As budget cuts force school districts around the country to juggle financial priorities, parents are stepping up to fill in the gaps.  But where bake sales and silent auctions used to be standard practice for raising cash for field trips and other non-essentials, fund raising these days has become something else entirely.  Instead of pitching in for extras, some parents are being asked to dig even deeper and help pay for the most basic of school-related expenses.  Like teacher salaries and program costs.

In Cupertino, California, where the district is facing a $7.3 million budget shortfall next year, parents have rallied to try to raise enough cash to save 110 teacher jobs. In addition to hitting up local businesses, they have raised $1.6 million of the $2 million needed by asking every household in the community to donate $375.

Similar scenarios are playing out across the country with varying degrees of success.  But Chuck Saylors, president of the National PTA, says that parents shouldn’t even be trying to plug up the holes in our school’s budgets.   Instead, he urges us to hold officials accountable for what’s happening.

At a time when many families are struggling with their own budget shortfalls, $375 is a lot to ask.  In fact, Dan Domenech, executive director of the American Association of School Administrators, say for many families it’s impossible.  He discourages such efforts and warns that this type of fund raising is not only unsustainable, but will serve to further widen the gap between the haves and the have-nots.

He may be right on both counts, but to blame fund raising parents for the widening gap between poor and affluent schools in unfair. I’ve yet to be approached to help fund any of my child’s school programs but I suspect it is coming.  And if it does, I will do what I can to help ensure she gets the best education possible in these difficult times.  What about you?  What’s happening in your child’s school.

Image: infomatique/Flickr

More from this author:

Parents Hate School Lunches Too

Study: Why Kids Take Risks

Do Single Moms Raise Their Daughters to Be Single?

Should Corporal Punishment in Schools Be Banned?

Teen Drivers: Surprising Statistics

Tweet

0

Pin It

Go Back To Strollerderby

0 Comments

Add your take:

Note: Babble is a supportive, diverse community. We encourage a range of opinions,
but any unduly hostile comments will be removed.