Anonymous wrote:That the school should collect the fees was a proposal introduced at one of the PA meetings the first year of the schools existence by PARENTS. Personally, I would love to see the fees be more and cover teacher gifts because 1) I really hate writing lots of checks and 2) I think that all the teachers should get the same amount (based on what I see the younger grades have more wealth than the 4th grade class and the teachers work equally, if not harder in the upper grades). Also, if you have ever had to buy from a school list and have gone to 4 stores trying to find some item then you know that this is a far better process and probably costs about the same.

As one of the previous posters mentioned, the bus is completely parent organized. The school has absolutely no involvement in choosing the provider or setting the prices and all the money goes directly to the bus company.

Tying the PA dues to the voting process probably will have no impact. The parents who come to the PA meetings and are interested in voting are the same ones who don't complain about the $100 fee.

^ This.

That the school should collect the fees was a proposal introduced at one of the PA meetings the first year of the schools existence by PARENTS. Personally, I would love to see the fees be more and cover teacher gifts because 1) I really hate writing lots of checks and 2) I think that all the teachers should get the same amount (based on what I see the younger grades have more wealth than the 4th grade class and the teachers work equally, if not harder in the upper grades). Also, if you have ever had to buy from a school list and have gone to 4 stores trying to find some item then you know that this is a far better process and probably costs about the same.

As one of the previous posters mentioned, the bus is completely parent organized. The school has absolutely no involvement in choosing the provider or setting the prices and all the money goes directly to the bus company.

Tying the PA dues to the voting process probably will have no impact. The parents who come to the PA meetings and are interested in voting are the same ones who don't complain about the $100 fee.

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Beacause this school does so much to create a warm imclusive environment for low income families. Oh wait. It doesn't.

This is quasi private school on the taxpayers dime.

Is anyone doing the math here? Aftrcare and bus service is 700 a month. Plus fees too? Nice.

The bus service is privately organized by parents and has nothing to do with the school. You could complain that the school does not provide a free bus (I don't know of many charters that do, but maybe that is your complaint). But to complain that the bus service in place is too expensive is just not relevant to the school administration or PA or anything. A private provider offers a service. Some parents use it.

Of course no one said anything. It's the FIRST PA meeting. Nice to spring it on new families like it's a done deal which is the prevailing attitude there: Take it or leave.

Yes. Beacause this school does so much to create a warm imclusive environment for low income families. Oh wait. It doesn't.

This is quasi private school on the taxpayers dime.

Is anyone doing the math here? Aftrcare and bus service is 700 a month. Plus fees too? Nice.

Anonymous wrote:I was at the first PA meeting (am a new parent this year so cannot comment on past) and the current leadership brought this up, amongst other items, of course. Nobody asked, complained, etc. Whether you agree withe policy or not, am a firm believer that those who do not get involved or voice their views don't really have a right to complain after the fact.

Amen to that.

I was at the first PA meeting (am a new parent this year so cannot comment on past) and the current leadership brought this up, amongst other items, of course. Nobody asked, complained, etc. Whether you agree withe policy or not, am a firm believer that those who do not get involved or voice their views don't really have a right to complain after the fact.

PP here. I very willingly paid the fee this year and would be happy to do so again next year. However, I do not think that paying the fee should be tied to voting in the PA. Why not ask parents to make contributions and raise the rest with bake sales, etc. As for not using my name, the level of nastiness exchanged over the parking discussions was truly shocking. I would never expose myself just to such attacks but sometimes just want to vent! And it seems a few others have similar concerns as well.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who cares? It was illegal the way the school was doing it. At least this way the school won't go to court or get sanctioned by OSSE AND the school will get some money. All of our kids benefit = win/win. Honestly, it seems insanely childish to be yelling in an anonymous chat room about internal politics that matter to less than a fraction of a percentage of all DCUMers (excluding the lurkers, stalkers and educational equivalents of ambulance chasers).

What was Yu Ying doing previously that was illegal?

I do have some interest here -- I've applied to Yu Ying. But I've happily bought supplies, donated cash and baked goods, and volunteered for my child's charter preschool. No one had to hold the threat to my not being able to vote for me to do that.

Apparently there are some Yu Ying families that object to paying for school supplies. They just won't don't it, and there's nothing the school can do.

All the families I know seem very generous, so I don't really understand it. However, there's always somebody somewhere who wants something for nothing. Personally, I suspect that's who is making a stink here on DCUM - the pig sty of the internet. Being an anonymous coward is the easy way out, someone with the strength of her convictions would actually use her name.

The school required a $100 supply fee per student instead of having kids bring in their own supplies from a list. It was $60 the first year, which was the send year of the school, and then it went up to $100 the second and third years. I'm not sure how this hasn't been called out until now, but it is not a legitimate way to raise funds. For that matter, it is not technically acceptable to require students to bring in ANY supplies.
It is explicitly spelled out that you can't solicit "required" fees for any public education program.
Up until this point, the PA has contributed thousands of hours worth of contributed time and services, and (as a PP noted) well over a hundred thousand dollars in donations over 2 years. They are trying to take over the fees because educating kids well is expensive. (Insert useless comments now about how other schools with foreign languages do it without fees, then refer back to PP comment about the high cost of Chinese materials)

Anonymous wrote:Who cares? It was illegal the way the school was doing it. At least this way the school won't go to court or get sanctioned by OSSE AND the school will get some money. All of our kids benefit = win/win. Honestly, it seems insanely childish to be yelling in an anonymous chat room about internal politics that matter to less than a fraction of a percentage of all DCUMers (excluding the lurkers, stalkers and educational equivalents of ambulance chasers).

What was Yu Ying doing previously that was illegal?

I do have some interest here -- I've applied to Yu Ying. But I've happily bought supplies, donated cash and baked goods, and volunteered for my child's charter preschool. No one had to hold the threat to my not being able to vote for me to do that.

I am a lurker, but would never sign up for a public school that required hefty dues in order to vote in the parent organization. It is truly absurd. And gets wierder when talking about "sponsoring" families that can't pay. So you are paying for another family to have a voting right? Blech. If you are going with the logic that paying members get to decide what happens to the money, then how to sponsored families fit in? If you don't pay your dues, but buy something at the book fair that goes into the PA account, do you then get a vote because some of that money was yours?

All the other public and charter schools mentioned in this thread manages to raise money and legally without disenfranchising parents from the PA. YY's PA is breaking new ground in fund raising. Interesting technique. What a welcoming policy to all the new families!

Who cares? It was illegal the way the school was doing it. At least this way the school won't go to court or get sanctioned by OSSE AND the school will get some money. All of our kids benefit = win/win. Honestly, it seems insanely childish to be yelling in an anonymous chat room about internal politics that matter to less than a fraction of a percentage of all DCUMers (excluding the lurkers, stalkers and educational equivalents of ambulance chasers).

Nah. It makes you extortionists. Kind of makes one wonder why the PA has to use disenfranchisement as a way to collect money from parents. Are YY parents that stingy that they won't fork out the money for their kid's school supplies unless forced? Doubtful this is the way to get money out of people who won't pay and it probably alienates a significant number who are/were more than glad to pay.