Get Schooled

By thomas

July 16, 2007 11:52 AM | Link to this

What another waste of time. I don’t understand it. What makes these people that they are entitled to more money from the state?

What I don’t understand is why people who cry about spending pennies on public schools want to turn right around and cry about money. Most of these people- whether they live in “rich” Alpharetta or “poor” Cordele don’t want to see any money put into education. In fact, most of these people spit on public schools. They curse them as causing all of the ills of the world. You have people with more money than the rest of the world put together who don’t want to let schools buy a computer, buy a book, buy a pencil for students.

South Georgia Hypocrites- Stop it!! You could care less about money getting to the children. If you are upset because you don’t have loads of cash to stuff your pockets via administration and central office, that’s one thing. But don’t utter the word “children”. It’s not about the children. It’s about the adults.

A former principal once told me that the problems we have in education aren’t because of the children, but adults. She was so right. If it weren’t for the grown folks, school would alright (well at least for most of us).

By catlady

July 16, 2007 12:46 PM | Link to this

thomas, it isn’t just S. Ga schools. Those in rural N GA are members, too.

My beef: don’t complain about funding until your county taxes the locals at the max allowed. Is that 20 mils now? My county taxes 13 mils, so IMHO, we have no reason to demand more money from the state until we do the max we can locally. Why should County A (an admittedly rich county with lots of businesses, fancy homes, etc) tax at 20 mils and send some of the money to us, when we are only willing to put in 13 mils of our own money?

So saying, I do suspect there are serious problems with the current system. If, in system A, one mil brings in 5x money and in system B, one mil brings in 2x money, there is a big discrepency. But we should all keep our mouths shut until we do the max for our students ourselves! I remember seeing the list a year ago of how much the complaining counties tax themselves, and it does not speak well of their willingness to sacrifice for their own counties for most of them. Seems like the average was 14 mils, but I don’t remember for sure. Do you know, Bridgett?

By what about

July 16, 2007 3:49 PM | Link to this

Speaking of lawsuits, what became of the lawsuit claiming racial bias in the Kittredge Magnet School lottery? Did the 6th grade lottery ever happen?

By thomas

July 16, 2007 5:21 PM | Link to this

Well I have worked in two metro counties whose millage rate is at or near 20 mils. One county just rolled theirs back from 19.8 to 18.8. We are talking about large systems with over 50,000 students.

I understand that there are fewer businesses and homes in rural counties- north or south. My point is that people as a whole really don’t want to put the money into schools. I live and work in one of the richest counties in Georgia and people here cry and moan over pennies to schools. People who live in “old money” neighborhoods-600,000, $700,000 homes- crying over $150 in school property taxes.

Perhaps my perspective on this issue has been warped by living among these rich people who don’t want to allow the school system to buy computers and books for children.

I just hear so many common citizens and PARENTS crying over what pennies schools get and allowed to spend. I am all for urban and rural schools get more funding.

I cna tell you this though- I live in a county,AWASH IN INSANE WEALTH— THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE LIVING THE LIFE OF RILEY, LIVING LIKE KINGS, with schools that don’t have basic materials and supplies.

These people would rather have the entire system struggling to keep the lights on and give a kid a pencil. Then parents will operate school “foundations”/big $$ money PTA’s/donate and solict big $$ bucks in order to give ONLY their kids good things.

By thomas

July 16, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this

Since we are talking about school funding, I know of an issue that would have virtually guaranteed a fair and balanced allotment of school funds.

Remember the recent Supreme Court decision outlawing the use of race based districting? Let’s say the Supremes upheld the practice. Then your school system begin (if they weren’t already doing it) a large scale busing program. It may have been race-based, but I see another possible outcome.

Think of this:

About 150-200 students from a majority Hispanic or Black school shipped off to a majority white school. In exchange, 150 “little darlings” were shipped down to the barrio or hood.

Forget about the race issue. Allllll I know is that these rich bigwigs would scream, RIOT, and vomit at the mere thought of little “Katie” being shipped across town to sit next to “Tyrone”. They may not feel quite as nauseated by “Juan” coming to their school to sit next to “Bobby”. But I think either alternative would get the, sheltered, well-to-do communities thinking about their local schools. I’m just guessing here.

I just see the dollars. Man, the dollars would flow then!!!!!!!! Personally I would have entertained the thought of mandatory school busing if it would have made people think about equity in school funding. If some people had to become scared witless over some “bogeymen”, so be it.

By Lee

July 16, 2007 7:17 PM | Link to this

Sooo,

We’ve got one group, using taxpayer money, to sue another group, who uses taxpayer money to defend the lawsuit. Seems to me the only winner in this whole mess is the lawyers. Be interesting to see how much this costs us taxpayers.

“One lawyer in town can make a pretty good living. Two lawyers in town, damn if they both don’t get rich” [Sorry SET]

Thomas, hasn’t 50+ years of the Brown vs. Board fiasco taught you anything? Nice to see how some people can interject wealth envy and the race card into any discussion.

What these people in these $700k houses see is the thousands (not $150) they fork over in school taxes and they still have to send their kids to private school in order to get them a good education.

By catlady

July 17, 2007 9:25 AM | Link to this

thomas, you are probably right. I know folks around here decry any money that goes to the school, especially now that THOSE PEOPLE live here. There are virtually no black folks in my county but—dear God—those Latinos! It seems like the large farmers get every break in the books on taxes, but still they moan and bitzh about what they do put in, meanwhile employing THOSE PEOPLE at rock-bottom rates. (Of course, as I have said here before, the Latino kids are SKUNKING our “native” kids left and right)

I don’t mind putting in mine, because I want the young people around me to be able to make a living on something other than welfare and crime.

I think it would be a big benefit if we standardized how much a mil was theoretically worth, state-wide, and demanded that every school system put in a certain number of mils. As it is now, the rich (in what a mil is worth), willing to tax themselves, should not subsidize the poor (in what a mil is worth), who are unwilling to give the most allowable. If Gwinnett taxes at 20 mils, and my county taxes at 14 mils, Gwinnett should not have to send us money. Now, if we tax at 20 mils also and are still money-starved (and we would be), THEN I can see the rich counties’ “excess” being sent to my county. I am sure it is much more complicated than I understand, but it seems like a certain percentage should be required of all counties before anyone bails anyone else out. The counties who are suing mostly want to keep their taxes low and use the money from the rich counties instead, it seems to me. I’d be glad if someone could explain it better.

By luvs2teach

July 17, 2007 10:38 AM | Link to this

cat - I don’t quite understand it all either, LOL!

But, I do know that several of the metro areas have had sales taxes that are used for their schools as well (Cobb has had 2 SPLOSTs, and I’m pretty sure some of the other counties have had at least one).

That way the burden is reduced a little. I don’t think we could ever run the schools solely on sales tax, but perhaps the state needs to pass a SPLOST (I know, the ‘L’ stands for local, but you get what I mean :]) to be divided among all counties, either equally or porportionately (which smacks of Socialism - shudder).

Who knows - in any case, when the suing counties are contributing what I’m contributing, millage-wise, and sales tax-wise, then we can talk.

By Bridget Gutierrez

July 17, 2007 12:43 PM | Link to this

catlady — I actually just stumbled across recently updated information on millage rates, which is compiled annually by the Georgia School Superintendents Association.

What’s interesting is that when comparing the change in millage rates over the past three years, the state’s school systems are all over the map — even for those that are involved in the lawsuit.

Some of the 51 have been raising their millage rates since 2004. At least one (Stewart County) had an increase of 28 percent.

Others have stayed the same or relatively the same. Then, there were some that had decreased their millage.

One I spotted (Towns County) had a 26 percent drop in its tax rate, but that system also had added a new SPLOST. So it’s possible the drop was offset by an increase in the local sales tax.

According to my quick calculations, the average 2006 millage rate for these 51 systems was 14.925 — not far off the statewide average of 15.179.

A few (Clarke, Wayne and Clinch counties) had a rate of 20 mills. A handful of others had rates of at least 17 mills.

By catlady

July 17, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this

Thanks for the update, Bridgett. I don’t think SPLOST can be used for school stuff except buildings/road/water, can it?

Weren’t there quite a few on the “51 list” that tax in the 12 mil level?

I still think counties should do the max for themselves first before expecting other counties to pay their way. I live in one of the poor counties, but it doesn’t seem fair for those in wealthier counties to be taxed more because I don’t want to support the schools with higher taxes.

I recognize, however, that the fairness issue also rests on the relative value (or lack of) of a mil county by county.

By Bridget Gutierrez

July 18, 2007 5:49 PM | Link to this

I think that’s correct, catlady. SPLOST is used basically for building projects. But it also can be used for classroom technology.

And, yes, there were some of “the 51” who had taxes in the 12-mills range. But only 10 had rates of 12 mills or less — so it’s certainly not the majority.

Interestingly, there are only a dozen school systems in the entire state that are at 20 mills.