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Posted on Friday 25 May 2007 at 2:06 PM in Homeschooling - Post Comment

Not really free.

This discussion about school fees started on one of the groups I'm on so I thought I would take it here too. All my friends and relatives that have children have them in public schools. When I talk to them about school I find it amazing how EXPENSIVE public school actually is.  I just recently found out that the public schools around here charge rental fees for school books. Around $150 a year in some schools! I don't ever remember paying anything like that when I was in public school. Where is my tax money going anyway??  I did have to pay for my books in college, but I could also sell them back to the used book store when I was finished. I've heard that some schools even accept Visa and Master Card. Can you believe it? I never rode the bus as a kid, but I hear now some schools charge the kids to ride to school....I've heard this is as high as $150 a year. Add to that the laundry list of school supplies that include zip lock bags, paper towels, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, liquid soap...in some cases specifying specific brands (only get Crayola Crayons, Elmer's Glue, Fischer Safety Scissors). We can't forget the school pictures which from what I hear now are taken in the fall...and again in the spring. There are lunches, field trips, yearbooks, snacks, book sales and who knows what else. 

My pockets are empty just thinking about it.  Good grief...it's actually cheaper to homeschool!!

Some interesting related articles/links I found...especially the first one:

http://www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5592024
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070523/News01/70523041
http://www.duneland.k12.in.us/news/registration.html
http://wl.k12.in.us/co/documents/2006-07BookRentalELEM.pdf

Untitled Comment

Posted by gokings13 on Friday 25 May 2007 at 2:36 PM - Link

AMEN.
Had 3 kids in PS for years, and between book rental (RENTAL), back to school supplies for my kids AND THEIR CLASSROOMS (klenex, dry erase markers, dry erasers, chalk, zip lock bags, stickers etc.) School lunches that are completely void of any nutritional value, field trip money, buy this or buy that fundraising money, book fair money, buy a ton of junk around christmas time for your family money, and oh yeah......late fees on the library books (that are 2X the public libraries)
((Not to mention, if you are one to "keep up with the Jones' in the fashion department))

Yeah, it's much cheaper to home school.

I have a good idea where my tax dollars are going, and I am pretty sure God doesn't approve.

Laura

Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous on Sunday 27 May 2007 at 9:11 AM - Link

I've not heard of anything like that around here. EGADS it would become cheaper to homeschool if the PS starts charging for everything.

Cynthia from SHS

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