include in the tax reform a deduction for educators to write off a percentage of their housing costs for office space.

While the $250.00 current allowable deduction is most appreciated, that meager amount covers very little of educators' actual out-of-pocket expenses. In addition to the many consumable materials that we must purchase for our students and classrooms, our profession requires the use of costly technology, many devices becoming obsolete in a short period of time. While the educational public sector suffered from the loss of jobs, the loss of raises, and increased class sizes, some of our taxes have gone to the funding of charter schools, our competition. Tax-exempt religious entites (some schools) are allowed the home office space deduction (while promoting government intervention for their causes), yet teachers in the business of educating our nation's children do not have this privilege.