Unreasonable charges

Some high schools in Chengdu, Sichuan province, which charged students from the city's neighboring quake-hit areas as much as 80,000 yuan ($15,120) as a so-called "school-selecting" fee, are simply profiting from the disaster, says an article in Qilu Evening News. The following is an excerpt:

As the May 12 quake crushed most schoolhouses in counties in northern Sichuan, students there hope that they can continue their studies in high schools in the neighboring provincial capital Chengdu. But surprisingly, these nowhere-to-go students have been "welcomed" by an "urgently-raised fee".

As far as the bottom line of morality is concerned, Chengdu high schools should at most charge these youngsters between 2,000 yuan ($280) and 5,000 yuan ($720) per year for high school education. And here it may be unnecessary to discuss the possibility of fee exemption as a quake-relief support since it has been ruled out by the high schools.