Okay, hi, I'm a 5th grade teacher. Do you want to know HOW MUCH MONEY we have to spend out of OUR OWN pockets to put supplies in the classroom. I know it'd be nice if the school could supply everything we need, but they don't. We get limited ammounts of tissues (and really crapy ones) - and other school supplies we aren't even given. On top of all of that, MOST of the supplies we buy for our walls, the kids desks, our folders, etc. cost us money.
I don't think it's asking too much to have the parents provide some stuff. I have a required list for my students - they have to buy 2 of almost everything (2 colored pencil packets, 2 rulers - with inches and mm, 2 scissors, 2 packs of sharpies, etc.) - one gets donated to the classroom and one the students keep at their desks...I can not tell you how often EVERY DAY the students make use of our classroom collection of supplies. I also have a wish list of things that I'd like, but don't require. Almost every parent provides something off this list (this list includes: packages of card stock paper, large index cards, film - or film developing, hard candies, colored sharpies, etc.).
When we only get $23,000-25,000 a year (in most states) for a job that is 9 months straight of 11-12 hour days, is it too much to ask YOU to spend $100 on your child's education?
Lord knows we spend more than that on their education.
Sorry if this all sounds mean...but this sort of thing irks me to no end. I'm so thankful that I have parents that are so willing to help out in the classroom and in the school.