Abolish School Fundraisers. Yes or No? (1 Viewer)

[Fisher]

The local public elementary schools started back Monday. Tuesday evening I had kids knocking on my door selling crap for School Fundraisers. Some of the random thoughts I have had are: It has been 1 day, really--1 freaking day--the school can't be broke already; you know, we spend a fortune making schools safe for kids, and then send them door to door where any freaking perv in the world could snatch them up; and Is this extortion or is it slave labor--it has to be one or the other.

So what do you think, would you support abolishing School Fundraisers that require the kids to sell things off school property.

 

[ttwtt78640]

The local public elementary schools started back Monday. Tuesday evening I had kids knocking on my door selling crap for School Fundraisers. Some of the random thoughts I have had are: It has been 1 day, really--1 freaking day--the school can't be broke already; you know, we spend a fortune making schools safe for kids, and then send them door to door where any freaking perv in the world could snatch them up; and Is this extortion or is it slave labor--it has to be one or the other.

So what do you think, would you support abolishing School Fundraisers that require the kids to sell things off school property.

I favor any fundraising being done either on school property and involving actual labor of the students, perhaps washing cars or at least assembling items offered for sale. What I see here are the parents doing the selling for the students, possibly for their safety but it teaches the kids nothing.

 

[Goshin]

I feel your pain, but I suggest that you simply do what I do.


When you sense someone about to ask for a contribution, ask THEM for one first, quickly. It throws them off and shocks their tiny minds into shutdown.

Works on bums too.

 

[nota bene]

I feel your pain, but I suggest that you simply do what I do.


When you sense someone about to ask for a contribution, ask THEM for one first, quickly. It throws them off and shocks their tiny minds into shutdown.

Works on bums too.

How does this work? "Please, can I have a dollar?" followed by, "No, seriously, can I have a dollar from you?"

 

[Fisher]

I feel your pain, but I suggest that you simply do what I do.


When you sense someone about to ask for a contribution, ask THEM for one first, quickly. It throws them off and shocks their tiny minds into shutdown.

Works on bums too.

I like the kids. I would rather just give them $5 each and skip the whole buying crap. I have no clue what this money goes toward anyway when they are in elementary school. It isn't like first graders have football uniforms or proms or anything really.

 

[Goshin]

How does this work? "Please, can I have a dollar?" followed by, "No, seriously, can I have a dollar from you?"

not too long ago there was some kind of fundraising drive going on. Every single time you bought something the clerk would ask "would you like to donate your change to Blahblahblah?"

Well I did a couple times, but I got highly IRRITATED that every time I stopped for a coke or something I got hit with that.


So I developed a method... as they prepared to make my change, I'd watch for them to take a deep breath to do their beg-a-spiel, then I'd short circuit them by speaking a split-second before them and saying "Would you like to donate some change to the Feed A Goshin Fund?"

The baffled reactions were hilarious. :mrgreen:

 

[Fisher]

we don't keep a lot of cash about and while I don't really care about the kids making off with the cash, I don't want their parents having access to our checking account info because we keep a lot of money in there and don't want to be electronically swindled.

 

[imagep]

I feel your pain, but I suggest that you simply do what I do.


When you sense someone about to ask for a contribution, ask THEM for one first, quickly. It throws them off and shocks their tiny minds into shutdown.

Works on bums too.

Great minds think alike!

There used to be this bum who hung out near my workplace. he would always ask for 42¢ (there has got to be some amazing psychology behind that amount), and he would ask me over and over again, although I never "helped him out", and he never seemed to remember me. So eventually, everytime he started to approach me, I would hit him up first for 42¢. At first he just said "I was fixen to ask you the same thing", eventually I think he started to recognize me and when I would ask him for money he would just display his middle finger and walk the other way.

Then there was a several year break when I didn't see the guy, and all of a sudden he was back. Except this time he asked for 62¢, I guess he had to increase his price, considering inflation and all.

 

[imagep]

I favor any fundraising being done either on school property and involving actual labor of the students, perhaps washing cars or at least assembling items offered for sale. What I see here are the parents doing the selling for the students, possibly for their safety but it teaches the kids nothing.

Yea, I agree, it's a voluntary form of taxation, and I have fewer issues with voluntary taxation than mandantory taxes.

Our local high school band had a car wash a few weeks ago, made over $5k. Then last week they sold over 300 smoked "Boston Butts", making another $5k (mine was delicious and will last me for the rest of the week). Last night they sold t-shirts at their Premier event (first public showing of their competition show), and I think that they have at least another 20 fundraisers already planned for the remainder of the year.

This is all in addition to the $500 a year band fee. Some parents complain about the fundraisers, but the answer to that complain is "would you rather pay $1000 band fee, or would you rather pay more in taxes?" Most of the time the complaining parents just slink away after that.

It takes a heck of a lot of money to take 230 kids to the super-regional competition in Atlanta and to the national championship in Indianappolis, and I am glad that they get to go on those trips (I personally went to both competitions twice when my kid was in band), but I am equally glad that it isn't my taxpayer money paying for it.

 

[Baralis]

The local public elementary schools started back Monday. Tuesday evening I had kids knocking on my door selling crap for School Fundraisers. Some of the random thoughts I have had are: It has been 1 day, really--1 freaking day--the school can't be broke already; you know, we spend a fortune making schools safe for kids, and then send them door to door where any freaking perv in the world could snatch them up; and Is this extortion or is it slave labor--it has to be one or the other.

So what do you think, would you support abolishing School Fundraisers that require the kids to sell things off school property.

It is a way to condition our drones to work properly in our consumerism materialistic society.

 

[Fisher]

Great minds think alike!

There used to be this bum who hung out near my workplace. he would always ask for 42¢ (there has got to be some amazing psychology behind that amount), and he would ask me over and over again, although I never "helped him out", and he never seemed to remember me. So eventually, everytime he started to approach me, I would hit him up first for 42¢. At first he just said "I was fixen to ask you the same thing", eventually I think he started to recognize me and when I would ask him for money he would just display his middle finger and walk the other way.

Then there was a several year break when I didn't see the guy, and all of a sudden he was back. Except this time he asked for 62¢, I guess he had to increase his price, considering inflation and all.

My guess he was asking for you half the price of something like a can of beer so he would only need two people to give it to him (and he would assume nobody would have that exact amount so they would give him more not less if they gave it to him as well me thinks.). There used to be a crazy lady who always tried to hit me up for $15.00. "I need $15.00" My response was always the same "So do I"

 

[Fisher]

It is a way to condition our drones to work properly in our consumerism materialistic society.

Since they would have to sell like a grand worth of junk to get like a $20 toy, that is about right.

 

[Layla_Z]

I like the kids. I would rather just give them $5 each and skip the whole buying crap. I have no clue what this money goes toward anyway when they are in elementary school. It isn't like first graders have football uniforms or proms or anything really.

At our school the elementary kids sell stuff to raise money for books, smart boards, and other equipment. The older kids raise money band uniforms, equipment, etc. I do think it can quickly become excessive, especially in the elementary grades. It is unfortunate that the school has to fundraise to get needed equipment.

 

[imagep]

I like the kids. I would rather just give them $5 each and skip the whole buying crap. I have no clue what this money goes toward anyway when they are in elementary school. It isn't like first graders have football uniforms or proms or anything really.

A lot of times even basic stuff isn't 100% funded. Like when my kid was in elementary school, the PTA raised money for playground equipment (the old playground equipment was 20+ years old and apparently wasn't safe). They also raised money for a sign in front of the school that had a changeable section to announce school events and teacher work days etc. And the big banner in the cafeteria that had the each years special "theme motto" (like "clean teeth lead to happy smiles") was also paid for with fundraiser money.