Back to school *vent*

[Colleen27]

IMHO, a school supply list should really be the least of our concerns in this country.

I think it is a pretty safe bet that the people venting here on the DIS are talking about schools that don't have such serious issues. And I can understand the venting when it comes to typical middle class schools. Our schools are getting new smart boards in every classroom, but the classroom supply budgets are so tight that teachers find it necessary to ask parents to donate tissues and cleaning wipes. I'm sure I'm not the only parent wondering if maybe it would have been a better move to stick with the old "dumb" white boards and increase classroom budgets so that teachers can afford supplies.

 

[kamik86]

Believe me, the kids all know who can afford better things or nicer things and who can't. I work in a very low income school and they are constantly comparing who has what brand, and this starts in 1st grade. On the other hand, I've had kids in tears because the "richer" kids have tormented them, "look at my xxx, your's is cheap and ugly", "your Mama shops at Walmart", "look what I got and you don't". Some kids are just rotten when it comes to stuff like that. Asking for plain folders or notebooks eliminates some of the teasing, makes the day go a little easier, and avoids the issue of who stole who's xxxx because it had the cool picture on it.

See I still have a problem with this. So no one is allowed the nicer things because some kids can't have them? That and it still doesn't eliminate the teasing just some of it because there are still ways to know. I mean unless schools are going to ban talking about anything they do outside of school, require everyone to have the same hair style, and not allow anyone to bring in any toys (and no this is NOT a suggestion... its ridiculous).

I was one of the kids that didn't have the nice folders, whose clothes came from Walmart and Kmart, and yes I got teased for it. Probably expected me to have been one of the well off kids didn't you? But I learned from it. I learned what was important and I knew I always had what I needed. I never talked about how I couldn't watch a show that night because the cable was off (which some of the kids that picked on us for nice folders did!) even the ones that really did have the money for it all I could still beat them at some things... I was still smarter then them and when they couldn't figure out the answers and needed help with their work guess who never got any help?

Those of us that either didn't care about having the nicer supplies (some kids were told you have X for supplies what things do you want and they chose to get cheap folders and buy something else with the left overs) just became friends and hated the others together. We learned to deal with how life isn't fair and moved on and yes some of the kids in this group beat up the snobs. Which no wasn't right but it did shut them up.

 

[apnep]

I am blown away.
Anyone else out there floored by this list?

I don't think it's such a big deal. I'm not buying all NEW supplies this year for my kids. Whatever they brought home from their supplies they are using again. They brought home pencil sharpeners, scissors, rules, colors, markers and such. I'm recycling their folders too. I have extra spirals and paper from last year's sales and will pick up more from the 1 cent sales going on.

That list, is really not that big of a deal, aside from your calculator which will probably cost alot.

You don't expect the teachers to get the supplies do you? Doesn't sound like they are asking for anything out of the ordinary...

 

[prncess674]

I don’t mind the school lists WHEN they are for learning purposes. But the year when DD was in 3rd grade we had to buy 3 boxes of bandages, a large bottle of hand soap, 4 rolls of paper towels, and pool in money for a gold fish …. I almost lost it.

The goldfish sounds "fishy" for a school supply list, but the rest of those items will end up having to be purchased by the teacher since the school doesn't give teachers enough money for these things then it is up to the parents to supply it. It is not the teacher's responsibility. As the sister of a teacher, I don't even have kids but know how much she spends out of her own pocket that I end up sending her a check for a few hundred dollars to get her classroom up and started, then I shop the sales for the all the items dirt cheap and give them to her for students who don't send in any supplies. She I have to support kids I don't know? Probably not, but it is the nice thing to do.

 

[stm61]

I am both a science teacher AND a parent, so I can come at this from both perspectives. As a science teacher, I was given a budget of $250 last year. From this, I was expected to purchase all lab supplies, resources, and copy paper. Yes, COPY PAPER is not supplied by the school. Since I'd prefer to spend my meager budget on science supplies, I add 2 reams of copy paper to each student's supply list. Do parents get annoyed by this? Probably. But after spending $750 of my own money on my classroom last year, I don't really have a choice.

Previously, I taught in a Title I middle school with 94% free and reduced lunch and a majority non-English speaking population. We didn't even bother with a school supply list, as most of the kids wouldn't show up with anything - much less a graphing calculator and a jump drive! Instead, we had a room on the first floor dedicated to school supplies purchased by the district for the kids. When those ran out, I had to buy pencils/paper for my own classroom out of my pocket. We tried putting responsibility on the kids to bring their own things when supplies ran low, but few of them cared. If we didn't supply the pencils, etc., the kids would just sit in class and do nothing or cause trouble - far worse than buying $50 worth of pencils for the year. It's a no-win situation for the teacher.

As a parent, I recently spent $60 on supplies for my 1st grader. I'm okay with it, because I know the teachers have little money to work with - and lots of kids probably won't come to school with anything. This gets me upset with other PARENTS, but not the teachers. Educators are forced to deal with small classroom budgets, kids who come to school having not eaten dinner the previous night (but sporting the latest in Nike fashion and carrying a cell phone), apathetic parents, intense pressure to get students with IQs below the 10th percentile to pass proficiency exams, kids who are socially promoted to high school despite not being able to read above a 3rd grade level, gang violence in the hallways, drug use on the playgrounds, and on and on. If your schools are asking you to purchase items like calculators and jump drives, be happy you live in a district where most people can and will actually buy this stuff. It means your kids are probably going to school in a pretty decent place.

IMHO, a school supply list should really be the least of our concerns in this country.

You described my school perfectly. Very few kids come in with anything. I spend a small fortune every year, Dh has a stroke every year when he sees what I deduct off our income taxes! We were just informed yesterday that there is no money for teacher supplies and they are cutting back on paper this year. We can't ask the parents to contribute, so the teachers end up spending their own money.

From a parents view: my kids are also in a Title 1 district, but not the one I teach in. They have supply lists conveniently posted in Walmart every year before school starts. Some of the items are reasonable, some are (in my opinion) not. I buy what I can afford and either substitute or ignore the rest. The teachers know they are not going to get everything they ask for, and they know that parents cannot afford everything on the list. Most of them figure they'll ask for what they want and be happy with what they get. I have 5 kids and noone's ever come home saying they can't use what I bought. My kids are in 5k, 2nd, 6th (x2), and 12th grade this year. To buy every item on their list would cost me over $200. Most parents around here, myself included, just can't afford that after buying shoes, clothes, and book bags.

 

[apnep]

Halfway through the year we end up re-organizing our youngest and using a Trapper Keeper.

Yes! I am not buying a bunch of three ring binders this year. I got ONE trapper keeper for my kid. The teachers don't use the binders, it's for the kids to keep them organized. The Trapper Keeper will be great also, because my DS12 can't use the excuse that he forgot to bring one of his subject binders home.

 

[apnep]

"Ticonderoga" pencils on that one list - really? ...A pencil is a pencil.

Annoying! You got that right! Guess what, if it says No. 2 that's what you're getting.

 

[stm61]

See I still have a problem with this. So no one is allowed the nicer things because some kids can't have them? That and it still doesn't eliminate the teasing just some of it because there are still ways to know. I mean unless schools are going to ban talking about anything they do outside of school, require everyone to have the same hair style, and not allow anyone to bring in any toys (and no this is NOT a suggestion... its ridiculous).

I was one of the kids that didn't have the nice folders, whose clothes came from Walmart and Kmart, and yes I got teased for it. Probably expected me to have been one of the well off kids didn't you? But I learned from it. I learned what was important and I knew I always had what I needed. I never talked about how I couldn't watch a show that night because the cable was off (which some of the kids that picked on us for nice folders did!) even the ones that really did have the money for it all I could still beat them at some things... I was still smarter then them and when they couldn't figure out the answers and needed help with their work guess who never got any help?

Those of us that either didn't care about having the nicer supplies (some kids were told you have X for supplies what things do you want and they chose to get cheap folders and buy something else with the left overs) just became friends and hated the others together. We learned to deal with how life isn't fair and moved on and yes some of the kids in this group beat up the snobs. Which no wasn't right but it did shut them up.

I understand what you're saying and I was one of the not well-off kids also. You are never going to end all the teasing and tormenting, it's just not possible. But you can make life easier in the classroom by asking for the plain folders. You don't have to dictate brands, just ask for certain colors or things that don't have pictures or designs. The less time the teacher has to spend breaking up fights, comforting the ones in tears, and answering parents who want to know why you allow this to happen in your classroom, the more time they can spend actually teaching.

 

[apnep]

oh no...ticonderogas are the bomb! It's all i buy and are reasonable when you buy them on sale. Write nicer. Erase w/o tearing through the paper. I buy tons every year. There's nothing more frustrating than trying to erase something and a. It doesn't erase completely and/or b. Your paper now has a hole in it! Go ticonderogas! I am the pencil geek in my family!

lol!

 

[JENOS]

The goldfish sounds "fishy" for a school supply list, but the rest of those items will end up having to be purchased by the teacher since the school doesn't give teachers enough money for these things then it is up to the parents to supply it. It is not the teacher's responsibility. As the sister of a teacher, I don't even have kids but know how much she spends out of her own pocket that I end up sending her a check for a few hundred dollars to get her classroom up and started, then I shop the sales for the all the items dirt cheap and give them to her for students who don't send in any supplies. She I have to support kids I don't know? Probably not, but it is the nice thing to do.

I totally disagree on the bandages, paper towels and soap. The school is a business and it paid by through OUR TAXES. This is the reason that they care about raising test scores, if they didn’t they would be out of business or have their funding cut even more. Every business has to supply (incidentals) I was upset due to principle.
I get the teachers points of view and that why I just bought the items requested. The question should be why are we over paying city employees when we could use that money towards supplying our schools with the basics.

 

[Pigeon]

Yes! I am not buying a bunch of three ring binders this year. I got ONE trapper keeper for my kid. The teachers don't use the binders, it's for the kids to keep them organized. The Trapper Keeper will be great also, because my DS12 can't use the excuse that he forgot to bring one of his subject binders home.

Trapper Keepers are strictly forbidden in our district. I'm not even sure what they are. But every single school supply list always has "NO TRAPPER KEEPERS" written in 30 pt font. I thought they were the crack cocaine of office supplies.

 

[mum4jenn]

Trapper Keepers are strictly forbidden in our district. I'm not even sure what they are. But every single school supply list always has "NO TRAPPER KEEPERS" written in 30 pt font. I thought they were the crack cocaine of office supplies.

THat is usually because they do not fit is cubbies, desks, and many lockers.

 

[lovegrumpy]

I have no idea. Haven't seen a list yet for my boys.

 

[crazy4theworld]

A huge part of this thread seems to be a bout of "attack the teacher". This bothers me because, as a teacher, I see the merit in EVERY item I request. You know how much money I get for start-up supplies? NONE
I suggest Papermate pencils and Fiskars scissors, but do I get bent out of shape if I get another type? No - I'm just glad that I have families making an effort.
I have three children of my own to buy supplies for, and I will purchase extras for my classroom. I will buy every item on my kids' lists unless I am specifically told by their teacher to disregard something.
With all the people griping about supply lists and teachers, I wonder if these same people are the ones who don't acknowledge a teacher's hard work or ever say thank you?? We are dealing with your most precious commodity (your children) and spend as much time with them as you do. Crying and moaning about a few extra supplies seems pretty pitiful.
Ann

 

[Penelope2000]

Last year between my middle schooler, my high schooler, and a $125 graphing calculator, I spent about $300. Ugh.

That being said, I am a teacher, and spend a lot of my own money for supplies in my classroom as well. I won't buy any non-brand glue stick, because they are a waste of money. The top glue stick brands save me money in the end. Also, the top recognized kid's brand of art supplies (don't think I should mention brands here?) really do last a LOT longer (I am thinking paint, markers, crayons, etc.) They cost a bit more up front, but save a lot of money over time.

Target is having a great sale on supplies now - I wish my kids' schools would send their supply lists, so I can hit them! We generally do not receive them until late August, and by then everything is gone through. Think I may hit the sales August 1st, and just bring back what is not on the lists.

 

[TwinsinCA]

I think it's much better to get the lists in the summer when the stores are all having great sales, etc. than trying to get everything together the first few days of school.

Which is, unfortunately, how things are done here. We do not know which teacher we have until a few days before school starts and we do not get the teacher specific list until Back to School night. This year it is the night before school starts. We miss all the great sales because we don't know what we need and are left scrambling at the last minute.

Every year I vow to complain about how this is done, but I never do. This is their last year at this school though, who knows what it will be like in middle school.

 

[Anne34]

I take it from the religious class that your child is going to a non-public school. From my experience, you pay a supply fee at the beginning of every year. Why in the world would a whole class need to by a three hole punch? And memory sticks?

For me the kicker was one class needing not one or replacements but a binder AND technically FIVE notebooks.

I don't want to sound like I think we have it worst than others. By the fact that I have a 7th and 9th grader, I am not new to the whole supply list. A few years back, a neighboring town put toilet paper and paper towels on their list. But it is wasteful. Year after year my kids come home with notebooks with not even half used. Halfway through the year we end up re-organizing our youngest and using a Trapper Keeper.

We go to public schools and buy all that stuff too. My kids have had memory sticks on their lists for the past few years. They start working on projects at school and then can finish them on the home computer. I have no problem buying supplies -- its all the school fees that Illinois has on top of it that kills me -- we are paying over $1000 for 3 kids fees this year (2 in HS and 1 in JH)!! Add to that my property taxes are over $7000/year.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

A huge part of this thread seems to be a bout of "attack the teacher". This bothers me because, as a teacher, I see the merit in EVERY item I request. You know how much money I get for start-up supplies? NONE
I suggest Papermate pencils and Fiskars scissors, but do I get bent out of shape if I get another type? No - I'm just glad that I have families making an effort.
I have three children of my own to buy supplies for, and I will purchase extras for my classroom. I will buy every item on my kids' lists unless I am specifically told by their teacher to disregard something.
With all the people griping about supply lists and teachers, I wonder if these same people are the ones who don't acknowledge a teacher's hard work or ever say thank you?? We are dealing with your most precious commodity (your children) and spend as much time with them as you do. Crying and moaning about a few extra supplies seems pretty pitiful.
Ann

I had to quote you because I wanted to address something. I buy my kids whatever is on their list and then some. Yes it is expensive but I don't care because their education is very important to us. That being said the thing that annoys me to no end is when I send in say 12 #2 pencils in September and by the end of October the teachers are asking for more pencils. Now again, I send them in because I do not want my kid to go without but if my child is using 12 pencils or losing them etc. in 2 months then I want to know about it. Clearly I need to either buy better pencils if they don't last or I need to teach my child to be more responsible if they are losing them. Now I don't think that is the case and I don't want to buy supplies for all the other children in class. Sorry but I supplied everything for my child and it does annoy me when I have to keep sending more stuff in because other kids need it. This of course excludes kids who have families who simply cannot afford anything. This has not been our experience though.

 

[XYSRUS]

A huge part of this thread seems to be a bout of "attack the teacher". This bothers me because, as a teacher, I see the merit in EVERY item I request. You know how much money I get for start-up supplies? NONE
I suggest Papermate pencils and Fiskars scissors, but do I get bent out of shape if I get another type? No - I'm just glad that I have families making an effort.
I have three children of my own to buy supplies for, and I will purchase extras for my classroom. I will buy every item on my kids' lists unless I am specifically told by their teacher to disregard something.
With all the people griping about supply lists and teachers, I wonder if these same people are the ones who don't acknowledge a teacher's hard work or ever say thank you?? We are dealing with your most precious commodity (your children) and spend as much time with them as you do. Crying and moaning about a few extra supplies seems pretty pitiful.
Ann

No it's not...it's a vent about school supplies, not people!

 

[JENOS]

A huge part of this thread seems to be a bout of "attack the teacher". This bothers me because, as a teacher, I see the merit in EVERY item I request. You know how much money I get for start-up supplies? NONE
I suggest Papermate pencils and Fiskars scissors, but do I get bent out of shape if I get another type? No - I'm just glad that I have families making an effort.
I have three children of my own to buy supplies for, and I will purchase extras for my classroom. I will buy every item on my kids' lists unless I am specifically told by their teacher to disregard something.
With all the people griping about supply lists and teachers, I wonder if these same people are the ones who don't acknowledge a teacher's hard work or ever say thank you?? We are dealing with your most precious commodity (your children) and spend as much time with them as you do. Crying and moaning about a few extra supplies seems pretty pitiful.
Ann

I think the frustration is in that SOME teachers ask for items that seem unnecessary to parents (hence, three boxes of bandages). Maybe you are the exception, and as a parent I appreciate teachers who go out of their way to supply their classroom. But not all teachers are created alike.