When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

[tinapbeana]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

Oh yes, the taxation without representation part... They managed to dodge around that minor detail by saying only taxes that are raised more than 7% need to be voted on by the people. So the schools simply keep it below 7% every year!

perhaps you could argue that taxes should only be able to be raised at the rate of inflation without a vote? that would still allow 2-3% increase per year, but that's definitely better than the current situation...

[SuzeOFan]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

tpbeana:

perhaps you could argue that taxes should only be able to be raised at the rate of inflation without a vote? that would still allow 2-3% increase per year, but that's definitely better than the current situation...

That's not a bad idea tpbeana. The problem is I would still bawk at any kind of *automatic* tax increases. Even cost of living tax increases. My husband works for a skin-flint insurance company that doesn't believe in cost of living raises. He didn't get his this year...why should they? I would want the schools to prove their need first.

[SOAPPRO]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

I have a problem with no accountabilty from the school districts or the teachers. The students are used a pawns for the school system, and the NEA, to rake in money. we are constantly told that if we have some more money then we could teach the kids. In our school system we are a small town, we have 1 superintendent to the tune of $140,000.00, 2. assistant superintendents for $110,000.00 each 3. 7 principals for $80,000.00 each 4. Head of maintenance and custodians for another $80,000.00 and head of food and bus drivers for $80,000.00. Thats approx. 1 million eighty thousand. before any students a taught a single thing. that does not include the teachers salary for 9 months work, not including all federal 3 day weekends off, and spring breaks, and also their 4 weeks paid vacation. We as voters are complete morons to countinue to give the districts money just because they make us to feel like we dont want kids educated if we dont give in to every tax increse put before us. Show us you can teach the kids with what you have then I will see if you need the money.

[SuzeOFan]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

SOAPPRO:

I have a problem with no accountabilty from the school districts or the teachers. The students are used a pawns for the school system, and the NEA, to rake in money. we are constantly told that if we have some more money then we could teach the kids. In our school system we are a small town, we have 1 superintendent to the tune of $140,000.00, 2. assistant superintendents for $110,000.00 each 3. 7 principals for $80,000.00 each 4. Head of maintenance and custodians for another $80,000.00 and head of food and bus drivers for $80,000.00. Thats approx. 1 million eighty thousand. before any students a taught a single thing. that does not include the teachers salary for 9 months work, not including all federal 3 day weekends off, and spring breaks, and also their 4 weeks paid vacation. We as voters are complete morons to countinue to give the districts money just because they make us to feel like we dont want kids educated if we dont give in to every tax increse put before us. Show us you can teach the kids with what you have then I will see if you need the money.

Accountability is what it's all about isn't it?

[bjl584]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

There are no school taxes where I live in West Virginia.

[Cheetahwoman7]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

that does not include the teachers salary for 9 months work, not including all federal 3 day weekends off, and spring breaks, and also their 4 weeks paid vacation.

FYI, teachers do NOT get paid for any time they don't work. I don't know where on Earth you get that four weeks of paid vacation. Teachers earn NO paid time off but the 10 days a year sick leave. Many teachers will have their 9 month income spread out over the 12 months of a year to have an "average" amount paid to them each month. In addtion to that, teachers are paid one month behind the time that they work.

Here's an example: when I first started at the school I'm currently at, it was the middle of August. Because I was a new teacher, I had to wait for the pay for that month, which happened to be at the end of October!!! Teachers, at least here, are paid a month behind....know of any other job that keeps a month of your pay on hold like that? I know what the district is doing. They're floating teacher pay so that they can earn just a wee bit more interest off of it before they have to pay the $$ out. If I was to leave today, I would have to actually wait until the beginning of January to get my final pay ( our October cut off for pay is on the 10th), as teachers aren't paid in December . That one, I don't know the reason why.

Also, if you had to teach, mentor, counsel, oversee, discipline, etc. 32 pre-pubescent students 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, not to mention take home all of their work to GRADE and hold your PEE untill your bladder crys because you can't leave the classroom unattended, you would realize that teachers NEED that summer break, those three day weekends and any other PERKS you think we get!

CJ

[tabbycat31]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

FWIW if my local public school had religious principles to it (and I were a parent) I would pack up and move very fast.

And without causing that much of a debate, I don't associate morality with religion at all. I consider myself a very moral person, however I will only set foot inside of a church if I am attending a wedding or funeral. I play by the rules and I don't cause harm to anyone else. If a parent wants a child to learn the religion, that education is up to the parents, church, and religious (private) school. Not a public school.

I think part of raising kids into being competent adults is to teach them how to think freely. Organized religion is just the opposite of that.

And school taxes have some pork in it, but so does every other tax system (look at some of the federal pork barrell projects such as the "bridge to nowhere")

[SuzeOFan]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

Cheetahwoman:

FYI, teachers do NOT get paid for any time they don't work. I don't know where on Earth you get that four weeks of paid vacation. Teachers earn NO paid time off but the 10 days a year sick leave. Many teachers will have their 9 month income spread out over the 12 months of a year to have an "average" amount paid to them each month. In addtion to that, teachers are paid one month behind the time that they work.

CJ - I'm so glad we have you here to give us the true picture. Most of us have no idea! ...feeling so much more sympathetic!


tabbycat:

FWIW if my local public school had religious principles to it (and I were a parent) I would pack up and move very fast. And without causing that much of a debate, I don't associate morality with religion at all. I consider myself a very moral person, however I will only set foot inside of a church if I am attending a wedding or funeral. I play by the rules and I don't cause harm to anyone else. If a parent wants a child to learn the religion, that education is up to the parents, church, and religious (private) school. Not a public school.

Just as I (who am not a teacher) admit my ignorance to the lives and sufferings of teachers... there is just as much ignorance (maybe more) and irrational bias against God to those who don't practice any kind of religion.

I don't associate morality with religion at all. I consider myself a very moral person,

Yes, but WHO's morality?

What rules do you follow for yourself?

You had to borrow it from somewhere. You just didn't think it up for yourself in a vacuum. Some positive influence must have influenced you in your life and you saw that it was good. And if you look deep enough, you will find that it was someone of faith who believed in God...

Do you think civilization and morals just spring up by themself?

For example: What were the Incas doing before christians came along and enlightened them? They were murdering each other and committing horrible human sacrifices on themselves, their enemies and their children to their sun gods...for good crops and things like that.

How about cannibals? Only through christian influence through missionary work did they cease their terrible ways. Druids the same. Human sacrifice and occult before St. Patrick showed them a better way....

You could find example after example of christian influence throughout history that without it... we be nothing but barbarians murdering and eating one another....

We take so much for granted. All our laws in this country, our personal conduct and decorum - everything that makes us so called *civilized* can all be credited back to what?....our caveman days? To christianity and even Judiasm. (although I believe judiasm is more of a closed society that doesn't attempt to convert others.)

That's not to say christians haven't done bad things in the name of their religion. But that is due to human error - not christian beliefs.

I think part of raising kids into being competent adults is to teach them how to think freely. Organized religion is just the opposite of that.

I'm sorry, but that is so totally untrue. As far as *free-thinking* goes. A true christian faith does not take away our ability to think freely. It's there to guide us in our thinking. We are absolutely free to question our faith ....and even encouraged to do so!

It comes down to this; are all servants to something or someone.

The question you need to ask yourself is 'who is your master?'

[SuzeOFan]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

Sorry, I think it was the Aztecs, not the Incas I was referring to - although I don't know enough about the Incas, I think they also did these things.

If left to themselves, most if not all primitive cultures were violent and murderous.
The Hawaiians, the Romans, the Chinese, the Turks, etc. etc. etc.

That is what you get without the influence of Judeo/christianity.

History and the present times ....are my witness.

[SOAPPRO]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

[Also, if you had to teach, mentor, counsel, oversee, discipline, etc. 32 pre-pubescent students 7 hours a day, 5 days a week, not to mention take home all of their work to GRADE and hold your PEE untill your bladder crys because you can't leave the classroom unattended, you would realize that teachers NEED that summer break, those three day weekends and any other PERKS you think we get!]

As far as the 7 hours teachers work a day you have a lunch hour in that 7 hours as well as most disticts allow 1 hour during the day for grading papers as well as going over lesson plans. If the teachers choose to use that time for relaxing and taking breaks. That is 5 to 51/2 hours fo actual class time. I dont feel sorry that they have to grade at home. I worked in the school system for years and have seen first hand the wasted time that goes on. as far as having your pay spread out over 12 months you a still making the money in 9 months that most people make in 12 months so I dont feel bad because you have to spread your 9 month income over 12 months like everyone else in the community. Also many teachers work full time jobs during the summer to inhance there income and take away jobs from people would dont have any other form of income.

[SuzeOFan]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

Wow - is this topic spawning alot of undesirable side topics or what?!

I'm guilty too - but lets try to keep this thread on topic which is: unfair taxation without representation by the schools on property.

Lets try to avoid accusations and stuff like that. Everyone has their side to tell. And school systems are different in each state.

If you don't have taxation by schools in your area - that's great - but that doesn't mean it couldn't happen to you... especially if other states are doing it.

Money tends to speak the loudest to lawmakers and politicians who consequently make alot of bad decisions ...

[tabbycat31]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

Suze fan, you have your morality and I have mine. Let's leave it at that. Please do not use this thread to preach Christianity to me because I am NOT one that you want to preach to. I went to church as a kid, and I did not like it. I also grew up across the street from a church with no parking lot, and we had a lot of people block our driveway, and if we called the cops on them (illegal to block someone's driveway) we heard their "well you should be in church anyways" speech one too many times. What was being taught was not in line with my beliefs, especially about the roles of women.

The rules I live by are the federal, state, and local rules. I have yet to be arrested, and I don't intend on it.

One thing that Christians preach against is living together before marriage. I view that in a completely different light. You wouldnt buy a car without taking it for a test drive. I view living together before marriage as taking it for a test drive. I also know of several couples who lived together (before they intended on getting married) and wound up breaking up because they were not compatible living together. I'd rather see a breakup like that than a messy divorce.

There's a couple political issues that I could get into that are associated with conservative Christians that I don't believe in, but I'd rather not in this thread. Also keep in mind that religion is the cause of many wars in this world. IF people would respect each other's beliefs, then many of the world's wars could have been prevented.

[SuzeOFan]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

tabbycat31: I'm not preaching to you - just stating the facts of history.

About living together before marriage, we've already covered that in another thread. You can read this very factual study done on cohabitation vs marriage but especially on impact it has for children:

http://www.vifamily.ca/library/cft/cohabitation.html

Just a side note: comparing taking a car for a test drive to living together before marriage. Sorry but that's gotta be the dumbest excuse for living together I've ever heard! A car can't get you pregnant. And theres' a far greater price to pay in emotional, moral and financial cost in living together than just window shopping or dear ...

Also keep in mind that religion is the cause of many wars in this world

Another popular myth.

Unless the religion is itself evil. It's evil and injustice that causes war. Not religion.

[tabbycat31]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

well it's obvious that we have very different opinions on religion. I am not Christian, and I havent considered myself one since 2nd grade (where I was shunned in church for having 2 working parents, and made fun of for having a career ambition of something other than wife or mother).

I will live my life and you will live yours. I just hope that my kids (if I ever have any) don't go to school near where you live.

[SuzeOFan]

Re: When did schools become our 'taxmasters'

"Most people go not by argument, but by sympathies."

John Henry Neumann