I've heard this question and similar questions asked a lot. I would just like to take a moment to address this, as it raises a valid point. Normally, tax dollars go to (or are supposed to go to) something that will benefit everyone, but if you have no children yet you're paying taxes that fund public schools, are you receiving any benefit? The answer: yes. Why? Those children, those offspring of strangers who you don't give a damn about, they grow up. Plenty of them will end up incarcerated or in dead end jobs or what have you. However, some of them will succeed. They will change the world for the better, and in doing so will directly benefit you. Don't believe me? The fact that you're reading this in the first place should be sufficient to dispel that skepticism. Do you think this magic box in your hand or on your desk would exist without people educated by the public schools? It goes beyond just technology. Nearly aspect of modern life that we all take for granted came about at least in part thanks to people who were educated in public schools. When you pay for those children you don't care about, you're paying for then to grow up and invent a device, cure a disease, or do something else that will have a positive impact on your life. Where would our society be if we didn't have public schools? If society were there, where would you be? Tl;dr: You should be alright with paying to educate other people's children because a well-educated population benefits everyone. You need to be able to look beyond the few cents less your paycheck is worth and see the big picture. EDIT: everyone is now against public schools apparently.