Do We Still Need To Pay Regular Tuition?

twizzlers1

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 7:02 am

I'm okay with paying tuition because my kids are getting some things online. what I'm not okay is is that they want to charge me for the busing still which is more money than the tuition! Also my daughter started a tutor less than a month before which was supposed to have started in the beginning of the year and they want to keep charging for me that as well and I feel that that is totally not okay or fair. perhaps if the teacher would have offered to learn with her online or over the phone I would have felt differently. but we're talking a couple hundred dollars a month which right now is a tremendous amount of money for me and that is besides tuition.

amother

Mauve

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 7:41 am

With one school, which is a dorming school, I told them since they are giving classes online, we should of course pay for that, but not for dorming. They took it off for this month and they said we’ll discuss it after pesach.

Another child, who is also in HS did not give ANYTHING. I called them up and told them that we shouldn’t pay. I don’t have a problem if they give my son work, but if not, what am I paying for.

amother

Mint

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 8:27 am

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

You're missing the point. They are keeping a school building open, for YOUR children. No, they aren't doing nearly as much as usual, but my guess is that you don't really know what kind of operating expenses they have. Instead of venting online, talk to a board member. Ask about continuing expenses. I think you'll be surprised.

And those continuing expenses do benefit you, even though they aren't classroom time.

If you pay a yearly mikva fee, do you cancel when you get pregnant or enter menopause? Or do you recognize that a community institution needs to be supported, even if you don't benefit directly?

Sorry, I know it's hard now. If you can't keep up with payments, please speak to the school and work something out.

[u]

True, we don't really know what type of expenses the yeshiva has.

But their biggest expense is paying their staff and some feel that just like any other business they should have their staff go on unemployment if they're not really functioning. Btw, many banks are allowing mortgage payments to be furloughed as well. If they did this, they can discount the tuition significantly.

amother

Magenta

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 8:41 am

A school owner of a school in lkwd told my husband he was appalled at the ppl that canceled their credit card payments especially since they are keeping teachers etc on payroll and still have huge expenses to pay and they are working hard behind the scenes and to note that it was all the people he didn't originally want to except

amother

Azure

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:05 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

I think unless someone negotiates reduced tuition due to changes then they should just be kicked out of school. For now and for when school resumes. If they stopped paying without warning then do it without warning.

amother

Teal

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:12 am

amother [ Mint ] wrote:

I agree that if teachers aren't teaching, then schools should reduce tuition by the percentage that they are saving. Let's say 70 percent. I'm saying that even without payroll, schools still have somewhere around 30 percent of their usual expenses. That money has to come from someplace, or the school ceases to exist and owes money to creditors.

But many schools are functioning online, meaning that teachers are still putting in a full day. In that case, they should be paid and tuition should be collected as usual.

amother

Pumpkin

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:26 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

The problem is the schools in Lakewood aren’t doing zoom and kids are sitting home bored.

Also the schools are getting money from the government to Help them now why should they get extra pass the savings on to the parents. The schools are also getting money from the government at least in Lakewood to lay their teachers.

Bmg of Lakewood was awarded $6 million dollars and all schools got money some more and some less.

amother

Brunette

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:31 am

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

And who will cover those expenses? Because if the building is repossessed by the bank, it won't be available when school reopens.

You present yourself as a customer getting a service rather than as a partner in your child's education.

Aren’t mortgages forgiven right now?

amother

Brunette

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:33 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

Many many people lost their jobs and simply don’t have the money to pay. I get that schools want to keep paying their teachers but the money has to come from somewhere and if the parents aren’t working they simply don’t have the money. It was low of him to mention it was people he never wanted to accept. That has nothing to do with anything here

amother

Olive

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:42 am

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

Everyone's situation is different.

there are people who's cash flow has not been impacted by Covid - but are holding back tuition payments because they aren't getting what they signed up for.

Reality

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:47 am

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

Aren’t mortgages forgiven right now?

No. Mortgages are not forgiven now.

They can be delayed. But read the fine print. You might be punished and have to pay terrible fees later.

So if you can scrape up your mortgage payments do so! The mortgage companies don't just forgive their payments so easily.

Why are people so naive?

amother

Orange

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:47 am

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

Aren't all business owners in the same boat? No one wants to lay off anyone, but they were forced to do so. Schools have received some government assistance, so let them direct that towards payroll as most other utilities and bank loans are accepting requests for deferment. They won't lose the school building right now because of non-payment. This can work for the time being, and everyone will need to reassess if this drags on.

I'm also of interest if this very school owner is providing services to his clientele. 1/2 hour conference phone calls amounts to next to nothing. Young kids don't absorb much information over the phone, never mind sitting still and concentrating to someone droning on on the other end. I agree with the other poster who wrote that this is primarily a technology issue. Those schools who don't use technology have to do an internal reckoning and figure out how they can continue functioning in this circumstances. Off and on quarantine may be part of our reality for the next 18 months or so, and they need to figure out how to handle it. Telling parents that they must pay for a non-service just because they need to pay staff is not the way to go.

allthingsblue

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 9:49 am

Why can't parents pay the teachers directly? I bet they'd appreciate that!

Otherwise schools should figure out exactly how much is needed to pay the teachers and rebbeim and exactly how much is saved by no a/c or heat, no lights, no janitors, no lunch, etc. and give us a discount.

amother

Brunette

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 10:31 am

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

Everyone's situation is different.

there are people who's cash flow has not been impacted by Covid - but are holding back tuition payments because they aren't getting what they signed up for.

Do you generally speaking pay for services you don’t receive?

amother

Azure

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 10:35 am

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

So you call the school like a mensch and discuss your situation. Not just stop payment.
If you don’t care if your school can afford their building you aren’t entitled to attend once school resumes.

amother

Pumpkin

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 10:36 am

amother [ Olive ] wrote:

Everyone's situation is different.

there are people who's cash flow has not been impacted by Covid - but are holding back tuition payments because they aren't getting what they signed up for.

Do you know that for a fact or you are assuming?

amother

Brunette

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 10:46 am

amother [ Azure ] wrote:

I pay a building fee separate from tuition.
And I wish there was someone to talk to but we tried really hard when we wanted a break and we couldn’t get past the secretary who promised to pass along the message but we couldn’t even get a name of who is in charge to discuss it with. And they didn’t give us a break and we barely manage to pay it and are lacking in other areas because of it. I’m still paying because I still have some income. And because I want my children to have a school to go to. I still think it’s wrong for them to continue charging when there is no school. It’s great that they want to continue paying their teachers but as in lost cases in life, if you don’t work you don’t get paid.

amother

Olive

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 10:58 am

amother [ Brunette ] wrote:

Do you generally speaking pay for services you don’t receive?

No.

Do I consider my relationship with my school different than a typical contract with a for profit service vendor, Yes.

I don't begrudge anyone from what ever choice they are making with regard to their tuition payments. none of my business.

I do understand, however, why the boards of the schools aren't just canceling tuition contracts and laying off teachers.

amother

Orange

Fri, Apr 17 2020, 11:01 am

amother [ Cobalt ] wrote:

Building fees aren't building fees. Its just broken down that way so the parents get to take it as a tax write off. I would think the building costs more than the building "fee".

What expenses are applicable right now?

Buses - no busing
Mortgages - deferments offered
loans - deferments offered
Utilities - very minimal usage right now
Meals - not being served (unless gov't sponsored)
extra curriculars - not being offered
janitors & maintenance workers - not on premises at the moment

The one thing really in play right now is staff. And the gov't is currently providing assistance for that. Regardless, for those schools who are hard at work and offering a reasonable amount of services, everyone should try to do their best. But for those who are unable to offer anything reasonable (I.e. short phone conference call daily), they really need to reconsider their expectations.