Dear Editor,
Nobody likes predators. From phone scammers to lying car mechanics, individuals who prey on other’s hard-earned dollars are of the most despised people I can think of. But sadly, those predators now exist not only in our community, but even in our children’s schools.
My family recently received a stimulus payment from the government for myself, my wife, and my children. The new funds are very much needed – having lost my job due to Covid, we have been barely scraping by over the past year. Whereas in the past I had no trouble paying for our mortgage, food, and even a family vacation here and there, I can hardly now afford even the most basic necessities.
But apparently, our children’s schools don’t think so. Even before we received the deposit from the government they were calling and emailing me demanding that my children’s tuition must be paid in full by the time they return from Pesach vacation. I understand that schools need money, but are you kidding me? We and so many other families are barely getting by as it is. The few thousand dollars we got now not “extra” in any sense. They are going directly to expenses incurred over the last year and to making Pesach this year. Now I have to deal with my kids’ school threatening me?
Here is the fact: schools got millions in funding from the Covid relief bills. They received enough money to ensure that every teacher, principal, and staffer gets paid; they received enough to ensure that the school can continue teaching students. They may need more, but I promise you they don’t need my tuition money more than my family needs to eat.
I believe that some of these school boards and administrators are outright predators. They saw an opening to grab a little more money from hard-working, struggling parents, and grabbed the opportunity.
Shame on them and shame on those who sympathize with them.
Respectfully,
D.F.
{Matzav.com}
Schools received millions in PPP
I’m good. I’m sitting by my pool in Orlando getting a much needed sun tan. Na na na na na. No shleppers here. All kvetchers should stay up north.
It is not your money. Stop fooling yourself. It all belongs to Hashem.
Do you have an outstanding debt to the school? I’m not sure why they can’t call you to collect
Here we go again! Bashing our mosdos. I’ve B’H been zoche to send to 6 different mosdos. 4 were extremely menchlich and understanding 1 was more firm and 1 of the 6 was perhaps over the top. Generally, mosdos will work with parents in need so long as the parents work with them which begs the question; it seems like you’re seriously behind in your tuition. Have you reached out to the mosad to explain your situation or do you ignore them and are now surprised that they’re trying to get you to pay what you committed to. Also, it’s kdai to get your facts straight. Not every mosad is eligible for every funding bill. Many mosdos haven’t seen a penny. I also haven’t seen any Rebbeim driving fancy cars recently. Show a little respect for your children’s mosad!
with all the stimulus and all the food distributiion by schools
the constant schnor for kimcha dpischa has got to stop
Kimcha D’pischa is brought down in halacha as a mandatory community-wide fundraising drive
all the yeshivas got huge PPP and CAReS grants
they were closed so yes they paid salaries but the general overhead was way down
they did not give back one cent
they will never lower tuition and will never open their books
thats why i pay full tuition
but not a peny more
these are private enterprises
Dear D.F.,
I disagree with your characterization of schools and administrators, but I believe your letter is the result of a stressful, desperate financial situation. May you and all our community members have not just physical health, but financial health and stability, too.
Yours truly,
Been there myself.
Your situation is sad but think of it from their point of you. There are dozens of students who use their services and dont pay for them. Why should they be getting a free ride? I realize that your situation is not typical or at least shouldnt be typical and so you may want to ask them for an exception. That is totally understandable and if they verify your story they should grant you that exception in my opinion. But keep in mind that there are some families who would rather go on vacation then pay up their debts so the phone calls are targeting those people and preventing others from becoming those people.
Sorry, I know how it feels. The school knows exactly how much money you received and they want to collect it before they can’t anymore. The school is not charging you 25% interest like your credit cards be grateful for that. Moreover, they are providing you an invaluable service. If you really can’t pay, pick up the phone and give them a legitimate reason why. Are they not entitled to atleast some of the thousands of dollars you received?
Are you also angry at the grocer who asks you to pay for your groceries and angry at the clothing store that won’t let you walk out without paying? or are you only angry at schools that ask you to pay for their services?
If scammers call, just say, no you are a scam!
Nobody likes predators. From phone scammers to lying car mechanics, individuals who prey on other’s hard-earned dollars are of the most despised people I can think of.
I’m sorry to be this way but you have an attitude. Even assuming the school is being to aggressive in asking for money there is no way they can be thought of as phone scammers or lying car mechanics who are engaging in deception to get your money. You do , by your own admission, have a debt to the school.
If you really can’t pay it then it may be wrong for them to be too aggressive in asking for it but you sound like they have no rights to ask for it to begin with
a few quick points that I was wondering as I read this:
you wrote:
“Here is the fact: schools got millions in funding from the Covid relief bills.”
I am wondering:
are your kids in public schools?
you wrote:
“They may need more, but I promise you they don’t need my tuition money more than my family needs to eat.”
I am wondering:
why are you not taking SNAP (food stamps) if your situation is that bad?
you wrote:
“I believe that some of these school boards and administrators are outright predators.”
I am wondering:
If you really truly believe that, why would you trust your kids with them? or are you just using that term as hyperbole and don’t actually believe it, in which case you are part of the problem of the heating up of rhetoric in this country.
you wrote:
“Shame on them and shame on those who sympathize with them.”
I am wondering:
again, why do you send your kids to a school that you feel so strongly about? go open your own school if that is what it would take to put your kids into competent hands! (or do you enjoy criticizing “the establishment” too much to actually go there?)
“Nobody likes predators. From phone scammers to lying car mechanics, individuals who prey on other’s hard-earned dollars are of the most despised people I can think of.”
AGREED!
“But sadly, those predators now exist not only in our community, but even in our children’s schools.”
What? Tuition is money that you actually owe! Not $500 that a Nigerian prince “needs” in order to “send you” a quadrillion dollars, or $3,700 rebuilding a transmission and engine that are fine.
we can debate whether the pressure tactics are acceptable or not, but the argument you are making is that they are trying to “steal” money from you.
That sounds like a bad-faith argument to me.
I wonder if Mr. D. F. (Deeply Frustrated?) was expecting sympathy in the comments here?
attacking the Mosdos we entrust our children’s Chinuch to is not the way to attain sympathy.
Cry. Me. A. River.
Seriously get over yourself. If you owed someone a debt and they heard that you got an inheritance and came to collect on their debt, would you call them a predator? Kal v’chomer for our precious institutions that are being mechanech our dear kinderlach
“The few thousand dollars we got now not “extra” in any sense. They are going directly to expenses incurred over the last year and to making Pesach this year. ”
Apparently, paying tuition is not an expense. It is a recommendation only.
I agree with author of this article. Most people commenting defending these despicable administrators and their tactics are probably administrators posing as regular civilians. Shame on them all.
Tuition is no less important than paying your babysitters and cleaning help. In the past generations, parents sold the wood of their warming ovens to pay their son’s Rabbeim. It’s a matter of priorities.
the schnororey is out of hand
every person who doesnt want to work puts out a flashing ad
look at some of the ads
no food on table
impossible the amount of kimcha dpischa around its impossible
Even if one cannot afford food, they might not get SNAP or WIC. The food boxes where I live are nice but- a) are not a full weeks food for kids (let alone parents) and b) only good if you get them. They run out EVERY week where I live.
Schools do try to be understanding but having dealt with financial issues ourselves, our kids’ school still has insane costs, wont open their books, and didnt give out a lot of scholarships even for those of us with reduced incomes (and prove it). So many are struggling to take care of the basics. And are not going on vacation, buying fancy roasts for each meal, eating out or paying for lots of cleaning help.