[valkyrie]

No really, I don't get it. Don't you expect to have to buy school supplies when you have kids? Isn't that just a given? If you feel a teacher is making unreasonable demands in terms of how much of everything your kid has to bring or what particular brand something should be, can't you just go to the teacher and explain your feelings and then buy whatever the hell you want?

It doesn't seem that complicated. It's a parent's job to send his or her children to school prepared to learn, ready with the supplies needed to do what's required in class. It's not the teacher's fault that the school doesn't provide what the children need, nor is it the teacher's job to provide anything because parents don't feel that they should have to buy stuff. It's the parents' responsibility to provide for the children, period.

ETA: I do agree that requiring certain color folders is pretty ridiculous. Kids should be able to learn which folder is for which subject no matter what color it is.