so you can both feel fulfilled, happy enough to let others assume your parental responsilibities.  What a trainwreck.

[Isobel Archer]

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@garl wrote:

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@blackhole99 wrote:

What are the parents supposed to do? Most everyone needs to work and can't stay home with their sick kids. We better start demanding more from the powers that be as far as day care and time off with pay when your kids are sick. This is a poor and middle class issue yet we are not fighting for it. The money has to come from somewhere, either out of your own pocket or an increase in taxes.

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Herein the problem with the "it takes a village" approach which now runs rampant in this country.  The primary responsibility for rearing children belongs to those who chose to have them, something, blackhole, you seem not to understand.  In many families there are two breadwinners, not because the money is needed for bread, but because it is desired to afford a third car, a second home, every electronic toy ever made, etc.  The rest of society is forced to take care of your children so you can both feel fulfilled, happy enough to let others assume your parental responsilibities.  What a trainwreck.

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It is also fascinating that the "village" folks generally want "others" to assume responsibilities - you don't see them volunteering at schools to assume responsibility for poor mothers' sick children for example.

[deeva]

That’s why I worked the off shift when our youngest started school. That way if the children got sick, one of us was always home to take care of them.

[nun ya]

Would a parent go to work vomiting? Why send your kid in the same condition? 

Used to drive me nuts, I'd keep my child home until she wa better, only to get sick again because sick kids still went to school.

[willomenia]

What are parents supposed to do? Maybe they should have thought about not being able to stay home from work before having said kids. Why is it everyone but the parent responsible for providing care for their kids. I understand some people have circumstances and will have to work, but you shouldn't have a kid then say, oh, now I have to work to support this kid.

[Trinity11]

There will always be "stories" of children who are mistreated and sent to school sick. However, I fail to believe that this is the "norm."

The generation having children now are not these careless people who are often misrepresented on this board. Many of them care for their children just as much as the previous generation of parents. There have always been bad parents and as far as the women having babies they cannot afford, it was relevant back when I had my family as well. Instead of making them into the latest version of "Hester Prynne" we need to find ways to reach out and give them a hand.

[Vivian]

I was a working mom and never sent my kids to school sick. I had back-up plans and sometimes I had to use up vacation days and stay home. Many years ago a teacher friend of mine told me that a child had been sent to school with chicken pox...covered in the stuff. This was before chicken pox vaccines. They called the parents and got an argument. As for school tax, as an American, I am happy to support my schools, my government, my military, infrastructure improvement, and all those aspects of being a  patriotic citizen that prove I am willing to put my money where my mouth is.

[beckyb1012]

My son got strep at least twice a year and never went back to school the Monday after Thanksgiving due to being sick with strep throat his entire elementary to middle school years.  In his second grade year (1991) one divorced mother sent her sick daughter to school with strep instead keeping her at home during the still contagious stage but still on medicine.  My son immediately got it since they sat next to each other.  This strep went through not only that classroom and that teacher but the entire Elementary suffered tremendous absences due to the strep. Teachers and students were dropping like flies.  It went on enough weeks the ten day shot had worn off on my son and he got it again at the tail end of the epidemic.   Student to teachers were out it was awful.  We were a small town elementary of about 200 students and no one had the illness prior to this young girl. Her mother felt like she could not afford to miss a day from work to stay home with her child.  The terrible thing as well was the Mother contracted the strep throat and continued on working and ended up getting put in the hospital since she did not take care of herself.   If she had just stayed home for 48 hrs. if her daughter took the antibiotics or 24 hrs. if the antibiotic shot was chosen then none of the above would probably occurred. 

My heart went out to her about working but she caused herself a hospital bill.