Remind me how to respond when someone says I'm taking money away

[WTMindy]

Well, I wouldn't engage in that personally. However, you can just say, "Nope, I'm paying my taxes just like everyone else. Somebody's getting a good education from my money." End of discussion.

[clarkacademy]

I think just for some laughs, every homeschooler should go enroll their kid. We should make a date and show up at public schools and enroll them all on a certain date. News reports would go crazy then we would all be accused of costing the state more money!!

[G5052]

Where I live, they are paid by the average headcount over a certain period, so yes, I am taking away their $$$, but the argument really doesn't fly. They receive the $$$ for the number of students they are educating from the tax pool that I pay into. Why should they receive any more than that?

 

We used to have a school census, so they received the $$$ for homeschooled and private school kids, but the state got smart and decided to save the money spent on the census and make the funding reflect the actual need. ;)

 

I don't argue this type of thing anyway. I homeschool because I choose to, period.

[angela in ohio]

There are three ways to argue this:

 

1.) The "pot" of money is the same no matter what, so though your local distrcit isn't getting money for your specific kiddos, the amount per pupil is higher because the state isn't spending anything on your dc. So every district is getting more. As long as the number of homeschoolers is roughly equal among school districts (it isn't, there are generally less homeschoolers in urban districts, but he likely doesn't know that,) it comes out even. The same principal would work on a national level, too, in general.

 

2.) They don't get money for your students, but they also don't have to pay to educate them. The economic principal of economies of scale tells us that whether having a few more students costs much more or not will depend on where the school is at in terms of building capacity, class size, etc. For example, in a crowded school district bursting at the seams, your students being gone may help them not have to build another school or open another class.

 

3.) There are more important factors than how much money a school district has. That makes little difference in the school's results. The more important factors are parents' SES and education level for the student body.

[Murphy101]

I really don't care if it is and quite frankly wish they would quit taking money from my family.:D

[ScoutTN]

My in laws are die-hard ps people and cannot be convinced. I either pass the bean dip or go all out into an argument. No easy roads. ;)

 

The assumption underlying the question - that we have a moral responsibility to support a system which is is already grossly over-funded, corrupt, wasteful, often dangerous/unhealthy and and doesn't in fact educate well (if at all in some cases) - is invalid and should be challenged.

 

We do have a legal responsibility and we fulfill that by paying taxes.

 

As others have pointed out, the actual premise of the question is also invalid. Adding more children to the system does not strengthen it.

 

IMO, the system is fundamentally flawed and beyond salvage barring catastrophic cultural and political shifts. Why would damage my children by subjecting them to it?

[Mynyel]

from public schools by keeping my kids at home. I know passing the bean dip is in order - I'm not upset or feeling defensive, just wondering how to best represent the homeschool side of the debate.

 

My parents were just here for the weekend, and we had a lovely time. However, my dad just could not resist sharing how he really nettled another homeschooler by telling him that by keeping his 5 children at home, he's keeping their local public school from receiving about $13K which would allow them to hire 2 more teachers (which it would not but that is not the point). He lives in Michigan, which has a very strong teacher's union, and my parents always were and still are huge advocates of public school. He says that instead of homeschooling, parents should be working in the system to improve it.

 

I don't actually care if the schools get less money because I don't send my children, but that's probably not a helpful thing to say. I didn't argue with him on this (score one for me and my self-control :lol:) but I would love to be able to discuss this intelligently. You can point me towards books/articles if you want.

 

 

Oh for the love of Pete! *Insert eye roll* Keeping kids home isn't taking money away from school. Mercy upon me. Some schools get money based on attendance. If my kids aren't going then there isn't money needed to spend on them so the school doesn't need it for my kid.

 

Really? Are people really so... well "dumb" (not really meaning dumb but they just don't think!) to figure it out? (Also not saying your parents are dumb either!)

 

I wouldn't even begin to know where to find a resource. Schools seem to be a bit mum on what actually happens with money. I would like to the see balance sheets for schools. Bet people would quit saying they needed more money if they actually saw where it goes... :glare:

[mcconnellboys]

You're still paying tax money that goes to schools, whether your children attend or not.

 

Most of the money that "goes" to schools is wasted, anyway, and never actually gets "to" the school.

 

Average dollars spent on U.S. children is about $9000-10,000 per year now and yet no advances in test scores have been made. The money doesn't do a thing, so it really doesn't matter whether there is more of it....

[kalanamak]

from public schools by keeping my kids at home. I know passing the bean dip is in order - I'm not upset or feeling defensive, just wondering how to best represent the homeschool side of the debate.

 

My parents were just here for the weekend, and we had a lovely time. However, my dad just could not resist sharing how he really nettled another homeschooler by telling him that by keeping his 5 children at home, he's keeping their local public school from receiving about $13K which would allow them to hire 2 more teachers (which it would not but that is not the point). He lives in Michigan, which has a very strong teacher's union, and my parents always were and still are huge advocates of public school.

 

I've never met these "advocates of public school". For most people, they just "are" like February. However, if he is such a big advocate, why is his little local one so important? In the long run, you save the whole population money. And then I might ask what he gained by nettling someone. "I thought you were more of a gentleman than that." Might make him sit back on his heels and think a minute.

[FloridaLisa]

Well, it's a fallacy isn't it, to assume that if 1000s of homeschoolers and private schoolers suddenly enrolled in public school that hundreds of thousands of dollars would appear in the budget. :confused: As others have the said, the tax base and total revenue wouldn't change. Just the demand on the system. Seems to me the same pot of revenue would amount to less per student.

 

Lisa

[3lilreds in NC]

As a side note, I'm surprised your dad even said that to you. Does he support your hsing? Is he normally so socially inept? :)

 

:lol: In fact, he does not support my homeschooling, or anyone else's, for that matter. He didn't have this particular conversation with me; he was talking to another guy who is taking volunteer firefighter training with him, I believe. I am guessing this guy had not experienced my dad's particular... Charm, shall we say, before and my mom said he was pretty upset.

 

I am guessing that my dad told us this stuff so we could hear his latest round of reasons not to homeschool. A couple of years ago, he told me I was denying my kids essential life experiences by not sending them to public school. I told him to tell me specific areas in which he felt my kids were deficient, and we would discuss it. He told me I never want to admit when I am wrong and never will. Gee, I wonder where I get THAT from? :lol: I was livid after that argument, but I came here and my fellow boardies set me up with bean dip and readjusted my expectations, and Imstopped telling my dad anything except that my kids are fine and we are all doing fabulously well.

 

After pondering why I even want a response to his nonsense, I realized that I am probably looking to argue with him andnwish to do so intelligently. There is no point in arguing with my dad (see previous paragraph). I need to let him think what he thinks and just not participate, no matter how badly I want to try to make him say I'm right. :D

[3lilreds in NC]

I apologize for the typos! I don't have all the tricks figured out on my iPad yet.

[In2why]

I actually like the Bill Cosby response in his childrens books...."SO?"

[mandymom]

: A couple of years ago, he told me I was denying my kids essential life experiences by not sending them to public school. I told him to tell me specific areas in which he felt my kids were deficient, and we would discuss it. He told me I never want to admit when I am wrong and never will.

 

When we told my MIL that we had decided to homeschool next year, she said our kids were "too sheltered" and needed to be exposed to the "real world". When we asked her specifically what she wanted them to be exposed to, she couldn't say, just that we were going to shelter them by homeschooling them.

 

Now, my kids have all (except for the youngest) been in public school until next year. In fact, it was my MIL that was disgusted at some of the inappropriate lyrics and choreography in the kids' middle school talent show (the winners, of course). But she wants us to expose them to "real life" in public school. :lol:

[DarlaS]

:confused:

Ummm -- wouldn't they only need the money for your child if your child attended school?

 

If not, then something is surely amiss.

 

 

:iagree:

 

And since the schools often spend more than the allotment they get from the govt. per child anyway, you're saving them money.

[DarlaS]

He told me I never want to admit when I am wrong and never will. Gee, I wonder where I get THAT from? :lol:

 

Well then he knows he should just give up & just likes to argue. :glare:

 

 

I'm the same way by the way. There's a simple explanation--I'm never wrong. :D

[mom4him]

I would answer with a question.

How would me putting my children into a school system that is both inefficient, unable to control/supervise the children, give individual help to the children be giving MY children a better education? I am not responsible for the school system nor the children of other parent. I am responsible for mine.

[My3Monkeys]

Well, it's a fallacy isn't it, to assume that if 1000s of homeschoolers and private schoolers suddenly enrolled in public school that hundreds of thousands of dollars would appear in the budget. :confused: As others have the said, the tax base and total revenue wouldn't change. Just the demand on the system. Seems to me the same pot of revenue would amount to less per student.

 

Lisa

 

That's the way I look at it.

[eternalknot]

My answer to this question is easy because I live in one of the state's most wealthy school districts; our money is regularly taken and funneled to other, in-need districts. Money is already being taken away from our schools independent of whether my children attend.

 

But were that not the case, I'd have no problem appearing obtuse and simply, assertively reply that I'm okay looking out for me and mine, the school district be darned :) I can usually get away with that sort of thing though (especially with family, who are used to me being stubborn and set in my ways).

[kimnc]

I actually like the Bill Cosby response in his childrens books...."SO?"

 

:iagree:

[Shannon in TN]

"It's funny how differently school financing works from one place to another, isn't it. I actually don't mind paying all those taxes just to educate other people's children. I think that that is the right thing to do for society as a whole. Wow, is that bean dip over there? Love that old family recipe. Could you pass it to me, please? By the way, how are your irises doing this year?"

 

:lol: love it!