South Dakota Teacher “Dash for Cash”

[sam_gordon]

That's entirely the point of people's complaints. Some people just focus on the act of this event but the large discussion is surrounding funding. It's been talked about for years, the underfunding.

The discussion IS supposed to be about adequately funding the education system and having a more equal aspect to that such that the need for such antics (however fun someone might have doing them) doesn't become necessary. That's literally the entire point that the present system allows for unequal distributions and is done by complex ways (stripping the state's education budget, reliance on property taxes for school funding

Even in the article itself from the OP it stated teachers in South Dakota (according to the SD Education Association) spend an average of $750 out of pocket just for needed supplies for their students. One of the participants quoted saying "while her school applies for grants to fund classroom items, paying for smaller items, such as decorations, can add up."

I have no doubt whatsoever that there are classrooms in my state that lack the funding to provide decorations for their classrooms and that some do without either because the teachers can't afford it on their own or use money for basic classroom supplies instead. I wonder why you don't think this is the case for your state or any other state out there?

My issue is people in this thread (some, not all) are faulting the organizers of the event for doing so, and/or the team for allowing it to happen, and/or the teachers for participating. IMO, NONE of those are where the problem lies. The issue is teachers feeling they need to spend their own money for school supplies/decorations. I say "feeling" because of course TPTB will say "we're not forcing them to do that". So these teachers took advantage of a situation to get extra money. I can't fault them for that. I don't fault the organizers of the event for trying to give teachers some extra money.

But, as PP said, you want educators to have access to more money? Let's get those taxes raised.

 

[sam_gordon]

Teachers spend a fortune of their own money every year. $250 of it is deductible, but most spend much more. The problem with this event is that it was considered necessary at all. Imagine a bunch of nurses scrambling to grab cash to pay for bandages for their unit or police grabbing bills to pay for repairs to squad cars. That would never happen and this shouldn’t either.

I'd rather this event happen than nothing.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

But, as PP said, you want educators to have access to more money? Let's get those taxes raised.

That's entirely the problem in my state. There's an overreliance of property taxes to fund schools and other budgets everyone knows it, the governor has attempted to reactivate an old law that helps reduce the reliance cities and other places have on property tax. Even my county boldly admitted during the November election that in the last few years they have been slightly padding the appraisal amounts of homes so they can get more property tax and while they did raise the mill levy they love to tout that it's still the lowest in the state on the county level, sure doesn't feel like it.

Raising taxes doesn't do anything other than make the problem stick around. It's been in a legal battle years back where the Board of Education threatened to not allow any public school to open (this happened 2 or 3 years in a row) if the per-pupil spending wasn't more equal (as in the state's constitution that's how it's supposed to be).

Generally in my area when there's a gap in funding the answer is to perpetually raise taxes. We're also a land of TIFs and CIDs that just never go away and largely have shown to be a failure in getting the money back. But it's like no one learns from the past.

Most of the issues here are about properly spending the money, getting state funding, trying to spread out more the costs, etc. But in the school district my house is in they advised in their yearly budget document they appropriate 80% of their budget just to staffing and teacher's compensation. Doesn't really leave a whole lot for other things now does it? On the other hand hoping to get teachers and staff to be in your district is important and it still very true that teachers should get paid more. Although this pandemic has led to nation-wide staffing shortages where very few places are left unscathed.

My issue is people in this thread (some, not all) are faulting the organizers of the event for doing so, and/or the team for allowing it to happen, and/or the teachers for participating. IMO, NONE of those are where the problem lies.

Well..they could have done it like it has been done another way. Just give them a check, make a big show of that, surprise the schools (get it on camera of course lol) at the schools, etc. I think there can be said a problem with the method although the thought behind it (donating money to schools) is a good cause. It doesn't have to mean this event was like the shock of the century either but I think it's okay to point out the way it was done eh..could have been different. The big problem (underfunding of schools) no it's not the fault of the organizers, team, or the teachers.

 

[DisneyHardin]

She must buy some extremely expensive supplies.

You must not know too many teachers. Spending $2000/year or more of our own money isn't uncommon at all.

 

[tcufrog]

It is such a problem that some locals in my city started a charity that collects surplus items to stock a "store" for local teachers. They take everything including furniture, leftover party supplies, etc. that can be used by local teachers.

 

[Bamaclan4]

You must not know too many teachers. Spending $2000/year or more of our own money isn't uncommon at all.

Considering I’ve been a teacher for 34 yrs I know many teachers. We all spend our own money yearly. I guess our school which is in a rural county in an underfunded state is just extremely blessed to have community support. I probably get the same amount of funding which is not nearly enough as most. However most teachers do not have to spend 2,000 a year just to have a functioning classroom. Do we get enough. Certainly not and yes I could easily spend much more state funds, but I will not spend $2,000 a year on decorations and basic supplies.

 

[DisneyHardin]

Considering I’ve been a teacher for 34 yrs I know many teachers. We all spend our own money yearly. I guess our school which is in a rural county in an underfunded state is just extremely blessed to have community support. I probably get the same amount of funding which is not nearly enough as most. However most teachers do not have to spend 2,000 a year just to have a functioning classroom. Do we get enough. Certainly not and yes I could easily spend much more state funds, but I will not spend $2,000 a year on decorations and basic supplies.

That's wonderful that your school is fully funded. I think though, that has become more of the exception than the norm. Most teachers I know, including myself, spend gobs of our own money because the school only provides the most basic necessities. For example, last week at my school, the first grade teachers did a couple cute little Christmas crafts for the kids to take home to their parents - the school doesn't provide any of the supplies for that kind of stuff, so those teachers went to Target and bought everything they needed to do the crafts with their students. I am the Librarian and I get $1000/year to spend on books - Library books cost between $15-$20 each, so I am able to buy about 50-60 new books a year is all - I get rid of more than that in a year due to damage/outdated/etc, so I scour yard sales/thrift stores/etc and spend tons of my own money to be able to buy books for the kids to check out. I even have to buy my own Kleenexes for the kids.

It's true that our teachers could have a bare bones, functioning classroom without spending any of their own money, because the school will buy pencils/paper/crayons for the rooms. But, most aren't going to do that, they are going to do what they have to do to have a comfortable, nurturing classroom.