The real problem like everyone is discussing is what does it really cost per child? Why should someone who can barely afford to pay for their own child feel like s/he is not paying full tuition and getting a break when in fact full tuition not only covers his own child but is meant to cover his child plus extra to cover what other people don’t pay? Yeshivas raise tuition because they can’t make ends meet, but then parents struggle to cover their tuition bills which they can’t afford so we wind up spiraling into situations that just get out of control.
Parents need to work within a system that is “real” and makes sense. They need to know the truth about what is shayach to them. How much does it really cost to educate their child. On top of that if they can afford more, what is expected of them and what can be considered a donation? Is it really fair for those who are in a position to pay more to not allow them to write part of that off as a donation? After all it really is because they are subsidizing someone else’s tuition on top of their own child’s. Because they include it as a lump sum tuition and it is forced on all parents as tuition fees, they cannot consider it a donation for tax purposes. Is that fair? In actuality it isn’t it is a form of trickery. Yeshivas raise the tuition fee so those who can afford it pay it, but those who can’t go to the tuition committee and show their tax returns and don’t pay it. But no one is told exactly what the expenses are and what it actually costs per child to educate all the children in the school.
Why shouldn’t the parent body know this? Why shouldn’t the parents know that it costs $10,000 per child in this school but not all kids are covered and the rest of $xxxx needs to be raised by other parents. Therefore as per the advice and agreement of the local Vaad Harabonim of the community the amount of $5,000 is being attached to the tuition of other children which will be receipted as a donation and will be placed in a scholarship fund to cover the costs of the other children in the school. In addition, the parents on scholarship are encouraged and expected to do everything in their power to help fundraise for the yeshiva to keep adding to the scholarship funds. And all parents are encouraged to fundraise as well and to understand that EVERY talmid or talmidah in the yeshiva is important and a contributing member to the overall academic and spiritual success and spiritual atmosphere of the yeshiva.