Is this stupid? Public School Rant

[Zwingle]

My daughter is in kindergarten in public school, they have many general fundraisers for different projects throughtout the year all were for general projects...nothing specific. My wife and I have strived to raise as much money as we can in each of the fundraisers and support the PTA also. Anyway......my daughter brings her lunch to school and sometimes brings a pudding cup. Well, after a few days of sending a spoon from home with her to eat the pudding, I stopped because my daughter said they have plastic spoons in school. One of the administrators called us after 3 days of providing her with a spoon to tell us that we need to send a spoon because they could not provide her with a spoon any longer unless we sent a dime with her each day to pay for a spoon. Is this ludicrous or am I overreacting? I pay property taxes, school taxes, hospital taxes and whatever else tax my mortgage pays and they still want me to pay for a spoon? The US Gov't is already overspending on outrageous security measures that will most likely be abandoned after a few years and other pork barrel projects and can't afford to start spending more money on schools? Where are the priorities? I understand that this is a local gov't deal, but the federal gov't is ultimately responsible for the public school system.

Edit: After talking to a friend....he said his son's junior high makes the kids pay for ketchup and mustard packets a nickel a piece. And it now costs to go to the basketball and football games? His son is on the basketball team and they charge $2 for adults and $1 for kids.....WTF? Where the hell is my tax money going?
And yes, the FEDERAL GOV'T is responsible ultimateley, they mandate the rules that the states follow, the staes mandate the rules for the school districts.

Edit #2: I live in Texas where there is a stupid law called The Robin Hood law.....the richer school districts must give money to the poorer distrcts, I live in a fairly rich school district....this means that part of my school taxes goes to fund other districts. Even if I were to place my children in private schools, I would have to pay school taxes....Why? I am not benefiting from them at all.

 

[vi edit]

Yes it is ridiculous, but I don't think that it is the fault of Public School. Any school, whether public or private, has the opportunity of having a spork nazi in it.

 

[minendo]

what a joke. how much do they charge per napkin?

 

[notfred]

<< but the federal gov't is ultimately responsible for the public school system. >>



Bullsh!t. Your town is responsible for it's own schools. the federal government has no business telling me, or you, what our kids should and should not learn. The PTA is there so that the people in the community - the kids' own parents, get to influence the way thier schools are run. If you'd rather have a bunch of rules sent down from Washington D.C. with no possibility for your input at all, there's something wrong with you.

Plastic spoons were free when I was in elementary school. There's no way those things can cost $0.10 each anyway.

 

[vi edit]

Oh, and to rub things in, send your daughter to class with a box of sporks and have her sell them for $.05 a piece.

Really, a box of 200 costs around $3.00 when you buy in bulk.

 

[jjones]

you should send your daughter back to school with four plastic spoons; one for her pudding and three to give back to the administrator.

 

[minendo]

so is there a per minute charge for usage on the water fountain? or a per flush charge on using the bathroom?

 

[crypticlogin]

I think having to pay for a friggin' spoon, fork, or spork is ludicrous. It might be that I was spoiled as a kindergartner and didn't have to, but something's up with that utensil policy. Is this a classroom teacher who collects and distributes the spoons? When you say "administrator", I'm picturing a principal so excuse me if my imagery is a bit off ("(sqwak!) Zwingle's Kid may now come to the principal's office to purchase a spoon!").

And I love the idea of undercutting the school's plastic spoon sales, especially by providing better value in the Staples' knife/fork/spoon/napkin bundle (1000 bundles/box) for $39.74, or about $0.04 per bundle. Buy in quantity to get free shipping.

 

[Looney]

I think you're over-reacting. It's not like these teachers are depositing these dimes and nickles into an off-shore account that they're going to retire to. So what? Each school year you're wasting another 2-3 dollars on plastic spoon for your daughter. Granted, i've never heard of school charging for condiments and plastic spoons, but it wouldn't have bothered me.

 

[BlueApple]

hmmm... that does sound odd. They charge for basketball games and football games for us, but its only $4 or $5, and I don't mind paying for it. The money goes to the school... but the mustard and ketchup packets ... they don't charge us, but at my old school you could only take four packets.

 

[perry]

Next time they do a fundraiser, don't participate, just send a box of sporks to the school.

 

[Zwingle]

<< Next time they do a fundraiser, don't participate, just send a box of sporks to the school >>


I think that's what my wife and I decided.....as funny as it sounds. It looks as though they need them.
I know it sounds petty, but it is not about the price, it is about why they charge at all.

 

[Noirish]

this is public school?
i can't imagine what they do in private school where everything is about money.
maybe they charge the student for standing on the pavement or breathing "their" air.
geez...what has this world come to.