The Karlsfeld community wants to increase kindergarten fees by 25 percent.
During a conversation with the parents' councils he “met with understanding by the majority,” said Mayor Stefan Kolbe.
The parent representatives rate the meeting completely differently.
“A waste of time,” rants a mother, “pure show,” says a father.
BY THOMAS LEICHSENRING
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Taking care of children is getting really expensive in the community of Karlsfeld
© DPA
Karlsfeld
- Kolbe sat at the table with representatives of all 17 Karlsfeld daycare centers (we reported), explained to them that the community makes 7 million euros a year deficit through childcare, and that Karlsfeld has invested over 20 million euros in the creation of childcare places in recent years has stuck.
The increase serves to reduce the immense deficit a little.
He actually met with understanding.
"We parents 'councils agreed that we could understand and represent an earmarked increase as an allowance for the teachers of ten percent," says Karin Klehr, parents' council at the Mooshüpfer day care center.
However, she describes the further ten to 15 percent increase as "arbitrary".
The parents' councils had asked to forego this additional burden due to the corona losses.
Sandra Aschenbrenner (Parents' Advisory Board for Kindergarten Noah's Ark) adds: “None of the parenting councils agreed to this enormous increase for a second.” She reminds us that the community has raised the fees twice in the past four years.
At the meeting, Sandra Aschenbrenner presented the mayor with a statement of costs: the father earns 2,500 euros net full-time, the mother contributes 1,250 euros part-time;
one child is cared for in the day nursery, one in kindergarten.
The list shows the monthly costs - rent, insurance, purchases, a few more items.
The remaining 850 euros, of which 550 euros have gone for daycare fees so far.
Remain 300 euros.
After the increase of 25 percent, the family only has 117 euros in their wallet.
“What about private old-age provision, reserves, vacation, sport”? Asks Sandra Aschenbrenner.
The mother of two says that the "almost three-hour conversation was an absolute waste of time and that we are presented with parenting councils as if we had no idea."
SPD councilor Venera Sansone took part in the meeting in her role as youth and school advisor. In the main committee on Tuesday, she said that “a lot of educational work” had to be done with the parent representatives. Karin Klehr counters this: "This is primarily because we did not receive any data or facts from the community as a basis for discussion despite being requested to do so." Hardly anyone has spoken out in the municipal council meetings or citizens 'assemblies, says Klehr: "Not everyone has the courage to do this, that's what we parents' councils are for."
Lukas Kelber also took part in the meeting, he is a member of the parents' council of the BRK Children's Home on Schatzinsel.
His conclusion: “The mayor's hypocrisy to generate understanding”, the conversation was “pure show”.
Deficits would only be passed on "to the taxpayer".
Kelber's criticism is also directed at the politicians at the state and federal level.
"I feel sorry for families with the low salaries that, thanks to this policy, will soon be unable to finance vacation or participation in social life."
Arche-Noah adviser Sandra Aschenbrenner concludes her statement with a further aspect: "I already feel sorry for the educators and management of the facilities, who are perned up by the parents after the elevation!"
In the main and finance committee of the municipal council on Tuesday it looked as if the planned new regulation for January 1 would remain in place: plus 20 percent for the crèche, plus 25 percent for kindergarten and after-school care center.
The final decision will be made on October 28th when the entire parish council meets.
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