Re: OT: New Vent - was Just need to vent

On 10/26/05 5:12 PM, in article 3sa9c3Fn96umU1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Dianne
Lewandowski" <dianne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I hear everything you wrote. Okay, maybe a bake sale or a yard sale
> won't cover it.
>
> My question remains, however. How have we managed to get in the
> predicament that our children need to go out begging/selling, (and I
> doubt your profit numbers from what I've read in the past) to make ends
> meet.

Unlike you, I am "on the inside" in both GS and the PTA - and reviewed the
last two years fundraisers selections as part of that committee in the PTA.
I have the raw numbers for my troop profits on the current sale. On average,
each item costs the final buyer $7 and my troop nets $4. On cookies, we get
$2 per box; a girl depending on her sales gets at least 10 cents a box
credit to pay for uniforms or summer camp.
Now - out that profit, a one night stay at a GS approved campground for my
troop of 15 is $100, and food is another $200 or more. Patches, pins and
badges are expensive; an average trip to the council store for awards runs
to $150 or more. (just Brownie pins alone will be 1.35 for each one. I made
the tabs myself to save the troop money, badges are $1.25 each) More than a
few of my parents are in tough straits.
>
> What has happened at the school level that we can no longer purchase
> these things using adult resources. Or, tax resources. If these are
> essentials, why aren't they in the budget? I mean, we use to have these
> things without kids going out selling.

Frankly, I think my school system wastes millions every year. There is no
need for 15 speech therapists for 6 schools (one kindergarten, 3 elementary,
one middle, one high). Or 10 English as a Second Language teachers (this is
not a town that has a huge number of immigrants, they can't afford and
frankly I don't know how much longer I can either.) One of these $50K a year
teachers has hall monitor duty; not exactly a job that requires a masters
degree. ( I know who this one is and I sub at the high school). I have the
new line item budget; I could go on for hours. The gifted and talented
program has been cut; ditto the AP program and vocational classes. But we
do have a "state of the art" computer system, 8 IT professionals and school
webpages that got hacked two days ago and got a worm that shut the whole
thing down for a week. You would be sickened - very little of the school
budget goes to actually teaching students.

BUT - I have to pay out pocket for workbooks and the "independent reading"
books (old name - assigned reading list). The PTA buys the playground
equipment at the elementary schools. The few texts DS has are ancient (over
10 years old in the case of his science book) and worn, mended and written
in - sometimes obscenely.
>
> Now, I did do some selling. Seeds in the 5th grade. Stationary in the
> 9th grade. Magazines in the 11th grade. So yes, I know that selling
> has always been with us. I remember selling girl scout cookies every
> year. God, I really hated doing all that begging as I was growing up.
> Maybe that's part of my angst. <g>
I loved selling cookies and calendars. I do pick and choose which
fundraisers I support and which ones DD or DS goes out door to door to
support. Scouting is first, next is school programs, last is sports.
>
> It just seems to be worse these days.

You are right there. But I don't see the same evil you do.

Cheryl

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: OT: New Vent - was Just need to vent
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