02/17/2012
School Taxes
Recently our area has seen the serious struggle of the school boards having to close budget gaps. These are caused by a number of items from the negative economic growth in out area, increasing overhead costs, and the payments needed to pay down the debt for construction that was forced on our distrcits when the area was becoming populated.
I'd like to talk about one specific though that we should all consider when thinking about our school taxes. Clearly they rank among the highest taxes pain by property owners. Instead of beating up the school boards and teachers, I wonder what it would look like if we all took the approach that we where going to consider our taxes a true investment. Imagine if we all were concerned about he value we where receiving from the investment into our local schools. Some random thoughts:
1. Because of strong and positive teaching, don't our property values increase? I know that lately we are seeing a reduced demand for housing, driving down values. But a strong school district is still one of the very positive items listed when you sell a property. Our investments into our schools helps build those property values sometimes more than if you put that same amount of money directly into your property .
2. Remember our teachers are not just explaining facts to the children, they are building a base of learning to help them have careers and support themselves for a lifetime. Clearly in this economy many college grads are coming back to live at home for a time, but that base they have from their thirteen years of education will eventually allow them to go out and support themselves. We should be considering how well the children are learning and support that, instead of trying to figure out how to out more children in one classroom!
3. I'd like to show some caution when using average comparisons when talking about teacher compensation. Arguments have been made that they are paid over the average for the county. First thought is that they should be, they are trained professionals, often having five to seven years of higher education behind them, i would expect the teacher of my child to be better than average! I want the best teachers, so doesn't it make sense they would have to be paid a higher than average wage?
4. I heard a comparison today between teachers and dentist. Teachers give the best they can to a students, then have to send them home, often with homework that has to be done to reinforce the learning. If there isn't support at home that student may still struggle. The comparison with a dentist is this though you go get your six month cleaning. The dentist gives you " homework" to brush and floss then in six months you come back and have a cavity. We don't blame the dentist, we don't pay him less because we developed a issue. If is our job to take care of our teeth, he can only do what he can do while you are in this office. The same holds true of teachers. They have your child for sometimes seven hours a day, and can accomplish much. But, parents have to take responsibility for the hours they aren't at school
Hopefully members of the community will start to look at this whole process with a different angle. How do we make sure we are getting the best from our investment in the school, and what can we do to help process?
