Private charitable donations to public high schools

[Noodle]

We built a new North Jr/Sr HS building here in Evansville about 13 years ago (ftr, the budget was ~$70m). The original plans called for a natatorium. But the school corp scrapped it when officials and parents from the other high schools complained about North getting a pool and nobody else.

Eventually the city just built a new natatorium that all of the schools can use -- which makes a helluva lot more sense.

I much prefer this approach, at least in communities of modest size where one pool can be used by everyone. I hope my township eventually goes this route and builds a nice natatorium with a 50 meter indoor pool. Take the capital expense away from the schools and simply charge them rent when the high schools use the pool.

 

[mcmurtry66]

It beats the alternative when you (or your kid) falls in the water.

Good reminder. Need to get my minion lessons

 

[Noodle]

We have one school in our "city." Our park district has an outdoor pool, with swimming lanes, etc. right across the street from the high school.

It's insane to spend that much money on a pool. I'm not one of those people that think swimming needs to be taught in high school. If you want to make it an educational requirement, I'm sure you could subsidize swimming lessons in the summer for far, far less.

Teaching swimming in high school is way too late.

Way back when my high school required swimming. While you had to swim 500 yards to graduate, you also received your lifeguard certification if you passed the class.

Of course the best part for me was that the varsity swimmers were allowed to take a nap during swimming class. That 10 AM nap for 45 minutes, after we had already swam from 6-7:30 that morning, did wonders.

 

[crazed_hoosier2]

The way schools are funded in Indiana causes a lot of that.

Oh, I'm aware.

It's one of the reasons I've never had much sympathy for their funding gripes. They don't need to lobby for more money in their operating budgets. They need to be lobbying to have some discretionary funds that can be used for either operating expenses or their capital fund.

But, as far as I know, they haven't taken that approach -- they just want the operating budgets increased without affecting the capital funds.

 

[UncleMark]

Oh, I'm aware.

It's one of the reasons I've never had much sympathy for their funding gripes. They don't need to lobby for more money in their operating budgets. They need to be lobbying to have some discretionary funds that can be used for either operating expenses or their capital fund.

But, as far as I know, they haven't taken that approach -- they just want the operating budgets increased without affecting the capital funds.

The difference between the two funds gets out of whack. You end up with palatial buildings and no money for school supplies.

 

[BradStevens]

It beats the alternative when you (or your kid) falls in the water.

It's called life vest and it works really well.

https://fb.watch/v3OSK-5LL3/

 

[JamieDimonsBalls]

I find this phenomenon bizarre. It's now going on at my school. A neighbor was invited to a mixer that turned out to be a fundraising networking event. These people are looking for people to donate between $100k-$500k. To my kid's public high school. They said it's a more "progressive" way to fund the school's $250 million renovation that was voted on and somehow they want private funding to cover part of the cost.

Here's an earlier example:

https://www.axios.com/2018/02/16/schwarzman-public-school-private-donation

The same guy told me that some billionaire graduate from this high school offered to pay the whole $250 million if they'd name the school after him. And our board flatly declined. WTF???

Hold the fvck up - this is happening at OPRF right now?

 

[BradStevens]

Hold the fvck up - this is happening at OPRF right now?

Yup. Next time you're around, look for the Imagine yard signs. Not nearly as ubiquitous as the Harris Walz signs, but they're out there.

Home | Imagine Foundation

www.imagine-foundation.org

 

[CO. Hoosier]

Monroe County doesn't really allow it. Any large donations have to be "pooled" a distributed evenly. A parent can't privately donate the cash required to update Binford Elementary's playground unless they can fund all of them.

Heard Bloomington South had an alum willing to fund the $1MM to turf the soccer field, but was nixed unless he funded the same for North.

There are constitutional issues about unequal school funding.