School supply rant! Too much $$$

[MrsPete]

The people I was talking about is the kids that have $100.00 shoes and all the "name brand" cloths and all the bells and whistles. I am not talking about the kids that are truely in need. There is a big difference. These kids have more then most and we are flipping the bill for it. When I was growing up, the kids that had reduced or free lunch were VERY embarrased, but now when I go to my sons school, these kids dont give a crap. They have there free lunch(which they waist) and then they go and get Ice Cream. I graduated in '88 and kids were truley ashamed when they had to have there card stamped for Lunch, and those kids were NOT the kids that had the Nike Air shoes or the Sean Jean stuff..

Yeah, there are some of those kids out there, but there are more kids who are genuinely without and who are mortified that someone'll find out! For example, I'm thinking of a boy a couple years ago who always wore a football team jacket -- everyday, all day, even in the heat. After I figured out that he was homeless, I realized that he was using the jacket to cover up the fact that he was wearing the same clothes every day. Don't assume that all kids "don't give a crap". I think many of them put on a tough face, but they are affected by growing up this way.

 

[MrsPete]

Our list always says Expo and I have always gotten the Expo ($$$) brand so I don't think that was it. My dd told me that some of the kids brought colors (even though the list said black) so the kids with the black ones (out of the comunity pile) would throw theirs in the trash and take a colored marker. I thought it was pretty sad the my then 6 year old could figure out what the kids were doing, but the teacher was still allowing the waste. I don't mean to be a nag, but it is usually pretty obvious when a kid is just being deceptive to try to get something better. I would have made them prove to me that the marker was dry before I would let them take another.

Expo makes a variety of markers; the good ones are sold in boxes of 12 at the office supply stores.

I agree that the teacher shouldn't allow the kids to waste markers just because they don't like the color. I personally don't like black markers because they're harder to clean off the white board, and I don't like green because it's hard to read from the back of the room -- so if I'm in the supply closet choosing, I'll grab plenty of red, blue, and purple, but I do use whatever's available to me.

 

[MrsPete]

I have a similar story. I bought a snowsuit, boots, hat and mittens for a little boy in my class one year just before Christmas. After Christmas break, he came to school with his old raggedy lightweight jacket again. The home school counselor did some investigating, and found out that the parents returned the items to KMart and bought cartons of cigarettes instead. I had left the tags on in case the sizes weren't right, so they could exchange them.

Yeah, every teacher can share a couple "They fooled me good" stories . . . but most can tell more genuine sob stories. So many of our children are growing up in dire circumstances these days.

 

[Mrs.Reese]

About those tennis balls.... When our school was renovated, our principal decided that in order to keep everything new as long as possible we would use tennis balls on the chairs. We use the supplies like tissues, hand sanitizer, lysol etc to keep the room as clean as possible. I know all of us teachers here on the boards will agree that we don't ask for anything to purposely make it expensive.

 

[Danemom]

Whew - I'm the OP and I guess I hit a sore spot for a lot of us!

To the teachers who responded that some responses upset them, I'm sorry. I am also a teacher - I teach preschool so there is some difference, but I definitely spend plenty of my own $$ for class supplies too! I really think most of us don't mind supplying things for our childrens' classrooms, including "teacher supplies". It is just overwhelming to get these massive, extremely specific lists and know that it is going to be expensive and very time-consuming to gather everything.

I prefer that the initial list is shorter and teachers ask for items throughout the year, even if I might have to buy it at after-the-sales prices. (I think it will probably take my DD at least a week to get everything on the list taken in, with the limits of a backpack and 1/2 a bus seat.) There probably isn't as much response that way though.

Either way, I think we can all agree on one thing - it's all worth it to get these kids back in school! (did I mention my kids are both middle schoolers? )

 

[Val]

You SHOULD NOT have to bring in tennis balls for the chairs, but as the parent of a child with significant hearing loss, I can tell you what a difference it makes. She has enough trouble hearing in the classroom, even with her hearing aids and the FM system she uses....add to that the sounds of chairs scraping across the floor....ugh! Thank goodness she will go to a school this year with carpeting!

BTW, if she was in a room with no carpeting, I would volunteer to bring enough tennis balls for ALL the chairs for the whole class! Don't want other parents to have to pay for her disability. Geeze, image the complaints for that one!

 

[canwegosoon]

You SHOULD NOT have to bring in tennis balls for the chairs, but as the parent of a child with significant hearing loss, I can tell you what a difference it makes. She has enough trouble hearing in the classroom, even with her hearing aids and the FM system she uses....add to that the sounds of chairs scraping across the floor....ugh! Thank goodness she will go to a school this year with carpeting!

BTW, if she was in a room with no carpeting, I would volunteer to bring enough tennis balls for ALL the chairs for the whole class! Don't want other parents to have to pay for her disability. Geeze, image the complaints for that one!

This is something that I wouldn't mind doing-I manage to find no nuts, no milk, and no grain for classes where there are food allergies. I mean it is something totally beyond your control, and I know many schools would not help with something like this. I honestly think this is totally different kind of thing for me.

 

[C.Ann]

I envy those of you who already have your lists. My DD won't get hers until the first week of school.
Helen

--------------------------

This is what my DD found very annoying with her DD's old school district.. By that point, all of the best sales are over and the stores are mobbed!

Luckily - in this new school district, the list came home with her report card on the last day of school..

 

[jcc0621]

This is something that I wouldn't mind doing-I manage to find no nuts, no milk, and no grain for classes where there are food allergies. I mean it is something totally beyond your control, and I know many schools would not help with something like this. I honestly think this is totally different kind of thing for me.

Agreed. DS's daycare/preschool is peanut/nut free because one of the children has a severe peanut allergy. It was a bit daunting at first finding things he would eat, but you do what has to be done

 

[Minnie_me]

Yeah, every teacher can share a couple "They fooled me good" stories . . . but most can tell more genuine sob stories. So many of our children are growing up in dire circumstances these days.

You're so right. I teach in a farming community. We have lots of migrant workers, and their kids live such hard lives. Years ago, the kids would be up before sunrise picking apples with their parents for a couple of hours before coming to school! That seems to have stopped, thank God.

But still, there's the fear of being deported (yes, the parents are pretty much ALL illegal). And then the money situation. These kids - and their parents - appreciate everything.

One year, I had a little girl with 4 big brothers. All of her clothes were hand-me-downs from the boys because her parents didn't want to accept charity. She told us that she wanted Santa to bring her GIRL's underwear! So, at Christmas, my friend and I not only bought her 2 packages of frilly Barbie panties, but we also bought her girly-girl pajamas, a girly party dress and black patent-leather shoes, along with a few other girly outfits. What a difference it made in her entire attitude when she came to school!!!

That's why I love teaching. We really do make a difference!!

 

[IDoDis]

You SHOULD NOT have to bring in tennis balls for the chairs, but as the parent of a child with significant hearing loss, I can tell you what a difference it makes. She has enough trouble hearing in the classroom, even with her hearing aids and the FM system she uses....add to that the sounds of chairs scraping across the floor....ugh! Thank goodness she will go to a school this year with carpeting!

BTW, if she was in a room with no carpeting, I would volunteer to bring enough tennis balls for ALL the chairs for the whole class! Don't want other parents to have to pay for her disability. Geeze, image the complaints for that one!

I was in a portable classroom for years with no carpeting and a crawl space underneath the classroom so the movement of chairs and desks was loud. I used to call the local tennis clubs a few weeks before school and ask them to save the unclaimed tennis balls at the end each day. I would get a call from them a couple of weeks later (or I'd call them) and they'd have a box of tennis balls waiting for me. I NEVER had to ask the kids' parents to buy them. Typically, about 70% of the balls were reusable the following year and the rest needed to be replaced.

 

[MM27]

I don't ask my students to bring in Expo markers, but I use them daily for math with the small dry erase boards. I made a stupid mistake last year and ordered the multi-colored packs because they were cheaper. Oh, what a headache. Every day I had to deal with kids telling me their marker wasn't working or they would argue over the markers. Try to convince a 9 year old that their black marker is just as good as their neighbors green marker. This year I ordered all blue.

I teach in an urban district in NJ and have many examples of kids that really didn't have anything and truly appreciated the gift of supplies/backpacks/clothing. The clothing issue is another reason why I am for school uniforms. I have seen such a drastic change in my district ever since they became mandatory.

 

[mum4jenn]

You're so right. I teach in a farming community. We have lots of migrant workers, and their kids live such hard lives. Years ago, the kids would be up before sunrise picking apples with their parents for a couple of hours before coming to school! That seems to have stopped, thank God.

But still, there's the fear of being deported (yes, the parents are pretty much ALL illegal). And then the money situation. These kids - and their parents - appreciate everything.

One year, I had a little girl with 4 big brothers. All of her clothes were hand-me-downs from the boys because her parents didn't want to accept charity. She told us that she wanted Santa to bring her GIRL's underwear! So, at Christmas, my friend and I not only bought her 2 packages of frilly Barbie panties, but we also bought her girly-girl pajamas, a girly party dress and black patent-leather shoes, along with a few other girly outfits. What a difference it made in her entire attitude when she came to school!!!

That's why I love teaching. We really do make a difference!!

That is so wonderful. You have me crying now! It is stuff like this that makes all the griping about kleenex and what kind of pencils seem more than trivial.

 

[kathi29]

My point was that the pooled supplies are the cheap ones -- typically I can buy crayons for .15, glue sticks for .10, folders for .10, composition notebooks for .50, and spiral notebooks for .10 -- not exactly break the bank stuff.

I agree that a specially-chosen item should remain with the child, so why not ask the teacher ahead of time?

I guess I need to find a way to phrase the question without seeming like I am pre-accusing them of something? It's a question I don't feel I should have to ask - any more than I should have to ask my boss if I can keep my little notepad in my purse or if I have to share it around.

 

[Kat77]

I just talked to my mom about this thread and we remember supplying tissues 25 yrs ago (I am 29) so this is not new. The only things I supply for my kids I do not recall on my own school lists are reams of copy paper, whiteboard markers (chalkboards), hand sanitizer and clorox wipes. None of which I mind. In fact, I would supply sanitizers for the entire class all year were it not already listed and DID do so for my youngest sons class last year (though the teacher never enforced everyone using it- yuck!).
My kids have had many teachers who did not ask for rulers or scissors because they supply them from a community bin and have used the same ones for years. I do this with my scout troops now (bought them for pennies on clearance) it keeps things simple this way.
I love plastic folders too but our teachers have asked for five of each in several colors and that means spending $20 just on folders for each child.... it IS our biggest expense! Plastic folders w/brads and pockets run $1+ ea. and I have never seen a sale on them. It seems a little absurd to me but will buy them cause I am supposed to.....

 

[deebs]

I just want to know why we need Crayola for everything?? What's wrong with Roseart?? Its 1/2 the price!

 

[Minnie_me]

I just want to know why we need Crayola for everything?? What's wrong with Roseart?? Its 1/2 the price!

I can answer that one!

Roseart is crappy. The crayons are very waxy. They break easily. Their colors aren't "true".

Same story with their markers. They dry out very quickly, and the colors aren't vibrant.

 

[mum4jenn]

Because Rose Art SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!


Roseart is very waxy and does a horrible job. Compare it to trying to use an ink pen on a grease spot on a piece of paper...it just does not do a good job.


Walmart had Crayola for TWENTY CENTS!!!!!!!!!! Your child is surely worth that much.

 

[MM27]

I just want to know why we need Crayola for everything?? What's wrong with Roseart?? Its 1/2 the price!

Read the Crayola box. It says Recommended by Teachers. No we do not own stock in Crayola. Their crayons, and other supplies, are far superior to other brands. One of my students last year brought all these Roseart supplies to school. She told me that her aunt worked for the company and provided her with them. She constantly complained about them and always ended up using my supply of Crayola crayons.

 

[runwad]

I also have issue with the number of dry erase markers. She wants a six pack (never seen that size) plus an additional two black ones plus eraser. Again, luckily, I found a large pack of them at Costco with the eraser and will send it what is requested and just keep the remainder for my own classroom, but I don't understand the need for so many. I still have most of the dry erase markers I bought last year for my own classroom.

This is my pet peeve I'm ok sending in all the other stuff but people whats the matter with them using the CHALK BOARDS in the room instead of those dang dry erase boards?? Our school has a rectangle section maybe of the chalk board that was taken out and replaced w/a dry erase board, why? What's the matter with using chalk? Really I want to know?