Seventy years of taxes on $100K home required to educate one child here
In response to a petition presented to the school board requesting school tax relief for senior citizens, superintendent Dr. Bill Truby provided a sobering statistic on the tax burden placed on Lamar County property owners to fund education locally.
We are a society, this is what societies do.
Such isolationists here in the south.
Or as Mr. Stewart put it, fox news is the "subtle altering of reality to sell a preconceived narrative."
I tell you what.... how about you or your elderly parents pay back the state/county that funded the cost of your education( if you were a public student) when you were a child and we will allow you to opt out of the portion of your property taxes that covers public school fundng . Sound fair ? Let me know who got the better deal.....
I wonder if we spent the same amount of money on math and sciences as we spend on sports would the world be a better place? Inquiring minds want to know!
Ignorance is a deadly disease....
I have spoken to immigrants who had to strive for the education they got in their home countries, and I can tell you that they envy our children here.
As to SS, I have been working for 40 years now. And paying in to SS. I'm going to take a lot more out of SS than I paid in during the almost 50 years I contributed, by the time I retire.
And there are seniors right now, getting monthly SS checks who will take more than they gave.
If I were to sit down with pencil and paper to figure out what I have paid out, what I think is due me, and what I am paying out to support people who have never contributed to society, I would drive myself nuts.
Nope, I just thank the Lord I'm an American and that I can live the way I want.
Cast your mind out to other countries and look at what you do have and be thankful.
Oh and don't bring up test scores in to this. Because if you had a brain you alreay know the answer to that!
#8, no one is a bigger fool than someone who wants to spend someone elses money. If you are proud to pay, volenteer to pay mine. I never griped about paying school tax before because I had 4 children in the system and did not mind doing my part. I have no children there now and pay more school tax than I ever have. I am now on a fixed income and every time some jerk wants more of my money I get ill, and pissed.
#1.1.1.1.--- Your Mr stewart sounds like an educated idiot that babbles.
#3.1 I do not agree the school system does a good job, but I do agree with you that most of the parents do nothing to help guide their own children, but leave it up to the G.O.V. controled schools to do everything for them. These peoople are the burdon on society by letting G.O.V. lead away from the constitution and especially the BILL OF RIGHTS. Do they even require it to be read and studied? I had to ,and thats why I cant understand putting people in office to controle me and do not know what rights are given to me as being a cicizen. I do not believe many of you have read them either due to some of the coments I read in this paper. If you have not, do so,I think you will be surprised as to it's content. Congress takes those rights away from us a little at a time, and controles the masses with taxes. I'll give you more if you put me in office. Sound familiar-yes?
#8 You said others payed for you,and we as a country offer a free education. If you did not have parents, I understand someone else footing your bill, but I have shocking news for you, IT AIN'T FREE. The money had to be taken by force from someone that earned it, and give to another that did not. Remember---NOTHING IS FREE--. The money first had to be earned by someone other than you.....
The school system has become more political than teaching. I have also payed into the school system for a long time as some of you brag about. If the system was working, Georgia would not be at the bottom of the list compared to the rest of the country.>>
I wonded why Georgia is at the bottom, and why lamar is at the bottom of Georgia. Anyone have any idea? Parents? Kids? Water? Schools? Poverty?
Like it or not, we are all interconnected. That's what an economy is.
left.
Steve the rational one----Where did you get the notion my children did not go to public schools? They did.Thats when I did not have anything negative to say.I was obligated to do my part. Now is different because of a fixed income and more money goes out every year and no more coming in plus I get another year of paying out more, and I can spend less on me and my wife, plus upkeep on what I have worked a lifetime to have. You may think that is a good deal but I don't. The taxes should be collected in a different manner that does not put property owners in the sights of ( we are going to take more from you). I don't know how you pay your road tax but I pay it every time I buy a gallon of gas at almost $3.00. If I ever get to use an atomic bomb it will be paid for in the Federal Tax that was taken away from me by force. I would like to think that I am smarter than the average bear, but I still do not like to pay when a LOT of others do not. You can still pay mine if you enjoy paying. At my age, I am sick of paying when I do not have children in school. I have been paying longer than you, by the way you talk. Wait till you get my age, then write a piece and tell how much you enjoy handing out money. By the way this economy I think is going to bite a lot of people in their shorts. I hope not yours or mine.
Only a small percentage of registered voters actually turned out to vote and voted the SPLOST in.
Too bad the parents who voted don't have the same enthusiasm for improving the dismal schools we have, and making the little gangster rappers pull their pants up, speak English, and behave. I'd vote for a SPLOST that paid for belts, English classes, and music that didn't include rape or murder.
Everyone has been told the fair tax will just add another 23% sales tax. That is a lie. If you buy a coke for a $1.oo including all the tax,when the fair tax is put into play, you still pay a $1.00. It is the way the taxes are collected. Please read about it before you really make up your mind. By the way under the fair tax if you win a lottery for a large amount, you keep everything. Uncle Sam only gets the sales tax when YOU decide to buy something. You keep your whole paycheck also.
There are a lot more benefits that go along with this---Please read it before---NO. Try Fair tax.org for yourself. I think it will benefit everyone. By the way I do agree with you about the pants,belts amd english.
Everyday my son has art class, you know what he says they did? "watched a movie". Um, ok.
Then look at the food services. All they do is waste a tremendous amount of resources, while TEACHING kids how to not eat properly. You want to see a lot of overweight kids? Check out the school systems. That is a part of the problem. They are also not interested in helping parents. Did you know they stopped publishing the menu weeks ago? When we called, they simply told us they can't do that anymore. I guess it's too much work for them to think out what they will feed a few hundred kids before 6:10 am. (the time we were told we can call in the morning).
We do work with our son at home. We read to him every day for at least a half hour. We have him read more than is assigned at school. He does his homework every day. He learned all the sight words, etc that are assigned and then some. But last weekend we visited friends in Maryville, TN. Their kids are amazingly ahead of ours. Same age. Same intelligence level (average, IMHO for both kids).
How many of you have a kid with Mononucleosis or strep throat? We know of several. Yet the school does not notify parents. Even when the parents of a sick child request them to.
So where does the money go?
The aftercare classroom recently received a several thousand dollar Smartboard. They use it for showing movies.
How about PR? All the signs they are constantly putting up, stating recent "success" on tests, etc. I'd like to see that budget.
Now not all the problems are due to Lamar. Georgia is the only state that has standardized testing for 1st graders. So for the last month of the year, the teachers have to focus nearly all their attentions on the bottom 10% of kids. If they don't, then those kids don't pass the test. We all know that that has an impact on teacher salary and other professional issues. I don't blame the teachers for this problem. But the result is that the rest of the kids are bored and restless. On top of what is normal for "spring fever". So kids are getting in trouble ALL the time now.
I could go on and on. But you're already bored, and I'm angry again. My son won't be there next year. So Mrs. Steele, you'll have one less annoying parent to avoid in the hallway.
Obviously by writing this information on the blog, you would like a response. Your article in the paper several weeks back contained the same information. I am wondering why, if you are so unhappy with the school system, that you are still here? If you are that angry, put your child in private school! Your wife teachers there, so I assume that particular school ought to be good enough for your child!
I heard teachers last week who were extremely upset with your comments. So let me provide some information to the best of my ability as a parent and an educator on some of your grievances. The activboards allow teachers to take our children to places that we might not be able to afford. Have you ever sat in art class with your child and watched as this teacher is able to expose children to art museums and painters all over the world! It's not a movie! It's a tour through famous museums as your child is taught the history and make up of famous artists and illustrators. Classroom teachers are able to engage your child and be interactive with their standards as they learn grade level content.
The activboard in the after school room is used during the day for remediation and acceleration as needed. What is a waste to you, is helping those children who are struggling.
Children are sick everyday. This is especially true in a school that houses over 600 (4-8 year olds). I know the nurse personally and she is extremely careful and sends students home with any illness that might be harmful and dangerous to other students. I am sure that whatever information you would like from her she would be glad to give you. Day to day sickness is not something that would be advertized to a whole school. It is privacy for children unless there is some outbreak of a disease that is detrimental to the health of others. Those are advertized and brought to the forefront as needed.
There is a nutrition director located in the Central Office building. She is in charge of the cafeterias at all four schools. I am wondering if you ever contacted her with your concerns? She will listen and is the one who has control and decision making power over that department across the system. I wish I knew her name to give you, but I am sure you can call and they will put you through. Yes, you are correct and children are heavier than ever today. It takes all of us to raise these children, keep them healthy, and help them become productive citizens.
I am confident in saying this. It is not resources or budgets of any school that help students perform well on tests. It is the quality of personnel and instruction that is in a building and the connections that teachers make with children that allow them to be so successful. Your childs school does perform well. The state sends the PR signs to show the community that this school is a distinguished school. It has nothing to do with the lunchroom, the activboards, styrofoam, and definitley not the support coming from you to your child's teacher. This we know for sure.
In conclusion, you are obviously educated enough to make the best decisions for your children and family and have thought about it enough to write newspaper articles and on this blog. Make changes and be proactive, but not at the expense of others. Place your children in the educational setting that you feel most meets his/her needs. A whole year of your child's life has gone by and your still complaining! Move forward and support whatever academic setting you deem appropriate. The state of affairs for Georgia's education is changing everyday. It is not getting any better in regards to funding personnel, and the other programs needed to be sucessful. Lamar County has done a great job protecting our teachers, administrators, and families from suffering from a shortened school calendar, and furlough days which I am sure affect you as well. They can only do what they can do. You as a parent can make any decision you want. I hope you find a happy medium wherever you are.