Dear Matzav Inbox,
In response to yesterday’s letter on the topic of tuition committees, I’d like to clarify a crucial point that seems to have been overlooked. There is a fundamental difference between a school and a parent, which directly impacts why parents often need to request tuition assistance.
A school has the ability to fundraise. It can host events, solicit donations, and apply for grants. Fundraising is not only accepted but expected as a normal part of a school’s operations. This has always been the case, and any school owner or administrator knows that raising funds is part of the territory. It’s how schools bridge the gap between the actual cost of chinuch and what parents can afford.
On the other hand, what is a parent supposed to do? Should they go door to door, asking for money to pay their tuition bills? Such an act would not only be humiliating, but it would also significantly damage their prospects of ever marrying off their children. The frum community would look upon them as shnorrers, and their and their children’s futures would be jeopardized.
Parents who ask for tuition breaks aren’t shirking their responsibilities; they’re caught in a difficult position where the cost of tuition exceeds their means. They don’t have the option to fundraise their way out of the problem like schools do. This is why they turn to the schools for help—because there’s nowhere else to turn.
To suggest that parents should simply pay up or face the consequences without recognizing this imbalance is not only unfair but unrealistic. Schools are equipped to handle financial challenges through fundraising. Parents are not. That’s why, when a parent comes forward asking for a break, it’s crucial that the school considers their request with the gravity – and respect – it deserves, rather than subjecting them to unnecessary scrutiny.
Sincerely,
A Parent Who Cannot Fundraise for Himself
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