GatewayRedbirds.com

I've probably ranted about this before, but I can't stand the fact that kids from virtually every school are asked to go out and sell crap for school funding. It's one thing if they're selling stuff for a big trip or something extra, but when my sister-in-law sends me an email on behalf of my nephews in 2nd and 4th grade asking me to participate in their school fundraiser, I'm cornered into participating. I don't live in that district, so now I have to help fund their shortcomings? I'm sure my kindergartener will get a packet of crap to sell soon, too.

Schools should get their basic operations funding and they should not need to send 6 year olds out to sell overpriced crap.

Gashouse wrote:I've probably ranted about this before, but I can't stand the fact that kids from virtually every school are asked to go out and sell crap for school funding. It's one thing if they're selling stuff for a big trip or something extra, but when my sister-in-law sends me an email on behalf of my nephews in 2nd and 4th grade asking me to participate in their school fundraiser, I'm cornered into participating. I don't live in that district, so now I have to help fund their shortcomings? I'm sure my kindergartener will get a packet of crap to sell soon, too.

Schools should get their basic operations funding and they should not need to send 6 year olds out to sell overpriced crap.

Totally agree. It seems that most of the baby boomers and gen x'ers gave up on the idea of investing in the future, be it schools, infrastructure, or basic health care.

It's insane. Pizzas one week, candy bars the next, then cookies, etc. I want to contribute but I've started saying no. One time we had three kids in two days come trying to sell us things.

Just buy lottery tickets. At least part of the proceeds to go education and there is always the tiniest of chances that you might get something out of it other than overpriced wrapping paper, candy or frozen pizza.

Off topic a bit but I get irrationally mad at those lottery commercials that talk about how the funding goes to education. Sure, the money does but it is still BS because they get support for the lottery by saying it will bring in additional funding for schools but as soon as the lottery is allowed in a state, they just cut all other sources of education funding back as far as possible and it doesn't actually benefit education at all in the long run.

Edit: I just looked up the budget for Missouri's Education spending in 2019 and it is a much smaller percentage of money that comes from the lottery than I thought but I still stand by previously stated opinions even if they are completely wrong. Fight me.

So they are basically trying to get you to thank them for just taking your money? Which of course they would rather just take the money directly because somebody else gets a cut of all of those other sales/events.

And what's the deal with wanting your phone number and kid's name other than the possibility of shaming you or the child into donating when they notice that you haven't?

cardsfantx wrote:

I would much rather this.

lukethedrifter wrote:

cardsfantx wrote:

I would much rather this.

++

I think event things are better. I definitely don't like those fundraisers that are part of a businesses' model.

Ooh, brilliant idea: how about a No-iPadathon? Raise money by day a kid won't play their tablet. Parents might hate that though, because they'd have to engage their children. And children would start itching like junkies and acting out lord-knows-how.

BottenFieldofDreams wrote:I think event things are better. I definitely don't like those fundraisers that are part of a businesses' model.

Whoever at those companies thought of that business model was a freaking genius though.

Spike the price of cheap garbage by $2, tell the schools that you'll give them $1 for each item (or whatever percentage), the school provides the entire sales force which you motivate by giving prizes based on how much they sell and in the end you just rake in the profit while paying your sales force with a cheap toy each.

No health insurance for your sales force, no retirement plan, no payroll taxes, nothing. It's brilliant.