I run into these people all the time, in a variety of work-social-settings (ironically, not in the school-social-settings. hmm) and it Drives. Me. Nuts.

I also know far too many people who abuse the system. It would be great if we could all get stuff for free but we can’t. I, for one, would rather pay for a service so that someone who does need it gets it. Unfortunately, far too often, people who shouldn’t get the service does and the ones who need go without. Leaving our school to ask for extra donations to help the ones without. It is all just a vicious circle.

A very interesting topic though, I enjoy hearing it from our neighbors to the South.

In an ideal word, public education would be absolutely free for everyone, and it would be a fabulous education that met the needs of every child. In reality, that is impossible. Providing a top notch education for every child is expensive, and tax dollars are spread very thin. In many communities, taxpayers are refusing to vote for additional spending on education, requiring school districts to slash budgets as best they can while trying to maintain educational quality.

Given the realities of the current educational system and the limited resources available, I personally wouldn’t be upset if asked to contribute to any additional services my child required, because if the school district wasn’t going to offer them I would be paying for them anyway.

For example, next year my son wants to take up a musical instrument. Because of budget constraints, in order for him to do that at school I will need to pay for the lessons. Would I prefer that they were free? Absolutely. But will I refuse him music lessons because I have to pay for them? No. And would I be willing to pay a little extra to ensure that another student whose family couldn’t pay for them is able to take lessons? Yes. And do I think that more resources should be diverted to communities where parents are not able to pay for “extra” services? Yes.

I know that many people would disagree with me on this point, but to me, given the realities of the funding stream for the public educational system, I think that it is the best way to try and ensure that everyone has access to an adequate education.

I agree and disagree with you all at the same time. I have a hard time imagining that the woman I mentioned would actually receive the services she was requesting. It was more the concept that she thought she was entitled to them that floored me.

I am not in any way saying that school districts should not be providing additional services. In fact I strongly believe that they should. And I also strongly believe that those who cannot afford to pay for such services, be they AP courses or special education assistance, should have access to them. But I also believe that there is a limit to what public dollars can provide without requiring an unreasonable tax burden on everyone.

For me personally, I view my taxes as a way to help even the playing field for those who do not have access to the resources that I do, as well as to pay for services such as policing, fire services, and the provision of things such as wheelchair ramps and other such services that benefit society as a whole.

If my children qualified for AP coursework, and if I were asked to contribute towards the cost of it, and if I were financially able to do so, I wouldn’t blink an eye. I would also expect that those who could not contribute financially would have the exact same access.

There are no easy answers to these questions. If there were politics would be an extinct profession.

Too many people abuse the system that was put in place for people who do not have the means to get the necessary help for their children. Too many people “work” the system. I was disgusted by it when I was teaching and as a parent and grandparent I am still disgusted by people who will not assume responsibility for their children’s needs.

Yes, there are kids who really need help with families without our resources. And, sadly, yes, there are those people whose only goal seems to be to get something for nothing. ‘Cause it’s all about them.

Frankly, I found the whole EI qualification process pretty disheartening. I was suspect from the get go because I had referred AM myself. Even moreso when someone I met later (after he hadn’t qualified), who worked for an agency that does the evals, told me that “the case workers have no idea what they’re” doing, and indeed, there was an appeal process that she did not tell us about.

Something is broken somewhere. But not liking school? Do your homework–figure out what’s wrong and/or find a new school. Why would she think that special education is the answer?