Paying for fieldtrips for children in need in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kids are at an MCPS focus school and the school has a fund to help pay for field trips for any child that can't afford it. No child will be turned away due to lack of funds.

So any parents who don't pay for any reasons still gets their kid on the field trip? That is enabling at its finest.

No, it's letting the kid go on the field trip. Otherwise you're punishing the kid for choosing the wrong parents to be born to.

Yes but there need to be consequences for poverty too… if everything is provided for 'fairness' sake then what is the impetus to pul one out of poverty. We were not riches a child, I didn't get what the other children had, it was a motivation for me to work hard and now I'm much better off for it not only materially but as a person. If we 'reward' poverty then there is no impetus for others to improve their lives. Two important life's lesson is being denied these children when everything is being provided gratis. 1) That not everything is entitled, not everyone is equal, and that we can get along with others because they are richer or poorer because that's what Americans do.

All that said… I agree with us providing charitable support for children but I think its necessary children understand they are getting a charity.

You fucking people are unreal! We aren't talking about subsidizing a trip to Disney World! We are talking about making sure kids can go on the EDUCATIONAL field trips their school classes take. Why, of all things, do we want to cut into these children's education to demonstrate to them in front of everyone our judgement on the poor choices their parents make? WTF? And how exactly would you go about making sure the second grader knows that he/she is getting "charity." Shame them in front of their class? Allowing children equal access to education IS NOT "rewarding poverty." It is in all our best interests to respect the right of ALL children to receive a good education and to be respected at school regardless of their parent's perceived faults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

You're an awful person.

Instead of resorting to pejorative, can you explain why the poster is wrong??

I didn't say they were wrong. I said they were awful. And I'll add- lacking empathy, compassion, and goodwill.

PP (one who labeled another as an awful person), you need to make a better argument rather than name calling. It takes away from your stance. I am a person who always pay extra for the field-trip fund, yet I have no beef with those who do not want to donate.

You have to realize that this is a kind of charity. People should give charity because it makes them feel good. They should not be forced to give charity. This is like extortion. People who feel self-righteous about telling others to donate or volunteer and feel angry if others don't, are no better than those they are angry at.

PP would be an awful person only if they stole money from field trip fund or prevented others from donating to the fund.

But that's what PP wants to do -- discourage other people from helping because she believes it's harmful to do so. I'm not the responding PP above, and I don't care if the "don't do it" PP doesn't herself donate, but I agree that PP is not a good person because she is actively telling other people not to donate a few bucks to the less fortunate kids so they can participate in a classroom field trip because it only encourages "a constant stream of dependence" and all sorts of other bad things. Poverty is bad enough without people wanting the kids to be excluded and shamed for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't do this.

Really, it just leads to more increased dependance amongst the parents. It's $8 and the family can come up with the money. The family has to make a choice - buy one less convenience item that week vs. send their kid on the field trip.

It's not sweet, or cute, or helpful. It's the opposite. It creates a constant stream of dependance.

You're an awful person.

Instead of resorting to pejorative, can you explain why the poster is wrong??

I didn't say they were wrong. I said they were awful. And I'll add- lacking empathy, compassion, and goodwill.

PP (one who labeled another as an awful person), you need to make a better argument rather than name calling. It takes away from your stance. I am a person who always pay extra for the field-trip fund, yet I have no beef with those who do not want to donate.

You have to realize that this is a kind of charity. People should give charity because it makes them feel good. They should not be forced to give charity. This is like extortion. People who feel self-righteous about telling others to donate or volunteer and feel angry if others don't, are no better than those they are angry at.

PP would be an awful person only if they stole money from field trip fund or prevented others from donating to the fund.

But that's what PP wants to do -- discourage other people from helping because she believes it's harmful to do so. I'm not the responding PP above, and I don't care if the "don't do it" PP doesn't herself donate, but I agree that PP is not a good person because she is actively telling other people not to donate a few bucks to the less fortunate kids so they can participate in a classroom field trip because it only encourages "a constant stream of dependence" and all sorts of other bad things. Poverty is bad enough without people wanting the kids to be excluded and shamed for it.

"Preventing" is different from "Dissuading". Dissuading and discouraging is "Freedom of Speech". "Preventing" is something else altogether. Keep an open mind to different points of views. You have the right to also state why people should give charity, without personal attacks.

Charity cannot be mandatory nor can it be forced. It is a person's choice. Maybe they want to "save the whales" rather than "save humans". When you shame people into doing Charity you are effectively making them more resentful towards the cause.

Don't force people to give Charity or Volunteer. It is extortion and bullying. Do what Mahatma Gandhi suggested - "Be the change you want to see in others."

And keep the discourse civil.