Teachers Lose Tax Breaks for Supplies(but, no Millionaire left behind)

[RedEarth]

September 14, 2004, 1:51 PM EDT

LOS ANGELES -- If Doreen Seelig pocketed all the money she has spent on classroom supplies over 35 years as a teacher -- the printer cartridges, the paper, the pencils and the paperback books lent to her Venice High School students -- she figures she would have a new car by now.

Now, as the new school year gets under way, the burden on Seelig and other teachers around the country is even heavier.

Because of a budget crunch, California has suspended a tax credit that reimbursed teachers up to $1,500 for classroom supplies. Meanwhile, a $250 federal tax deduction for teachers that helped defray out-of-pocket spending expired this year.

...

Teachers around the country often reach into their own pockets to buy school supplies for themselves or their students, either because the school system does not provide the money, or because they feel sorry for youngsters from poor homes who come to school without the things they need.

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-school-supplies,0,7122213,print.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Teachers don't vote Republican...

...reliably enough to have their tax cuts preserved.

In other words, we didn't stay bought, at least for a lousy $250.

[2Design]

4. exactly....anyone who does not vote republican will be punished

[scarface2004]

9. actually less than $80

the deduction is $250, multiply by tax rate, say 27 or 30%, that is the actual tax 'benefit'

[whistle]

2. Does that apply to teachers in private/for-profit schools....

...also? Why in this country of all places on earth, do teachers have to come up with classroom supplies for students? This is discraceful and the shameful politicians at all levels of government, federal, state and local who are allowing this to take place in the United States of America should be drummed out of office with pitchforks and shovels beating at their heels. Fucking neo-con fascists!

My property taxes for schools and education have once again increased while this same thing happens right here in Florida under Governor Jeb Bush's oversight. Now, Florida public schools teachers will be burdened even more financially to keep student scores up while being denied the necessary resources to make that happen.

[indepat]

3. With perpetual pre-emptive war(s) against a tactic, unfortunately money

is no longer available for the teachers. After all, we must keep our priorities straight (that is in an extremely far-right fashion).

[xxqqqzme]

5. Xactly - we ALL

have 2 sacrifice during 'war-time'!


Problem is it's not our war.

[UpInArms]

6. guess this isn't one of the tax cuts that

*Co is touting?

Well, after all, it's only about leaving children behind in school supplies and maybe some faith-based accounting practice will make those supplies magically appear!

Remember - teachers are terrorists!

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,112247,00.html

Paige Calls NEA 'Terrorist Organization'

WASHINGTON — Education Secretary Rod Paige (search) says he chose poor words in calling the nation's largest teachers union a "terrorist organization," but he stands by his claim that the group uses "obstructionist scare tactics" in its fight over the nation's education law.

Paige used the terrorist reference Monday in a private White House meeting with governors while answering a question about the National Education Association (search), which has 2.7 million members. His words startled members of his audience, triggered outrage from prominent Democrats and deepened the divide between the country's top education official and its largest union.

...more...

[proud patriot]

7. I'm a teacher when not a homemaker like now

THIS PISSES ME OFF :grr: :mad: :grr:

[hatrack]

8. . . . but the main priority has to be abolishing the DEATH TAX

After all, estate taxes apply to a good, what, 0.3% of all estates probated annually, so it's obvious what must come next.

Maybe Office Depot will give special price breaks to these good-hearted teachers. That way, they can be trained to rely on the beneficence of corporations.

[cmd]

10. Staples already does

It's not much, but better than nothing. I wish I had the thousands of dollars that I spent for supplies in my 30+ years of teaching. I would be better able to afford the high cost of my health care today.