Change is in the air. Finally after nearly a month of uber-hot weather, we finally have clouds and occasional showers. This is the beginnings of Fall. There are other signs as well. I’ve started recieving correspondance from the schools. They’ve begun informing me exactly how many fees I’ll be required to pay so that my child can have a locker and books for her middle school experience. We are definitely on the last slippery slope of summer, sliding toward back-to-school night. In response, I’ve started getting out of bed before 8 am. That has been nigh impossible all summer. Why bother to rush out of bed if there is nowhere in particular to go? But now I do have places to go and things to do. It feels good.
However before I can get up a good head of steam on fretting over school, I have to pull off a family reunion. It is next weekend and I am in charge. It will all go just fine and the only one who will hold me responsible for difficulties will be me, but that doesn’t stop me from fretting a little. I’m good at fretting. If I get it all done ahead of time, then I can enjoy the actual event much more.
We’re not even halfway through summer yet (calandarwise), so I refuse to acknowledge that such a thing as fall exists.
errm. You have to pay for books and lockers? Isn’t that the whole point of a public school system, is that anyone, regardless of their financial status, gets exactly the same shake? (Of course, that’s obviously not true, but…)
Oh we aren’t paying for the books and lockers. We’re merely paying a small fee for using them. $2 each I believe. This doesn’t sound so bad until you realize that there are a dozen other small fees which add up to around $60. If you’re dirt poor you can get the fees waived. We aren’t poor enough anymore to qualify for waived fees.
I’m griping about the fees because it is human nature to gripe about such things, but honestly Americans are incredibly lucky. We have so many more educational opportunities than most of the world. When I think of it that way it seems ungrateful of me to quibble over spending $60.
No, I understand the difference between “paying for” and ‘paying fees for the use of’. I’m just one of those people who is really into providing a perfect education for free. For anyone who wants it. Through a doctorate.