Anonymous wrote:Why is the auction less weird? I would think the public display of wealth that is inherrant in auction participation would be ickier.

it's a silent auction. No one knows what I spend.

The student support fee is tax deductible whereas the auction and other fundraisers are not.

OP, you seem to be looking to pick an odd battle. If the best you can come up with in describing your views is that it "feels yucky" you must know your full of shit. Somehow have annual income that allows you to donate tens of thousands of dollars but your unwilling to recognize the value of throwing some money into a pot that helps your child. And his/her classmates? Ugh. Please just go private or move out of the District already. This might be a shocker to you, but DC does not typically pay for all the bells and whistles that many WOTP schools have been able to bring to their schools that to you seem like standard practice because families before you worked their butts off to get them. All you have to do is write a check, which you are clearly able to do. Please devote you energy to more worthy arguments.

Do both.

Donate to your school (because COME ON - your kid is still getting those benefits, and you should pay your share since you can afford it).

AND then, call one of the PTAs EOTP - pick one, doesn't matter. HD Cooke. Eastern. College. Tubman. Powell. West. Banneker. Heck, any of the KIPPS. And give them one thousand dollars. It will mean a TON to them.

Why is the auction less weird? I would think the public display of wealth that is inherrant in auction participation would be ickier.

She gives to the auction. Not really free riding.

That's why PTA's plan both types of events. You do get a larger tax deduction for a straight out contribution -- for an auction donation you have to deduct the value of whatever you bought.

Plus- the auction goes to the same place that the student support fee goes; you're just getting something for it.
I understand what you are saying OP, but your decision not to contribute doesn't make sense-
1) You are essentially free riding on all the other parents who are paying that allows your child to have the specials teachers, extra staff at recess, technology, etc.
2) Nothing whatsoever stops you from sending an equal amount of money to a Title I school EOTP PTA. Since you have the capacity to give 20K annually to charity, I assume you could cover another $500.

Anonymous wrote:Your child is still benefitting from all of the other parents who do pay that fee. At our DCPS, the fee covers the music teacher, art teacher and other year long programs that are integrated into the curriculum. Seems like an odd choice on your part.

+1. Very odd.

OP, do you also refuse to utilize the resources those student fees pay for?

Anonymous wrote:Our upper NW DCPS asks for a student support fee each year of between $500-1000 per kid.
I've never paid it despite having the money and contributing approx $20-30K a year to other charities.
It just rubs me the wrong way---the idea that we (the wealthy) can subsidize our public education.
I do spend money at the auction but somehow this seems different and better than just handing over the cash.
I'd rather subsidize schools across the park than hand over a few thousand to my school in the form of the student support fee.
Anyone else feel the same way? (and can articulate this better?) I can't even put my finger on it exactly but the idea of paying
this money just feels yucky.

Many of these schools get more per pupil funding than the NW schools due to their designations as Title I schools.

So no, I don't feel this way.

You don't have to contribute. Your child is still benefitting from the funds donated by other parents.

You should move to MD, OP. They are much more restrictive in the way parents can fund schools.

I pay the $100ish field trip fee for each kid. Just not the extra "support fee"

Your child is still benefitting from all of the other parents who do pay that fee. At our DCPS, the fee covers the music teacher, art teacher and other year long programs that are integrated into the curriculum. Seems like an odd choice on your part.

Our upper NW school asks for two types of money: $100 "activity fee" for field trips and a donation to the PTA. Without that money, there would be fewer field trips and less of the enrichment activities that the PTA pays for. By you not paying, your child is benefitting from all the other parents who do pay. Does that feel right to you? Would you prefer not to have the field trips/enrichment activities? Do you volunteer your time instead of money?

Our upper NW DCPS asks for a student support fee each year of between $500-1000 per kid.
I've never paid it despite having the money and contributing approx $20-30K a year to other charities.
It just rubs me the wrong way---the idea that we (the wealthy) can subsidize our public education.
I do spend money at the auction but somehow this seems different and better than just handing over the cash.
I'd rather subsidize schools across the park than hand over a few thousand to my school in the form of the student support fee.
Anyone else feel the same way? (and can articulate this better?) I can't even put my finger on it exactly but the idea of paying
this money just feels yucky.