Alesia
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2007
Be careful with this issue. I've found its best to buy exactly what's on the supply list, this isn't the time to make a stand about the issue.
First of all, your child will stand out. Second, and more important, the teachers don't like students who are "out of the mold". Believe me, I've seen it. When I was in school I saw children being belittled for bringing in the 'wrong' stuff, such as 2 boxes of 8 crayons, instead of the specifiied 16 count box. also, they were quite specific about the type of notebook, any child who brought in the "wrong" notebook automatically lost 10 points on whatever project went in that notebook. How did the teachers get away with such pettiness? Kids typically don't tell their parents about such issues, they feel its somehow their fault or will only blow up even worse.
Even if a teacher doesn't do anything so blantant as deduct an automatic 10 points for having the "wrong" notebook, a lot of the grading, especially in elementary school, is subjective. If they ask for 1.5 inch binders and your kid brings in an assignment in a 1 inch binder its bound to affect the grade.
Teachers can be petty , and they're always griping about how little they're paid, but they seem to have no consideration for the parents budget, like we have a money tree. It constantly bugs me, what they want us to send in, but I always comply, for the kid's sake, even though I probably make less than many teachers! (please, I'm not interested in the flames this one will bring, I don't intend to come back here anyways), its best to play their game, your child is caught in the middle.
I think this is the exception, rather than the rule.