It always seems to sneak up on us parents, but back to school is here. It’s time to get our kids, regardless of their age, back on schedule and back to the books.
It’s an exciting time for families, but it’s also expensive. In fact, it’s getting more expensive every year. Mandatory school fees have multiplied over the years and despite the fact that we pay for public and separate education on our taxes, we pay again in the form of school fees.
There’s simply no rhyme or reason for these fees. Property owners pay for education already, but it seems every year parents get nickel and dimed on a host of things that should already be covered.
We pay for administration costs. We pay for photocopying and yes, parents, in some cases we pay for lockers and textbooks. We also pay supervision fees for noon hour, among other costs.
If you factor in the cost of transportation and extracurricular events like field trips, a family with three school age kids could spend upwards of $2000 on fees. This just isn’t right.
It is the mandatory fee that most parents take exception to. The fees vary from school to school and school board to school board, but make no mistake September is more like Chequetember for parents.
I brought the issue to the Legislature and asked the government to ban the mandatory fees when we passed the new Education Act.
The government refused. It did however promise action on the issue. To this point, not surprisingly, we have seen none.
In my view and from what I hear the view of most parents, there has got to be a better way.
While the PC government’s wasteful spending increases year over year, they can’t seem to make a point of funding schools adequately and ending the burden of these fees on hardworking Albertan families. The PC government gave itself an eight per cent pay raise as its first order of business last year. I am proud to tell you that my Wildrose colleagues and I did not accept that pay raise.
The PC’s also handed out hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in corporate welfare projects, often to companies that need no help on their balance sheets.
That’s a sad misjudgement of priorities.
Personally, I’d rather see that money go to helping families, so there’s more money left at the end of the month. More money to spend on other things your family needs.
It’s time for the PC government to put families first and end mandatory fees.
As your MLA in Chestermere – Rocky View, I value your feedback.
To share your views on the impact school fees may be having on your family, email: Chestermere.rockyview@assembly.ab.ca or call my office at 403-207-9889 . I can be found on Twitter @McAllisterBruce and on facebook at Brucemcallisterwildrose
