Hmmm...what could I do with three hundred dollars? Pay half of a month's mortgage and taxes on my house...two months worth of car payments...a month and a half of groceries...skydiving lessons (just kidding, Mom). There's a lot I could do with three hundred dollars. So, let me tell you why, when and if I get my tax refund from the U.S. government courtesy of George W. Bush, I will not keep it but instead, sign it directly over to my local elementary school.

First of all, they need it more than I do. While I believe that there are agencies that receive way too much funding, schools have never been among them. There is no organization in this world that does more important work than schools, and yet they always have to struggle to make do with the trickle of funds that they get. I recently spoke to a teacher from Utah who said that she has had up to fifty-two students at a time in her science classes! Across our nation, many school districts have class sizes that reduce actual teaching to crowd control; materials that are insufficient, out-of-date or just plain missing; and facilities that are sub-standard - even dangerous. Schools desperately need this money.

Secondly, despite what George W. Bush claims, that three hundred dollars is not mine...not yet, anyway. The folks in Washington are making a lot of noise about our huge surplus, but, last time I checked, we still had a crushing national debt. We owe a vast amount of money, and until that debt is cleared, the government has no right to refund money, and I have no right to accept it. It is irresponsible and it will be crippling to us as a nation.

I could imagine, in response to my donating my refund to a school, Dick Cheney commending me for my act of "personal virtue" as though I were turning the lights out when I leave a room. I could See George W. Bush identifying my actions as an example of the opportunity that the tax refund provides for me to make my own "faith bases" donation. However, that would be misunderstanding me. Schools and other services of our society should not have to rely on the personal virtue of private citizens. But, until our government makes the appropriate public investments such as adequate school funding and payment of our debt, it si up to us, as individual citizens, to take this responsibility.

Will it be easy for me to give away three hundred dollars? No way! As I have shown, three hundred dollars would mean a lot to me. I am a school teacher and mother who works a second job to make ends meet. Most of what I own, from my clothing to my car, is second hand. I'm not complaining, though. I feel blessed with the truly wonderful life that I have. 

Still...three hundred dollars could be put to good use in my household. But I'm not going to keep it, and I urge you to do the same. If that three or six hundred dollars would be the difference between your family being fed, clothed and housed or not, by all means, keep it and use it with a clear conscience. But if you possibly can, please, when and if that check shows up in your mail box, endorse it over to your favorite under-funded social service, or sent it back to Washington with a demand that they use it to clear up our debts.

Until the dbts are paid, and the social services of our society get appropriate funding, this tax refund is most certainly NOT our money to do with what we wish. We still have tremendous financial responsibilities to take care of before we enjoy the bounty of a surplus. That three hundred dollars would, in paying some of my monthly bills, be helpful, but only short-term. Money invested in schools and paying off our national debt has a return that lasts forever. Please join me in sending this message to Washington. Reject the refund.

Andrea R. Griswold
Shelburne Falls

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