specific school supplies frustration

[DopeyDame]

Because with the severe budget cuts going through the nation and people's attitudes that the schools are out to get them, books cost a LOT of money and most kids just don't take very good care of them....

So the books should be covered - absolutely! And I still have great memories of my mom and I sitting on the living room floor with brown paper bags covering and decorating my books. FOR FREE! I doubt anyone has an issue with protecting books, but I get the PPs annoyance at needing to spend money to do so and I would be SO pissed if my kid missed recess for that.

 

[luvmy3]

So the books should be covered - absolutely! And I still have great memories of my mom and I sitting on the living room floor with brown paper bags covering and decorating my books. FOR FREE! I doubt anyone has an issue with protecting books, but I get the PPs annoyance at needing to spend money to do so and I would be SO pissed if my kid missed recess for that.

Yes, exactly I completely understand the need for covering textbooks, I purchased the covers originally but they weren't big enough to cover all his books, so she sent them home with him and told him he had to get bigger ones. I had no problem offering to cover the books with paperbags (which I had on hand) but that wasn't an option, it had to be those fabric covers, and I had to run out that night to get them or else he would have missed recess the next day.

 

[Michelle67]

Well I wasn't talking about the book covers themselves, although I fail to see how the $2 ones are any better than the free paper bags we used way back when I was in school
I was talking about punishing a child for not having exactly what was on the list because their parent made a mistake.

So the books should be covered - absolutely! And I still have great memories of my mom and I sitting on the living room floor with brown paper bags covering and decorating my books. FOR FREE! I doubt anyone has an issue with protecting books, but I get the PPs annoyance at needing to spend money to do so and I would be SO pissed if my kid missed recess for that.

I completely agree with both of you. I understand needing the books to be protected, but it is not necessary to go out and spend money on a special item to cover the books. Paper bags work very well. I get irritated when teachers expect parents to run out and search for/spend money on frivolous items like this. These things can be made at home, and generations of students managed to do so. It's easy to say, "well gee, it's only $2" but a $2 item here and a $2 item there adds up, (and don't forget gas spent running around looking for these items) and many people do have more than one child. At this same time many of us are trying to replace all the out-grown school clothes and shoes as well as picking up these endless school supplies. People don't have money to burn, particularly in an economy like this one. There needs to be more thought given to doing what is necessary without expecting parents to dish out money for luxury items. Yes, a $2 fabric book cover is a luxury item when free paper bags can protect books just as well.

I also would be angry if a teacher chose to punish my child over something that was my fault, and I'd be down at the school asking to see the principal. Especially if the "fault" involved not spending money on an item. Public education is supposed to be free. Basic supplies are a reasonable expectation; special extras are not.

 

[hereyago]

On the protecting books posts: So far in middle school, they haven't had them use book protectors of any kind. There are certain books that stay home: Math, Social Studies and the kids have extra ones at school classrooms or the lockers.

I find it kind of funny because: for the Core classes: math, science, Social Studies and English, they have to decorate the black and white composition books and seal the decorations with plastic moving tape or clear contact paper. so the throw away things are decorated and protected, but the books are not, i guess because the books aren't going back and forth from school and home.

 

[golfgal]

Well like I said, I fail to see the educational value in punishing a kid because they don't have a very specific school supply. YMMV.

So the books should be covered - absolutely! And I still have great memories of my mom and I sitting on the living room floor with brown paper bags covering and decorating my books. FOR FREE! I doubt anyone has an issue with protecting books, but I get the PPs annoyance at needing to spend money to do so and I would be SO pissed if my kid missed recess for that.

Yes, exactly I completely understand the need for covering textbooks, I purchased the covers originally but they weren't big enough to cover all his books, so she sent them home with him and told him he had to get bigger ones. I had no problem offering to cover the books with paperbags (which I had on hand) but that wasn't an option, it had to be those fabric covers, and I had to run out that night to get them or else he would have missed recess the next day.

Then maybe you all should come up with a compliance plan for this and be the ones to enforce the policy .

 

[hereyago]

So the books should be covered - absolutely! And I still have great memories of my mom and I sitting on the living room floor with brown paper bags covering and decorating my books.

My DF rocked at helping me with the brown paper bag book covers. As soon as I brought the books home, we would sit at the kitchen table to cover them. Those are good memories.

 

[tlbwriter]

Then maybe you all should come up with a compliance plan for this and be the ones to enforce the policy .

Back in my day, we were instructed to bring a brown paper bag to school and we all made book covers together on the day we got our books. Brown paper bags were plentiful at the time, so the teacher had no problem providing extras. Sounds like a good way to handle it if it's such a serious issue that it's worth taking a child's recess away.

 

[luvmy3]

Back in my day, we were instructed to bring a brown paper bag to school and we all made book covers together on the day we got our books. Brown paper bags were plentiful at the time, so the teacher had no problem providing extras. Sounds like a good way to handle it if it's such a serious issue that it's worth taking a child's recess away.

If the most important thing was to cover the book for protection, a paper bag should be sufficient. To me the requirement of the fabric ones, and the punishing of a student who didn't have one is less about the protection of the textbook and more about the teacher's personal control issues.

 

[golfgal]

Back in my day, we were instructed to bring a brown paper bag to school and we all made book covers together on the day we got our books. Brown paper bags were plentiful at the time, so the teacher had no problem providing extras. Sounds like a good way to handle it if it's such a serious issue that it's worth taking a child's recess away.

I agree-we do all of our book covers with paper bags-however THAT school has a requirement for the cloth covers and a policy to deal with kids that don't have them--THAT is the issue, not that they COULD use paper bags--which cause issues too when kids color on them with Sharpies, etc. and it leaks through to the book. Again, if you don't like the policy, come up with another one that will ensure compliance and enforce it for the teacher.

 

[Pigeon]

Then maybe you all should come up with a compliance plan for this and be the ones to enforce the policy .

It's so vitally important that the books be covered overnight that we need a compliance program if we can't punish the kids for the failure of the parents to drop everything right now to run to the store to buy the book covers? Good grief. Talk about your major overreaction.

 

[golfgal]

It's so vitally important that the books be covered overnight that we need a compliance program if we can't punish the kids for the failure of the parents to drop everything right now to run to the store to buy the book covers? Good grief. Talk about your major overreaction.

Not an over reaction--try corralling 180 kids and book covers. Yes, this mom made a mistake and got the wrong size, but once again, they can't pick and chose who they are going to punish and who they are not when they have a policy in place. You are dealing with ONE child--the teacher is dealing with 100's.

 

[Pembo]

All of my kids/grandkids go to public schools. I understand the difference between crayions. My issue is forcing families to purchase specific brands. If money isn't an issue go for it. I'm waiting for the school to say what type/brand backpack they have to have....

DS had to have this certain binder/backpack thing in 6th grade. It cost $20 on sale and I had to replace it midyear.

As for book covers, our district doesn't allow the cloth ones. Books HAVE to be covered with paper. Some teachers have book cover days, others require it be done at home. I buy a roll of paper at the dollar store and use that. It's hard to find paper bags to use these days.

 

[tlbwriter]

Not an over reaction--try corralling 180 kids and book covers. Yes, this mom made a mistake and got the wrong size, but once again, they can't pick and chose who they are going to punish and who they are not when they have a policy in place. You are dealing with ONE child--the teacher is dealing with 100's.

I don't think anyone has an issue with a policy, so much as they have an issue with what seems like a draconian punishment for the student in response to a minor infraction on the part of the parent.

 

[golfgal]

I don't think anyone has an issue with a policy, so much as they have an issue with what seems like a draconian punishment for the student in response to a minor infraction on the part of the parent.

Again-what would your suggestion be to ensure compliance???

 

[Michelle67]

Not an over reaction--try corralling 180 kids and book covers. Yes, this mom made a mistake and got the wrong size, but once again, they can't pick and chose who they are going to punish and who they are not when they have a policy in place. You are dealing with ONE child--the teacher is dealing with 100's.

And yet somehow teachers managed to get books covered for decades before pre-made book covers were sold in stores.

 

[tlbwriter]

Again-what would your suggestion be to ensure compliance???

Again, I already suggested that the students make paper book covers in class, and you decided this wouldn't work. So, if your assumption that the school can only use cloth covers for some reason is correct, perhaps another way to make it easier on parents is to provide this information well before school starts, make sure the desired size is given in writing, make sure the size you're requesting is a size actually carried in local stores, have a few in the classroom that kids can purchase if they or their parents were unable/unwilling to locate them on their own, and maybe give the kids more than one day before you punish them by taking away recess.

 

[golfgal]

Again, I already suggested that the students make paper book covers in class, and you decided this wouldn't work. So, if your assumption that the school can only use cloth covers for some reason is correct, perhaps another way to make it easier on parents is to provide this information well before school starts, make sure the desired size is given in writing, make sure the size you're requesting is a size actually carried in local stores, have a few in the classroom that kids can purchase if they or their parents were unable/unwilling to locate them on their own, and maybe give the kids more than one day before you punish them by taking away recess.

I never said it wouldn't work, the point is, the policy at that school is to have fabric book covers-what do you propose be done for those that don't have them??

 

[tlbwriter]

I never said it wouldn't work, the point is, the policy at that school is to have fabric book covers-what do you propose be done for those that don't have them??

Sorry, I thought my previous two posts made it clear that perhaps the policy could be changed. And as for what else I would propose... well, it's all in that post you quoted...

 

[DopeyDame]

Then maybe you all should come up with a compliance plan for this and be the ones to enforce the policy .

A: I think you missed the point we were trying to make, which is that it's a stupid policy to begin with, that shouldn't be enforced. (NOTE: NOOOOOOT that requiring books to be covered is stupid, but that requiring the fancy-schmancy fabric covers is stupid.)

B: Here are some more appropriate compliance plans to get the books protected, which is the only goal you've stated that you are trying to accomplish:
1. As PPs suggested, have a book covering party in class using donated paper bags. (If this is the type of school where lots of kids have fabric covers, I'm quite sure a call for paper bags would be met with plenty.)
2. If covering all books as a class is too much, make kids do it at home. Thos that don't do that can be held in at recess and make them cover their books during that time. Once they are covered, let the kid go play and get some exercise.
3. Call the offending parents and say "Hello Mrs. Soandso, I know it's a busy time of year, but we noticed that little Billy doesn't have his books covered. Can you please make sure to do that by tomorrow?"
4. Take the book away from little Billy until he does bring in the appropriate cover. Any missed school work will be his responsibility to make up. (My least favorite, as it starts hampering learning, but at least it makes some sense.)

The current "compliance plan" doesn't, in fact, do anything to meet the goal. Here is how the scenario likely often plays out.
Mrs. Soandso (forgets/doesn't care/doesn't have time/whatever) and little Billy goes to school without the appropriate cover. He misses recess. Little Billy mentions it to his mom about 8:30 at night when he's getting ready to go to bed. Mom can't do anything about it at that point. Little Billy misses recess #2. Mom has a busy day at work the next day and Little Jane, Billy's sister, has an event, so mom can't do anything about it that night either. Little Bily misses recess #3. All the while the book still isn't covered because the school insists on being stringent and mean and not allowing brown paper bags.

 

[golfgal]

A: I think you missed the point we were trying to make, which is that it's a stupid policy to begin with, that shouldn't be enforced. (NOTE: NOOOOOOT that requiring books to be covered is stupid, but that requiring the fancy-schmancy fabric covers is stupid.)

B: Here are some more appropriate compliance plans to get the books protected, which is the only goal you've stated that you are trying to accomplish:
1. As PPs suggested, have a book covering party in class using donated paper bags. (If this is the type of school where lots of kids have fabric covers, I'm quite sure a call for paper bags would be met with plenty.)
2. If covering all books as a class is too much, make kids do it at home. Thos that don't do that can be held in at recess and make them cover their books during that time. Once they are covered, let the kid go play and get some exercise.
3. Call the offending parents and say "Hello Mrs. Soandso, I know it's a busy time of year, but we noticed that little Billy doesn't have his books covered. Can you please make sure to do that by tomorrow?"
4. Take the book away from little Billy until he does bring in the appropriate cover. Any missed school work will be his responsibility to make up. (My least favorite, as it starts hampering learning, but at least it makes some sense.)

The current "compliance plan" doesn't, in fact, do anything to meet the goal. Here is how the scenario likely often plays out.
Mrs. Soandso (forgets/doesn't care/doesn't have time/whatever) and little Billy goes to school without the appropriate cover. He misses recess. Little Billy mentions it to his mom about 8:30 at night when he's getting ready to go to bed. Mom can't do anything about it at that point. Little Billy misses recess #2. Mom has a busy day at work the next day and Little Jane, Billy's sister, has an event, so mom can't do anything about it that night either. Little Bily misses recess #3. All the while the book still isn't covered because the school insists on being stringent and mean and not allowing brown paper bags.

I didn't miss the point and the $.56 you spend on the book covers certainly don't make them "fancy". In fact, they last for years so they are a good investment really. They also deter kids from writing on the books, which can seep through. I don't see an issue what so ever with a school having that policy. Paper covers get ripped and not replaced all the time. Again, no one has offered an alternate suggestion as to HOW to get the families to comply with getting their book cover in accordance to the policy at that school.