$750 Per Student
- on 05.15.07
- Fund The Child, Funding Reform, General
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Jack Martin, Lake County political activist, has proposed an idea for Warren Township High School District 121 to cover its $3 million dollar deficit. The solution is to have parents of each student attending pay $750.
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In the wake of a failed tax-increase request last month, Martin recently told Warren District 121 officials they could bring in more cash by charging parents $750 per pupil to cover the deficit. Martin helped lead opposition to the tax increase, which was overwhelmingly defeated at the polls. Backers of the tax-increase proposal said the additional money was needed to cover a $3 million annual shortfall. They said Warren already has trimmed $2 million in costs. “If you really want to help your children,†Martin said, “I don’t think it’s too much to ask parents to pay the pro rata share of the cost.†Reflecting on Martin’s concept a few days after the meeting, District 121 board President John Anderson said several student fees are already in place. He said he was unsure about the merits of the $750 per-student charge Martin suggested. |
This is an interesting idea. It is truly unfair for everyone to pay for a service that all children do not benefit from. If the parents do have to pay a fee, then they will certainly become more intuned with how well the school is teaching their child. They will demand value comensorate with the expense. They will also quickly learn the value provided is well below the level they expect and will demand accountability.
Parents only need to look at the tax bill they just received in the mail to see that they are already paying a hefty fee to the schools. This fee is much higher than the $750 proposed. Parents should already demand accountability and value from their schools and yet the overwhelming majority are complacent and uninformed about the true state of our schools. More funding is not the issue, the schools have plenty of money. They just spend it on the bureaucracy instead of properly educating the children.
Parents at Warren and every other school around this state and country need to demand accountability. They need to demand that each child be funded equally no matter what school they choose. They need to demand that money stop flowing unabated to a system that is bloated, self serving and failing to educate our children properly. It is time to demand the state FUND THE CHILD and not the system.
