Thread by @HoarseWisperer

I’m just gonna add something about one common racist trope in this person’s rant:

“People sending their kids to schools they don’t pay for...”

Let’s examine that one for a second.

1/

https://twitter.com/hoarsewisperer/status/1275785591179948033

The premise is that poor people aren’t paying for their kids’ education but middle-class people are.

Here’s how it actually works in my area using real numbers:

- schools are funded by property taxes
- average property taxes are around $12k a year
- 80% of that goes to schools

So, the average homeowner in my area is paying about $10k a year into the education system.

Now, let’s assume the woman in this rant is a pretty typical homeowner.

- married in late 20’s
- bought house by age 30
- two kids also by age 30
- kids attend public school for K-12

3/

The average cost to the district to educate those kids is $22k... per kid... per year.

So, ignoring inflation, by the time that woman is 48 years old and her kids graduate public school, their education has cost taxpayers...

$572,000.

4/

Yet, in her 18 years of homeownership, she has only paid property taxes totaling...

$216,000.

And 20% of that was for other things like police, fire and services.

So, she has only paid into the education system to the tune of...

$172,800

5/

So, by the time her kids graduate from public school, her family will have consumed $399,800 more in taxpayer-funded education services than they’ve paid for.

And the only way she’d ever pay her community back is if she stayed there and paid taxes for another 30+ years.

6/

See that’s the thing about people who bitch about the poor while claiming they pay their own way...

They’re freeloaders too. They just don’t know it.

In my state at least, if you send your kids to public school, it is nearly certain you are freeloading off of others.

7/

You’re benefiting from older people and people with no kids paying for *your kids’* education.

You may someday pay it back.

And, oh, BTW, the woman in this rant is an Asst Principal. Not only do her kids benefit from other taxpayers’ money, so does she.

It pays her salary.

8/

One thing I’ve learned from debating systemic inequity and poverty with people who use right wing rhetoric:

They generally have no idea what the fuck they’re talking about.

They’re freeloaders too. They’re certain they aren’t. They feel morally superior in their ignorance.

9/

We’re all takers.

At some point in our lives, other people were paying for us.

Now, send your kids off to school, ma’am... and thank every senior citizen you pass. They’re paying for you and your kids.

Thanks for coming for my Ted Talk.

9/9