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California teachers lose tax breaks for classroom supplies
Monterey Herald ^ | 8/15/04 | AP - LA

Posted on 08/15/2004 9:20:58 AM PDT by NormsRevenge

LOS ANGELES - California teachers may have to scale back their out-of-pocket spending on classroom supplies after losing state and federal tax breaks that helped lower their costs.

The state Teacher Retention Tax Credit repaid educators up to $1,500 in taxes to cover some expenses but was suspended last month under the state budget plan. At the same time, a federal tax deduction for up to $250 for teachers' extra expenses expired this year.

With school budgets already tight, some worry that halting the tax breaks could prompt teachers to ration their spending on glue, crayons and other supplies or boost their expenses.

"It is a miracle what our teachers are doing every day," said Barbara Kerr, president of the California Teachers Association. "They spend thousands of dollars in their classrooms." The tax benefits' end, she suggested, represents "a tax increase for teachers."

A survey conducted by the United Teachers Los Angeles indicated its members spent on average nearly $1,050 of their own money for school supplies last year. Teachers across the country spent an average of $458, according to the National School Supply and Equipment Association.

Long Beach science teacher Martine Korach has spent hundreds of dollars buying mica, sulfur and quartz mineral samples as well as feeding and taking care of a leopard gecko, a corn snake and other classroom pets.

In the end, those and other classroom expenses totaled nearly $3,000 a year, she said.

"The general public doesn't really understand how much we spend out of our own pockets just to be able to do our jobs," Korach said. "But we all do it because it's the best for the kids, and that's why we are here."

Michael Day, a veteran teacher in Long Beach who received $1,000 in state tax credit last year, said the losses were a blow to many teachers.

"This is just another thing that cuts into their salaries," Day said.

The state credit was first offered in 2000; California spent $180 million on it during the 2003-04 tax year. Legislators have agreed to suspend it until 2007.

The National Education Association and some lawmakers are trying to revive the federal teacher tax deduction for supplies, which was first offered in 2002. The association is asking teachers to save their receipts in hopes that Congress will pass proposed legislation that would make the expense deduction permanent and increase the maximum deduction to $400 or $500.

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TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: calgov2002; california; classroom; lose; supplies; taxbreaks; teachers
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To: All

I don't know whether to laugh or cry after reading some of these comments from 'teachers'. Lordy, where to begin?

How about considering the product of your efforts folks. I can't find a fast food restaurant where the cashiers know how to make change. Their basic math skills are non-existant. These kids can't add two digit numbers. Is that due to supply problems?

Let's talk about Geography. If you ask kids today where Germany, India, Poland or China are, they're as likely to point to Canada as anywhere else.

I could go on and on, but obviously you folks don't want to hear it. Instead you want to convince me that supplies are the problem, and I'm just a trouble-maker.

Have you folks heard of chalk and chalk-baords? Please explain to me why you can't do math examples on the board. Please explain to me why kids can't take notes on paper they come to school with. Please explain to me why you can't have interclass math bees, spelling bees, geography contests and the like.

Why can't you show kids a map, let them study it and test them on it. Maps are a one-time purchase that could last for a decade or more.

I don't hear any creativity. All I hear is how burdened you are. Frankly, quit! Get out of teaching if this is the extent of your skills. You are unqualified to teach members of my family and I don't want them exposed to your influence if this is any example of your thought processes.

When I was in school, we didn't have exotic teaching tools. We had textbooks, our own pencils and a notebook. Some people had folderz, but not many.

Our teachers taught by using the chalk-board, textbooks and little else.

If we're talking about the sciences, I agree that extended supplies are needed, but that is not the major portion of the class lineup is it.

Under Bush the education budget has been increased dramaticly. The problem isn't the money. The problem is where that money is going. It's well known that only a fraction of education dollars are making their way into the classroom. That isn't the public's fault. It is the administrator's fault.

If you teachers think you are not getting enough of the education dollars into the classroom, then I'd suggest you band together against the administration. Don't come whine to us here because we've had it with people who have dedicated their whole lives to children, but can't find a way to educate them without more more more more more.

Quit the whining and get to work. If your prefession can't get it's act together, and I am convinced it can't, then I think you all should just give up and let the private sector step in and do what you either refuse to do or are unqualified to do.


41 posted on 08/15/2004 2:02:24 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (liberalism destroys brain cells, what little there were of them)
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To: patton
Bite me... You sound like a democrat, insisting that I not only spend money on your kids, but also pay income tax on that money.

Please show me the "free public education is an entitlement" clause in the Constitution, if you will, Mr. NEA.

And I'd be more than happy to bite anything off of you that you wish.

42 posted on 08/15/2004 4:02:20 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Screw it. Teachers shouldn't spend a dime. Let the little ankle biters learn on what filters through the school district budget.


43 posted on 08/15/2004 4:06:40 PM PDT by Wolfie
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
LOLOL...yeah, I am in the NEA. Whatever.

I was in a teacher's union when I taught at MSU, but only because I was required to be.

44 posted on 08/15/2004 4:08:56 PM PDT by patton (I wish we could all look at the evil of abortion with the pure, honest heart of a child.)
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To: patton
I was in a teacher's union when I taught at MSU, but only because I was required to be.

Since you chose to ignore it, I must repeat my request: Please show me the public eductation entitlement clause of the United States Constitution.

45 posted on 08/15/2004 4:11:26 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Drug prohibition laws help fund terrorism.)
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To: DoughtyOne

When a teacher spends personal coin on classroom materials they at least have the freedom of choosing what to buy for their classes. Soldiers do the same thing when they buy boots, web gear and fighting knives through private sources. Having a $300 Randall might not make you more dangerous in a knife fight, but the freedom to blow your money on one is what it's all about.

I know teachers who travel abroad on school breaks and spend hundreds on posters and souvenirs and bring back tons of photos and lots of travel stories to share with their classes. This is mostly a good thing for the students but it really isn't something that I want to pay for, so it's exactly the right thing for these teachers to contribute on their own nickel.

The hard part is when certain public school systems get stiffed on basic supplies and text and reference books and teachers have to take up the slack or go without. For many reasons this does happen in certain places.


46 posted on 08/15/2004 4:13:46 PM PDT by SBprone
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To: E. Pluribus Unum
Dude, there isn't one. If I were president for a day, I would send the entire department of education home now.

But Bush is a liberal, so don't hold your breath.

47 posted on 08/15/2004 4:14:40 PM PDT by patton (I wish we could all look at the evil of abortion with the pure, honest heart of a child.)
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To: ridesthemiles

Yes. Depending on whether or not he itemizes, what the equipment is, etc. There are ways (but I'm not a tax specialist)...


48 posted on 08/15/2004 4:16:14 PM PDT by Charles H. (The_r0nin) (Still teaching...or a reasonable facsimile thereof...)
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To: visagoth; old and tired

Thanks for the link Visagoth. Imagine, a law needed to tell parents they must provide a few of their children's items in school. Wonder how many of the kids (even in low-income areas) have cell phones, video games etc? One teacher here in WA told me that some categories of minority, low-income parents (isn't that clever how I couched that?) are the ones who can't provide socks, new shoes, or school supplies - but have no trouble coming up with $200 for a prom dress. "It's cultural" she said. Well, it certainly is true that the poorer you are, the better your buying choices had better be.


49 posted on 08/15/2004 5:55:25 PM PDT by Libertina (Kerry: Unreliable in Vietnam, unfit for the White House.)
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To: visagoth
Uh oh... replied to you before reading article. The law is for parents NOT to pay for school supplies... I am speechless.

"It seems like the parents get hit up all the time," said Brenda Nauta, a Lowell parent. "And I don't remember my parents having to pay for all these things when I was a kid." Free teaching is NOT enough.

50 posted on 08/15/2004 5:59:24 PM PDT by Libertina (Kerry: Unreliable in Vietnam, unfit for the White House.)
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To: SoftballMominVA

How is it discrimination- They are showing up for class without supplies which all the students are required to have. Maybe this needs to become a test case in court. Good move on your part to use leftover notebooks, tho. I wish you well. Perhaps a stronger support system and pre-class meetings-big ones-with parents will make them realize the supplies are provided by the parents. My whole post was stating we only perpetuate the problem, and make it worse.
Truly--I don't know how old you are--but I am over 60. PARENTS provided supplies. Not the school.. Making that shopping trip each year was really fun. We spent Dad's money on school supplies--not on $180 athletic shoes and $16 CD's, purchased by the handful. Priorities need to be readdressed by parents and students alike, IMO.


51 posted on 08/15/2004 5:59:47 PM PDT by ridesthemiles (ridesthemiles)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

It's that phrase "for the public good." Pretty much doing us in nowadays...


52 posted on 08/15/2004 6:00:59 PM PDT by Libertina (Kerry: Unreliable in Vietnam, unfit for the White House.)
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To: Libertina

My daughter taught in an inner city grade school a few years back. She said a lot of the kids didn't have underwear, but then they'd have $100 sneakers. For so many people, it's a matter of priorities.


53 posted on 08/15/2004 6:37:20 PM PDT by old and tired
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To: SBprone

I appreciate the comments and agree with them. Let me ask you though. You're a teacher that is dedicated to your kids, right? The school year starts and you don't have school books, teaching aides, even the basics like chalk. Are you going to allow that school year to progress more than a week before you call your fellow school teachers together and call a press conference about it?

Seriously, just how dedicated to those kids are you, if you don't? It's a national scandle how few pennies make it into the classroom of every dollar that schools get. It's about damn time someone who's on the inside cared enough to blast the school board out of the water for allowing this to take place.

I cannot believe for a momment the teachers who come here and claim that things are as bad as they do, then admit that I was continuing to play along. Which is it? Are things really that bad? Are these teachers admitting that they play along with going to community leaders and telling them what's going on? Or are these people just lying their arses off?

Something stinks is river city, and I say the school systems are rotten from the top dog to the lowest lackey.


54 posted on 08/15/2004 7:22:22 PM PDT by DoughtyOne (liberalism destroys brain cells, what little there were of them)
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To: old and tired

No underwear? Most likely just a fashion statement... /s


55 posted on 08/15/2004 7:53:14 PM PDT by Libertina (Kerry: Unreliable in Vietnam, unfit for the White House.)
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To: SoftballMominVA

As to you question about students showing up with no supplies...if no means were available from the school or families to obtain needed supplies, I would then go to the community and commercial businesses with a reasonable appeal for assistance. In communities struggling to get by, you could appeal outside the area. Many areas welcome the opportunity to assist a sister school. Their reasons (charity, feel-good, learning) really do not matter as long as you get what is needed to educate your students. Direct money requests will be looked at with suspicion, and equipment requests should be reasonable. That's how I see it and I'm not in the field.


56 posted on 08/15/2004 8:15:59 PM PDT by kaboom
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To: Libertina

White on white - whatever...


57 posted on 08/15/2004 9:55:29 PM PDT by Senator Pardek
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To: Senator Pardek

Or possibly other colors ;)


58 posted on 08/15/2004 11:41:12 PM PDT by Libertina (Kerry: Unreliable in Vietnam, unfit for the White House.)
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To: Libertina

For once, I'm at a loss for words!


59 posted on 08/16/2004 8:13:56 PM PDT by Senator Pardek
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