Public school fees cost parents while Tories fund private system
Parents pay $180 for kids to stay at school over lunch break
EDMONTON – Public school fees would be less if the Stelmach government stopped funding private schools, NDP education critic Rachel Notley said today.
Budget 2010-11 shows $171 million being used to subsidize private schools.
“Public school parents are being forced to pay significant fees because the PC government is propping up private schools and underfunding public schools,” Notley said.
“Some parents pay $180 a year so kids can stay at school over the lunch break. They’re forced to buy things like Kleenex, Ziploc bags and red pens – items schools provided in the past.”
Notley has released lists of school fees from public schools in Edmonton and Lethbridge as examples.
“Parents are being forced to buy Flash drives and dictionaries so private school fees can be reduced. Attending a private school is a choice; public dollars should not be used to reduce the cost.”
Notley said the Stelmach government doesn’t truly value public education.
“If they did, parents would not face the stress of costly fees as the school year begins; class sizes would be smaller and schools wouldn’t be closing.”
What if a parent can't afford school fees due to, for example, support payments not being made? It is humiliating for a child to be told they can't do this or that until fees are paid - or, in the case of high school students, they can't buy gradware (sweats) with their own money until fees are paid. Neither can they apparently walk across the stage to graduate. If others have money, and another family doesn't, it discriminates against those less wealthy, penalizes those students whose parents can't pay. How many are discouraged from completing school, give up, feel less than? There is a haughty, demeaning attitude by some employees at school that is also dismissive and undermining. What if a parent can't pay? A notice is sent home stating a tax collection agency will be sent after them - not the husband who owes support, but the custodial parent. It is a nightmare for those who are so stressed they can barely cope, nevermind pay.
A Berry
hht@hotmail.coom
Airdrie
I just got the invoice for my one daughter who is in highschool. It was $223! Here's how they broke it down:
French $10
CALM $10
Mechanices $35
CF Foods $35
General Fee $128
Locker Rental $5
She never requested Foods or Mechanics as an option and was thrown in there and we're responsible for fees we never signed up for. Nice education system Alberta!
I can’t stand public funding of religious schools in this province. It is discriminatory, wasteful, and divisive.
One public system for all students. I think home-schooling and private schools should be outlawed as well.
You all knock the NDP, but if you would actually do your research you would find balanced budgets, funded school systems, paid for health care as well as much needed other programs and all done for you "the people" by the NDP. Most of you don't do your research and you have the bad habbit of opening your big mouth before you think. Do not knock something you know nothing about and are not even willing to listen to or give a chance to.
Get the book from the library and make sure you read it " The Making of a Socialist" . after you read the book you may have to change your mind and realize your not the smartest thing on the face of the earth.
I don't know Ms. Notley but I would think that if she thought the issue of funding private schools through carefully then she would realize her comments were totally illogical.
Ms. Notley fails to realize that although we are sending our children to private schools, we still have to pay tuition. Yes, to send our children to this school is our choice. However, it is NOT our choice for our tax dollars to go the public school, which we do not use. We don't have any say in that. The public system sees all of my tax dollars and yet does not see my children. what would happen if all these private schools would send their children to the public schools? They would then be in more trouble, because although they would not get much more money, they would see a huge influx of children. How would Ms. Notley pay for that ? Parents would surely have to buy MORE than kleenexes, ziploc bags and red pens. I wonder if she has thought through this idea, or if she just doesn't "approve" of private schools and is choosing this as her newest "shoot from the hip--Jack Layton style NDP platform?
I'm appalled at the idea of private schools costing more money?? Are you serious?? If every child would attend public it would cost millions just to build new schools, let alone the cost of their public education. Hey I pay taxes for the public system and don't use it.
Honestly, I am thankful the NDP is a tiny tiny party with hardly any votes and will NEVER make it anywhere in ablerta!! Especially with statements like this!! Next time before you say something, maybe loook at the facts first!!!!
[6] PUBLIC school system should focus on basic education and should not try to compete with private schools.
I would like to elaborate on this.
If public school is out of funds then why are they trying to compete with schools that are religious, cultural, and linguistic?
They should concentrate on basics and let the private schools handle bells and whistles.
Private schools do the job with 60% of the Public school money.
Did you ever wonder why?
We pay our staff 60%.
90% of the public school funding goes to pay the employees!
65% of the 60% that Private Schools get goes to salaries.
10%-70% is raised from the parents so Private schools can make ends meet.
NDP ideas are a failure for emerging economies, established economies and booming economies.
NDP aka Communism, ONLY works when peole are starving and economy is dead.
AFTER that they have no ideas or policies.
I have seen that in Manitoba, BC and Sask over the last 40 years.
I think time has come that even 2 NDP MLA's are too many and a waste of taxpayers' money.
I know that if I could tick where my taxes would go- believe me it would not be to a party that is a dinosaur iin my province.
I mean what is the use of this wastage on two people who can't even come up with a good idea?
Proof of a good idea is when people vote for you.
LMAO!
NDP has the facts that a two year old would back up.
180 million to private schools means that if the private school were shut down and all of the private school children went to public school then PUBLIC school funding will have to go up at least 300 million. DUHHHH!
Then [1] public schools will be shor more money.
[2] Public school monopoly willbe biger and they wont be pushed to work harder.
[3] Minority taxpayers' money goes to public school tax base anyway BUT they wont be able to have their culture.
[4] In a free enterprise system we will have a communist system.
[5] NOW there are schools in Public school system which all can't go.
[6] PUBLIC school system should focus on basic education and should not try to compete with private schools.
J S SINGH
My taxes go to fund the Public School system even though it miserably failed my child. I was able to afford 2 years in a Private school and those were the only years that he not only learned, but absolutely thrived. I'm NOT a rich person, I wouldn't even qualify as middle class, but if I could have continued working two jobs, I would have. The Teachers in the school my son went to were not paid by the Government, (tuition fees covered their salaries) so I fail to see how it was a detriment to the Public System. The "one size fits all" system that the current Public arena offers does NOT workfor all children. People choose to go outside to save their children's education, not elevate themselves above others.
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