Reply To: embarassed to use School Scholarships

Avram in MD:

Thank you for your response, although once again, whether you actually are on scholarship is not important.

I believe there are two possible reasons why School scholarships are looked at as being different than tzedaka collecting:

The first is the reason (I think) you brought. That is, that the community has a responsibility to school all children. If the parent can not afford it, then they will try their best, but the school will not turn away the child.

Second idea, is that the school negotiates with the parent a price it feels that the parent should pay based on income, etc., based on its mandate to school all children. Once that is paid, the school has no additional claims on the parents, as they paid the negotiated price.

The difference being what the responsibilities of the parent are. Is the parent responsible to make up any gap that they can (as Rav Schwab holds), or once the price is negotiated, that is the price and the parents are off.

I had this argument with a relative of mine who is on the board of one of the larger Bais Yaakovs in the USA. He claimed the second option, while I believe the first is what should be upheld.

Your thoughts?