I have a friend who has chosen not to have children. She is constantly complaining about her tax money going to public education. She feels that if you don't have children you should not have to contribute to public education for other people's children. What do you think about this?

That's pretty much how I feel about my tax money going to those too lazy to work.. so I know how she feels!

My ex and I both work full time and our children go to public school.

Yeah I work full time and go to school full time.. my son attends public school as well. But if I did not have kids I wouldn't want to be paying out for school taxes either so I understand where she is coming from.

I am still upset that my ex never paid support, so while he was incarcerated...I got to work and pay taxes to keep him taken care of while the children and I went without..and then he received a "start your new life" check when he was released....3 TIMES!

We as a society have decided that an educated populace is a benefit to all members.

And of course someone else who didn't have kids paid for her public education too.
Same thing about roads, we all pay some taxes for that too.
Public Health depts. too.

There is a benefit to society as a whole even though an individuals benefit may be greater or less than anothers.

That's kind of the way I think about it.

Exactly.

I can tell you right now, I'm tired of paying for other people's children.

I do think I should have to pay for their education, it's part of providing for the common defense of the nation, it's in our constituion.

I don't think I should have to pay for their health care, no one helped my Mom, and we did fine. The constituion provides for a right to life, but it doesn't say a long one or a happy one, so I don't think I should have to pay for it. I don't think I should have to pay taxes for the health care of adults, why should I have to pay for kids?

Roads, provided for in the constitution with a National Highway clause.

Look the way I've noticed it, people really want 3 things from government. They want good schools for their kids (all the way to college if you ask me). They want those kids to go to school on good roads. They want to know that when the kids come home, thier isn't a criminal in the house waiting for them, so good police. Short of that they just want government to leave them alone and keep their taxes low.

If we did just those things, as well as regulate trade, assign a few tarrifs and keep the military strong, our country wouldn't be in half the problems economicly as we are now. But no, we have to have all kinds of social welfare programs to provide everyone with the American dream. Well the dream is just that, a dream - not a reality.

Let me tell you something about all of this! We as a society have forgotten that there are those less fortunate than us. Public Aid, Food Stamps and all of that don't just go to the lazy in this world. I am a single mom of one. I had her with a deadbeat dad. The system enabled me to feed my child and go to school. I am now a working, single mom! The benefits of these programs are wonderful. I still get compensation for her preschool, which otherwise I would not even be able to afford to work, lol. Some of us need the help until we can get on our feet. Granted some take advantage of the System, I agree. But I think it's wrong to turn your head and forget about those less fortunate!!! Help others!!! There are good people out there, that deserve food in their stomaches and a chance at life from the help of those tax dollars. Dont be soo selfish!

funny people who b!tch about paying taxes for childrens education,um didnt they have to go to school to learn how to be able to read and write so theY could be able to b!tch about it.

Good one sweetie! Love the fact that you brought that up!

This is interesting. I wonder what the national percentage of people who support public education regardless of whether or not you have kids is. I had heard this complaint before, but lately I get to hear it weekly from my friend.

Recently read only 25% of population is family with kids.

Wow. I would have thought it much higher than that.

Well, for me I go by the old saying "It takes a village to raise a kid." Think about it, if we didn't help support the educational system, how many of our kids would not be getting the education needed to survive in today's society. Not to mention the fact, that all these kids you see running around, are one day going to be running our future. Wouldn't you like to know that those kids will have at least a High School education behind them, if not more?

I have personally met more childless people who feel resentment towards people who need to be "accomodated" for one reason or another due to their having children. For example, working parents use more sick time than non-parents.

But, maybe it's just the people I have met. Do you think this is generally true in the workplace?

I think people should get to choose where their tax money goes..imagine, there would be no wars then...

I don't have a problem with paying school taxes. anything to keep those kids in school and off my lawn

damn kids!!

I favor Jonathan Swift's approach. just a modest proposal

That might be a true stat of people living in traditional families with children at home.


However, it's not accurate. Once you have kids, you always have kids. The retired couple living in Florida is a "family with kids." Just because they are 45 doesn't mean they aren't your kids. They always are, always will be, come to think of it, they never go away, kids are kind of like luggage that way.