Madrid Rewards Private Schools by Increasing Tax Breaks for Educational Costs
New tax laws in Madrid will include a significant increase in the tax deduction for costs of private primary and secondary education. These new tax regulations were pushed through by Esperanza Aguirre, the head of Madrid’s regional government. The measure extends the income range of families who benefit from the deduction, and it also increases the amount of each deduction per child. The new tax rules come as a response to pressure from the association of private schools, Acade.
The new law triples the maximum annual income for each family member to 30.000 euros per year, which means that a family of three that has an annual income of 90.000 euros will benefit from tax deductions. In addition, the law also increases the deduction itself, from 500 euros to 900 euros per child.
According to Mercedes Díaz Massó, a Socialist representative in the Regional Assembly, this will cut 90.000 euros from the government’s income, which is equivalent to about 5% of Madrid’s education budget. She claimed that Aguirre is “taking money from the poor to give it to the rich.”
Madrid is the only “autonomous community” in Spain that has deductions for the costs of private schools. This measure comes just after unions, opposition parties and school directors condemned the fact the 2.500 “intern” teaching spots were cut this academic year in order to cut costs.
Aguirre claims that the deductions are fair because families with children in private school “pay twice for education”, since they pay taxes and also have to shoulder the cost of paying a private school.
Meanwhile, José Luis Pazos, president of the Federación de Padres de Alumnos (FAPA) Giner de los Ríos, argues that this explication is nonsense because the families choose to send their children to private schools. He also says that that these families should assume the cost themselves because “if we apply this measure at all levels, we would end up with a taxless society where everyone would just pay for themselves.”
According to Fátima Peinado, a Socialist representative in the Madrid assembly, this measure is a reward for families who choose private schools and part of Aguirre’s neo-conservative agenda: fewer taxes for those who have the most. Izquierda Unida representative Laly Vaquero points out that these new tax rules are ridiculous at a time when the financial crisis is creating difficulties for everyone.
I strongly disagree with giving tax breaks for private education, let alone increasing the deductions. In the first place, I think that in an ideal society every child would receive a quality public education, free-of-charge and equal for everyone. Obviously that is an ideal, but I believe we must work toward this goal. This means that we must invest our resources in public schools instead of using public money in any way to benefit charter schools or private schools, since they are not accessible for everyone.
These tax breaks will take money out of the budget for public education and it will go into the pockets of individuals. Budget cuts mean lower quality public schools, fewer services for children and worse working conditions for public school teachers. I think it’s absurd that according to this law a family with a 90.000 euro income will be pocketing up to 900 Euros per child. Meanwhile, families who have no alternative to public education are forced to send their children to schools that lack basic resources or are short-staffed.
In short, I agree with the headline. These tax breaks are a reward for private schools and higher-income families, and they will result in less money for public schools that serve the majority of the population.
In part I agree with Kate, I think that it's not sensible to take money out of the budget for public education to give it to families that take their children to private schools. It doesn't make any sens to empoverish public education to make private schools richer and more sofisticated.
However, it is true that private education always brings a little extra to the children's education (languages, other systems of education, sports etc..) and I think that most of the parents that make the decision to take their children to a private school, are thinking about giving a bonus to their education. So, most of them aren't rich and just do that to give the best education they can to their children.
What I really want to say it is that money of private and public school don't have to be mixed, but if you choose private school, you have to pay the same taxes only if you don't have money problems ("mileurista"; big large family etc..).
I totally agree with kate but I understand the idea you want to Ines, the problem is that it is true that many families do not have much money decide to involve their children in private schools provide a better education, because usually in public schools conditions are worse. I think that this should not be if we lived in a society in which everyone had the same opportunities, the same resources and the same quality of education. Ideally, in my opinion that there were no private schools or charter schools, and that all money was allocated to public schools, then get a good quality education in these schools and parents should not see the option for better or worse quality of education for their children.
I´m agree with Kate and Rocío. Pulic education should have enough quality for parents don´t have to seek private chances to ensure a complete education for their children. Education, as heath and home living are basic and common rights and not objects for speculation or business.
I think that all people should have the same rights and that education is an essential value in our lives. I don´t think that in private school ,education is better than in public school, I consider that teachers have to do an excellent work with their pupils, they have to teach well, to worried for them and so on. And children must study and they have to have a good behaviour with their teachers.
I think there should be no discrimination between public and private school, taxes must be the same for everyone because there is no obligation of paying teaching our children. Many parents bring their children to private school to improve their knowledge. On this I agree with Kate.
On one hand I agree with all of you. As Rafa said Education is a common right so everyone deserves a proper and equal education providing by public schools. That is why Government should invest all the money assign to Education to public schools so every child had the same opportunities and receive a quality education and schools are provided of good installations and can invest in the better training for their teachers.
But on the other hand, it is true that nowadays some private schools offer a better education than in public schools, that’s why I agree with measure. There are a great amount of parents that have to make great efforts as long as their children could study in a private school in order to acquire a better education. So these tax breaks will be very helpful for these types of families.
In conclusion, it can be a positive side in the measurements taken by the government of Madrid.
I consider that an excessive rise of the private schools aids means a necessity of the Madrid government for the privatization of education.
Being able to invest this money in public schools, more aid for families who really need them, they decide to help families who want to educate their children in private schools by own choice (not for fundamental educational need)turning their backs on public education and as valid as the private.
In this way, I consider it right to provide aid to these private schools, but needless to raise that previous aid, and reduces the government's education budget by 5% (4.548 million euros).
I think that there are different levels of education between private and public schools. But there are families that haven't a lot of money and decide to do a sacrifice for to give to their childrens a good education. And for this, in my opinion, the issue of the taxes should be equal in all types of school. We are talking about education, one of the most important things that need all people.
If there is private education, this education must be autonomuos from the State. Then the private education mustn't get money from State.
The money that all people pay to State must be reflected in only in public services, not in services that benefit a few people, and also that people with high purchasing power. It is antisolidarity and It has a negative influence on public education.
The ideal that should always guide the educational activities must be a good education for ALL PEOPLE, and in this utopian idea is no room for private education.
My opinion about the private education is the same that maria's article. I think that private education wouldn't have to exist because this only benefit the government. The parents think that their children learn more in private schools and this is totally untrue.
Unfortunately, i think it is just a strategy from politics to get us used to private education. Public education, in my opinion, won´t last longer than 10 years in Spain and pheraps not even in Europe or look what´s happened in United Kingdom.
Madrid Rewards Private Schools by Increasing Tax Breaks for Educational Costs
ReplyDeleteNew tax laws in Madrid will include a significant increase in the tax deduction for costs of private primary and secondary education. These new tax regulations were pushed through by Esperanza Aguirre, the head of Madrid’s regional government. The measure extends the income range of families who benefit from the deduction, and it also increases the amount of each deduction per child. The new tax rules come as a response to pressure from the association of private schools, Acade.
The new law triples the maximum annual income for each family member to 30.000 euros per year, which means that a family of three that has an annual income of 90.000 euros will benefit from tax deductions. In addition, the law also increases the deduction itself, from 500 euros to 900 euros per child.
According to Mercedes Díaz Massó, a Socialist representative in the Regional Assembly, this will cut 90.000 euros from the government’s income, which is equivalent to about 5% of Madrid’s education budget. She claimed that Aguirre is “taking money from the poor to give it to the rich.”
Madrid is the only “autonomous community” in Spain that has deductions for the costs of private schools. This measure comes just after unions, opposition parties and school directors condemned the fact the 2.500 “intern” teaching spots were cut this academic year in order to cut costs.
Aguirre claims that the deductions are fair because families with children in private school “pay twice for education”, since they pay taxes and also have to shoulder the cost of paying a private school.
Meanwhile, José Luis Pazos, president of the Federación de Padres de Alumnos (FAPA) Giner de los Ríos, argues that this explication is nonsense because the families choose to send their children to private schools. He also says that that these families should assume the cost themselves because “if we apply this measure at all levels, we would end up with a taxless society where everyone would just pay for themselves.”
According to Fátima Peinado, a Socialist representative in the Madrid assembly, this measure is a reward for families who choose private schools and part of Aguirre’s neo-conservative agenda: fewer taxes for those who have the most. Izquierda Unida representative Laly Vaquero points out that these new tax rules are ridiculous at a time when the financial crisis is creating difficulties for everyone.
PILAR ÁLVAREZ - EL PAÍS - 15/11/2010
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/educacion/Madrid/premia/privados/subir/deducciones/ensenanza/elpepuedu/20101115elpepiedu_1/Tes
My opinion...
ReplyDeleteI strongly disagree with giving tax breaks for private education, let alone increasing the deductions. In the first place, I think that in an ideal society every child would receive a quality public education, free-of-charge and equal for everyone. Obviously that is an ideal, but I believe we must work toward this goal. This means that we must invest our resources in public schools instead of using public money in any way to benefit charter schools or private schools, since they are not accessible for everyone.
These tax breaks will take money out of the budget for public education and it will go into the pockets of individuals. Budget cuts mean lower quality public schools, fewer services for children and worse working conditions for public school teachers. I think it’s absurd that according to this law a family with a 90.000 euro income will be pocketing up to 900 Euros per child. Meanwhile, families who have no alternative to public education are forced to send their children to schools that lack basic resources or are short-staffed.
In short, I agree with the headline. These tax breaks are a reward for private schools and higher-income families, and they will result in less money for public schools that serve the majority of the population.
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn part I agree with Kate, I think that it's not sensible to take money out of the budget for public education to give it to families that take their children to private schools. It doesn't make any sens to empoverish public education to make private schools richer and more sofisticated.
ReplyDeleteHowever, it is true that private education always brings a little extra to the children's education (languages, other systems of education, sports etc..) and I think that most of the parents that make the decision to take their children to a private school, are thinking about giving a bonus to their education. So, most of them aren't rich and just do that to give the best education they can to their children.
What I really want to say it is that money of private and public school don't have to be mixed, but if you choose private school, you have to pay the same taxes only if you don't have money problems ("mileurista"; big large family etc..).
I totally agree with kate but I understand the idea you want to Ines, the problem is that it is true that many families do not have much money decide to involve their children in private schools provide a better education, because usually in public schools conditions are worse. I think that this should not be if we lived in a society in which everyone had the same opportunities, the same resources and the same quality of education. Ideally, in my opinion that there were no private schools or charter schools, and that all money was allocated to public schools, then get a good quality education in these schools and parents should not see the option for better or worse quality of education for their children.
ReplyDeleteI´m agree with Kate and Rocío. Pulic education should have enough quality for parents don´t have to seek private chances to ensure a complete education for their children. Education, as heath and home living are basic and common rights and not objects for speculation or business.
ReplyDeleteI think that all people should have the same rights and that education is an essential value in our lives.
ReplyDeleteI don´t think that in private school ,education is better than in public school, I consider that teachers have to do an excellent work with their pupils, they have to teach well, to worried for them and so on.
And children must study and they have to have a good behaviour with their teachers.
I think there should be no discrimination between public and private school, taxes must be the same for everyone because there is no obligation of paying teaching our children. Many parents bring their children to private school to improve their knowledge. On this I agree with Kate.
ReplyDeleteOn one hand I agree with all of you. As Rafa said Education is a common right so everyone deserves a proper and equal education providing by public schools. That is why Government should invest all the money assign to Education to public schools so every child had the same opportunities and receive a quality education and schools are provided of good installations and can invest in the better training for their teachers.
ReplyDeleteBut on the other hand, it is true that nowadays some private schools offer a better education than in public schools, that’s why I agree with measure. There are a great amount of parents that have to make great efforts as long as their children could study in a private school in order to acquire a better education. So these tax breaks will be very helpful for these types of families.
In conclusion, it can be a positive side in the measurements taken by the government of Madrid.
I consider that an excessive rise of the private schools aids means a necessity of the Madrid government for the privatization of education.
ReplyDeleteBeing able to invest this money in public schools, more aid for families who really need them, they decide to help families who want to educate their children in private schools by own choice (not for fundamental educational need)turning their backs on public education and as valid as the private.
In this way, I consider it right to provide aid to these private schools, but needless to raise that previous aid, and reduces the government's education budget by 5% (4.548 million euros).
I think that there are different levels of education between private and public schools. But there are families that haven't a lot of money and decide to do a sacrifice for to give to their childrens a good education. And for this, in my opinion, the issue of the taxes should be equal in all types of school. We are talking about education, one of the most important things that need all people.
ReplyDeleteIf there is private education, this education must be autonomuos from the State.
ReplyDeleteThen the private education mustn't get money from State.
The money that all people pay to State must be reflected in only in public services, not in services that benefit a few people, and also that people with high purchasing power. It is antisolidarity and It has a negative influence on public education.
The ideal that should always guide the educational activities must be a good education for ALL PEOPLE, and in this utopian idea is no room for private education.
My opinion about the private education is the same that maria's article.
ReplyDeleteI think that private education wouldn't have to exist because this only benefit the government.
The parents think that their children learn more in private schools and this is totally untrue.
Unfortunately, i think it is just a strategy from politics to get us used to private education.
ReplyDeletePublic education, in my opinion, won´t last longer than 10 years in Spain and pheraps not even in Europe or look what´s happened in United Kingdom.
It's deplorable that nowadays happens this.
ReplyDeletePrivate education is, like Eduardo says, a strategy, you don't learn more if you study in a private school, all the money goes to the government.
It's okey to give aids, but if they really need money, these families send their children to public schools.