Topic : 11/24 Great School Debate

You should go take a tax class and maybe you would not have such a crazy idea of how it all works.  If you go to work everyday for very little money in return and then pay someone to care for your children, then you (in my opinion) are wasting money and time.  At the end of it, you put very little in your pocket and I just don't think it's worth it.  I could go to work for someone and earn good money but to me, it's still not worth it.  Not everyone feels the same way and that's okay.  Still - Income tax is a tax on INCOME.  If a stay at home Mom has no income then why should she pay tax?  Her husband sure does!  If you and your husband together make the same as my husband alone does and each family has two children then we pay the same tax - it's based on income!  My family gets a bigger deduction if I own a home and you don't.  But money going into the "system" comes from STATE taxes - IF, we are discussing the funding of government education (which I pay into as well).

And I think women who DON'T stay home should be given an extra incentive to do so! 

A private school has a reason to pick the best curriculum possible.  The reason is to stay in business.  A government school doesn't have to worry so much about keeping it's doors open.  And do you even know how curriculum is selected?  One would assume that because it is teachers who teach that they would know which curriculum is best, which one works which one is nothing more than just *fluff*.  Would you be bothered if you knew that in most systems, it is NOT the teachers who choose the curriculum?  Would it bother you to know that a government school might select it's curriculum based on the fact that a friend of one of the board members suggested that it's the best curriculum and that friend just happened to be the one who owns the company who published said curriculum?  Would that bother you or would you still assume that the school has picked what's best?  Why in the world would you think that because it's selected by "county, city or government" that it is the best?  Is it because those folks calling themselves board members know so much about curriculum?  That is hardly the case in most school systems in my state.  And what recourse do you have if something "happens" because of the curriculum choosen in the public school??? 

Most homeschoolers (My good friend included) do not earn a check therefore no money is going into the system. 

Where do you get these statistics?  You may know this about your good friend but, most homeschoolers? 

 Yes her husband works but being that she stays home and has 3 kids his income is not taxed as heavily as my husbands with me working. This is common knowledge. 

How is your and your friends income tax common knowledge?

 Also, do you work and earn a check?   

Checks have no value,  do you mean income?  Of course I have income, but that has little to nothing to do with school taxes.

It's great the library and other services are available to your family although the percentage paid in is probably less that most "wealthy". 

Are you implying that you know my income or property tax situation?  Where did you get that? 

 I suspect most homeschool Moms do own homes due to the fact their husbands make enough to pay for that.  How many of those Moms actually have a job that earns a check? 

Does that make a difference?  If someone owns a home and pays property taxes, they are paying into the system.  Where the money comes from is irrelavant.

 We all work, I agree.  Not all of us earn a check.  My husband and I are I guess what they call the "working poor"- two incomes and just barely getting by. 

You previously claimed to have 200k in equity, that is hardly working poor. 

No, we do not have college degrees but compared to those who do we are all in the same boat. 

??

It's nice to know the ONE public system I pay for I can actually use. 

Do you not use public roads, parks, libraries, police, fire dept. etc.?  I think it would be  difficult to live in the States and not use public systems.  And why would you avoid others?

I believe we ALL benefit from an educated society. 

I pay governement taxes and state taxes (from my paycheck, earned while away from my kids) so I think I should be entitled to utilize those if I were so inclined. 

I also pay federal, state and local income tax, as well as property tax, and sales tax.  Why do you suggest homeschool parents don't do this?  It would be pretty much impossible to not pay taxes in the States.  Is your issue with the amount of taxes or the orgin of the income? 

I don't think that if a woman stays home (for whatever reason) she deserves some extra incentive to do so. 

What incentive are you talking about? 

LOL!! For someone who puts prostitution above receiving welfare you sure are on a high horse.  I grew up on welfare. My mom felt "entitled" to take care of her kids first and foremost  - even if that meant accepting welfare. I'm sure I would have turned out better if she would have been out having sex for money... sheesh - what a joke!

Sadly, someday something will happen in your perfect bubble and you will see everything isn't black and white. Not the welfare system and not the school system.

I have to wonder about your arrogance - I  haven't been that full of myself since I was a teenager..since then I've been humbled - thankfully.

It is obvious that you think you are the perfect model of how EVERYONE should live, earn and EDUCATE. Putting your puffed up pride above your children's best interest doesn't make you a good parent and certainly not a moral compass.

Since you most likely do not celebrate this Holiday maybe you don't understand that my time is better spent elsewhere than on the computer.

Do you spend your time more wisely during your holiday?  I thought you were a christian, why do you celebrate a pagan holiday anyway? 

There are many things my hubby and I can't afford even with two incomes.  We'd like a bigger house, with a yard.  We'd like a newer car that needs less repair.  We'd like to have more in savings and more put away for retirement.   However, we realize what we have and are grateful so we continue working towards a better life for our family.  WORKING is the key. 

II'll give you a tip... investing is the key, not working.  As someone else suggested, you may want to take a personal finance/ tax planning course or at least read some books to educate yourself on the topic. 

"but the kids who are on welfare didn't choose it and they do deserve to eat and have shelter "

I agree witih this 100%...and shouldn't the people who bring them into the world do this? 

The problem is that not all parents do provide the very basics for their children.  Do you think the rest of society should not try to provide for them at all?  Is this an attitude of survival of the fittest or something? 

Our school's discipline policy considers "disrespecting" another student a level 1 offense.  Disrespecting any adult in the school is a level 2. The adults are the ones who can handle it  so I can't understand why that is a more serious offense. Seems to me like they are sending these kids the message that they aren't as important as adults and don't deserve the same level of respect.

I'm so sorry you had to go through that WW.  It was like that when I was in gov. school too and I doubt that has changed.  I also saw a lot of bullying done by teachers.