Drip, Drip, Drip Goes the Fundraising

Now that the school year is nearly over, I can say once again that we have received more fundraising appeals from our daughter's school than just about any other correspondence.

I can't remember all of the requests, but here's a partial list: tickets for the fall carnival; sweatshirts, t-shirts, and other clothes with the school's insignia; PTA memberships; Ident-A-Kits (in case my kid is kidnapped); my child's art emblazoned on pillowcases, note cards, and mugs; books purchased in my child's name for the library; a donation to the spring auction; and the book fair.

On top of this, I'm clipping Box Tops for Education from cereal boxes and toilet paper wrapping, and I'm supposed to have my Kroger card scanned to match a bar code for the school.

Wait a minute. Doesn't my kid go to public school? I didn't think I was supposed to foot the bill.

But this is how it goes these days, with schools so strapped for cash. More and more we're asked as parents to empty our pockets and supply such basics as colored pencils, markers, hand sanitizer, and Kleenex. And we're all hit up equally, regardless of our ability to pay. Professional working couples are asked to buy the same $20 sweatshirt as the single parent of four. Extended families of 15 relatives are asked to support the same auction as the family of one.

Moreover, schools in wealthier communities can raise more money from their parents than those schools in poorer communities. This furthers the disparity that already exists throughout our district.

It's not right. There's got to be a better way to provide schools with the funds they need. If we continue to rely on PTAs and parents' checkbooks, and not insist on full government support, we will continue the status quo of under-funded, inequitable schools.