"Knock, knock."
" Who's there?"
"Your public school. We're taking your money. "
Public schools are starting to charge families for extracurricular activities as well as the regular classes. Public schools are charging for basic services, such as classes and bus rides to make up for their low budget. Extracurricular activates such as track and band also have high fees.
This comes at a time when schools need to cut education funding because revenue has plunged, so says the federal data. Schools in many districts have been cutting classes for the gifted and the struggling. In a high school in Medina, Ohio, academic classes such as Earth Sciences and Spanish I are charging kids for enrolling.
Our school, while not as extreme as in Medina, has increased prices as well. Lunches and snacks cost more now than last year, with less options available. For more information on the rising costs of education, go here.
By Matt Reed & Andrew Lofgren
I understand the need and that these are tough times. In my opinion, if it's a matter of having to pay for such activities or losing them altogether, I'm for paying them, unless a program is extremely unpopular, then it seems like more of weight on the school, the students, and their families.
ReplyDeleteI believe in charging money for some things but to charge someone just to go to class makes it seem like there turning into private schools.
ReplyDeleteGuess money does mean everything. Even making a future for yourself through knowledge.
ReplyDeleteI understand that schools can't run these programs without money that they don't have, however i don't think that gives them the right to buy useless things instead of money for classes, lunches, etc. (referring to our school). But if they want to be in the extra activities then you should have to pay the prices
ReplyDeleteI wish that we could take the money that we used for TV's in the cafeteria and the front desk at our school and used that for things like maybe a cheaper lunch or more healthy options. Just my opinion. And I think that schools who are struggling should hold more fundraisers to raise more funds for school. Maybe a hat day where people pay a dollar to wear their hat and other fun fundraisers. Nothing happens until someone makes it happen. Extra curricular activities are my life, and if I had to give them up, I wouldn't know what to do. Extra circulars can help you get a job and get into a good college. But, again, if we are low on money, we should try to do things like fundraisers before we have to give up things like extra curricular activities because we can't afford to do them.
ReplyDelete