Kids' School Supplies

[AGDee]

I distinctly remember as a kid that all we took to school was facial tissue. I spent over $40 on my kids' school supplies to provide everything for them for this year. I didn't buy the Children's Dictionary yet. I want to know how common this is. My daughter's teacher specified we had to have folders in the following colors: orange, yellow, red, blue, green and purple. My son had to have yellow highlighters. The children's dictionary thing really blows my mind. Shouldn't a school have dictionaries for the kids to use? They used the school supplied ones in 2nd grade and my daughter didn't have to have one in 3rd grade. In total, we had to buy:

4 packs of looseleaf paper
12 folders
48 pencils
erasable pens
daughter needed highlighters in 3 colors
son needed only yellow highlighters
two rulers
two pairs of scissors
two packs of crayons
two packs of markers
pink erasers
4 glue sticks
children's dictionary
LIQUID SOAP!

I thought my taxes were paying for things like soap. I swear our teachers had a classroom supply of markers, crayons, etc.

Can some teachers provide any insight? Is this common?

Dee

[carnation]

Oh, don't even get me going on how mad this makes me. We have spent more and more on the kids' school supplies every year. Plus we found out that the "2 of everything" deal at our kids' elementary goes to give supplies to children who don't have any. Now on the one hand this sounds nice but on the other hand, donating it involuntarily really ticks me off. At least be up front and ask people to donate supplies for the less fortunate students (and I think they would).

[Munchkin03]

WTF?!

Let me talk to my niece, who just started 3rd grade. I don't think they had to provide much to the class other than Kleenex and anti-bacterial soap, and those were their personal supplies--not to be donated to the class.

Are these requirements district-wide, school-wide, or just specific to that teacher?

[AXO_MOM_3]

I spent close to $120.00 by the time I bought all the supplies for my two older daughters. Let's see, in addition to most of the items on your list we had to buy a box of gallon sized zip lock baggies, a box of small baggies, tissue, hand wipes, candy (for goodies), "treasure box" items from the dollar store, colored pencils, art smocks, sheet protectors, a compas, marble composition books and I can't remember what else at the moment. Put new lunch boxes, and bookbags on the list too! Of course new tennis shoes were on the list since my children run around in sandals or barefoot most of the summer!

I'd love some enlightenment for a teacher too! What is up with the baggies? I know my child does not go through 20 baggies a year to carry home her homework. She might go through five tops. I have yet to see one of the small baggies. Am I supplementing the rest of the class?

Also, I've found that most teachers only want the basic color of everything. We found some really cute composition books that were various colors (something different from the basic black and white) and the teacher sent them back home and told us she could not use them. Same thing with the fun (NON-YELLOW) pencils that we bought. For my older daughter, last year we bought some really pretty folders that met the criteria of pockets and rivets, and she put them in the "community chest" and other kids ended up using them. Do we all have to be just alike in schools these days or what?

[PM_Mama00]

Hmmm I remember back in the day when I had cute mechanical pencils, folders with designs on them.... and all we had to donate to the class was a box of tissues and that was for extra credit!

WTF is it with donating for other children? I'm sorry, I'm all for helping out other people but what does a little package of yellow #2 pencils cost? Or a .49 folder?

[aephi alum]

Liquid soap?

That list isn't too dissimilar from what I had to have when I was in elementary school 20ish years ago - although we had to have composition books, not looseleaf. But our school supplies were ours, not donated to some community chest.

[kafromTN]

I remember reading an opinion piece about this issue and the writer was talking about how it is the government's attempt to create a socialistic society. His argument was about how the schools force the people who can afford the supplies to buy extras to put into the community chest to redistribute to those who can't afford it. The writer was comparing it to taxes, those who can afford to pay more put into the community chest, by way of the government, and it is redistributed to those less fortunate.

It's not my opinion, just a different take on things.


-Mark

[carnation]

Here's how I get around the community chest idea: no matter what they say, I put my kids' names in big fat letters in an obvious place on said items. Of course, no other child will want those item and my child gets them back.

It may seem like a little issue but if we had a fun time shopping for, say, a pink notebook or an animal print folder, I don't want anybody else reaping the benefits of our search.

[WhiteDaisy128]

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.

[DeltAlum]

I remember shopping for school supplies when I was in school, and we bought stuff (different every year, naturally) for all three of our kids all the way through K-12.

If they took specialized classes, there were additional items to purchase. All of that, plus athletic fees, parking permits, etc. The older they got, the more it cost.

Liquid soap is a new one, though, I suppose it could be a health/sanitary issue rather than using a common soap bar in restrooms. Those can be pretty gross.

We all pay taxes for our schools and other services, but consider this: How many school mill and tax levies pass in your area? In ours, most did -- but people still wanted more from the school systems. Many of the other systems in our area passed maybe one out of five levies.

It's like any other public entity. How to you expand (or even maintain) services without additional funds?

Heck, there's another thread here on GC about teachers who pay for much of their classroom stuff out of their own pockets. Mrs. DA taught high school for several years -- both public and parochial. It's a tough job.

My late father-in-law and his dad were school board members for years, and nothing frustrated him more than state legislatures who mandated programs for many things, but provided no funds.

It really does put the systems in a very tough position.

[cash78mere]

i am a teacher and think that list sounds just fine.

we are not supplied with soap. if you want your child to have clean hands, either the parents or i have to buy it. folders need to be color coordinated because each color is for a different subject, not because we want everyone to be the same. my classroom has color-coded books and folders and it is a great system. i made each child that brought in a "fancy" folder to bring it home because my list clearly stated the colors needed. tissues are not supplied and a class of 25 students goes through over 30 boxes a year. trust me.

and yes, my kids share all their glue, pencils etc. not only does it help teach manners, but kids lose and steal stuff all the time. so if little johnny loses his glue, he can take one from the "community chest" as you call it to replace it. if not, his mom would have to go out and buy another one.

you might think that a teacher should have to supply tissues, glue, paper, etc. but we DON'T. i spend at least $500 EACH YEAR buying needed supplies and decorations as it is. i'm not going to buy soap. parents can and should. teachers do not decide where tax money is spent. if you have issues with it, contact your board of ed.

my school won't even give me envelopes! i have to buy my own.

it really irritates me when parents think teachers are out to get them. why would we ask for something if your CHILD doesn't need it? do you think we stockpile boxes of tissues for our own personal use???

and i CLEARLY remember buying most of the same supplies when i was a child. i NEVER just brought a box of tissues. that's ridiculous. the only supply that teachers get is what they buy on their own or what the kids bring in. that's it.

[AGDee]

I'm not ripping on the teachers, but the system as a whole. I AM paying a HUGE amount in taxes to support the schools and we did pass our last bond issue. In fact, since my ex-husband and I both own homes in this district, we're paying twice as much as everyone else!

I ended up doing a search on school supplies list on Google and came up with some wild stuff, far worse than my kids' lists! I have seen lists though that require ELMER's glue specifically or Ziplock bags specifically. Fiskars scissors! I use Fiskars scissors for my sewing scissors, why would a kid need them in school for their collages? What's wrong with generics? I don't feel so bad after seeing some other lists. Why do folders have to be a specific color? We went to five stores before we found a purple folder. My daughter is bright enough to figure out which folder is her math folder without color coding it. My son isn't allowed to use the sturdy, heavy duty folder I bought as his homework folder because it isn't yellow. The kid goes through about 8 homework folders a year because he's a rough and tumble boy. Some of it just seems overly controlling. If we have to have certain colors, then why not have the school store sell those colors?

I'm feeling irritable with the school in general because we have a new principal who just seems to be a control freak. On day one, we received a whole list of new rules, most of which don't seem to be useful or helpful. She's just stating "I am in control".

I still think the school should provide dictionaries and soap.

I would probably feel a little less angry if they let us know in advance instead of sending a list home on the first day of school that says "Supplies must be brought in by September 8th" when school started on the 7th. Give me the list in June so I can budget for it and look for things on sale! I have no problem with donations. In fact, I donated a bunch of Leap Frog stuff when they wanted those for the lower el. When they have the Scholastic Book Fair, the teachers make wish lists and you can buy a book for the classroom if you want.. I always do that too. I send in food for the parties and I go on as many field trips as I can afford to.

It just seems like you get bombarded the minute you walk in the door. Here's the school supply list, have everything by tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, picture day is September 21st and you have to pay that day, minimum package is $30. And the school fund raiser starts next week. And the field trip next week is $14, please have the money by Friday. And, the fifth grade trip this year is only $500.00. First payment is due Oct. 1st. I don't think kids really need to go on $500 field trips in 5th grade. I went to Mexico for that in 12th grade after fundraising for 3 years to do it!

I need to get involved in the school board I think.. I need to know where these tax dollars are going.

Dee

PS. I'm in Michigan, where our teachers are paid higher than most states, thanks to the unions. I'm all for paying teachers well.

[aephi alum]

I found a listing online for what elementary-school children in my district's public schools are required to have. It varies slightly by grade, but the basics are safety scissors, an eraser, a clipboard, markers, a pen, crayons, pencils, composition books, glue, a 3-ring binder, tissues, math flash cards, and a box to keep everything in. From the itemized list, it doesn't appear that any items would go into a community chest (they only call for 1 pair of scissors, 1 eraser, etc).

The PTO sells all the required supplies as a kit for around $25 (it varies slightly from grade to grade). Apparently they order in bulk then pass the savings along to parents. Parents get a break and kids have exactly what they need.

The mandatory donation idea rubs me the wrong way, though. The wish list is a good idea - yes, you'll get cheapskates who won't donate if it isn't required, but you'll also get some generous parents, and the teacher will probably get a wider variety of stuff needed for the classroom (white-board markers, card stock, things to decorate bulletin boards with, etc. rather than 30 boxes of pencils).

I still don't get the soap thing. When I was in elem. school, all bathrooms had liquid soap dispensers that were kept stocked (most of the time, anyway!) Have our school budgets gotten so slim that we're cutting soap??

[AGDee]

Originally posted by aephi alum

The PTO sells all the required supplies as a kit for around $25 (it varies slightly from grade to grade). Apparently they order in bulk then pass the savings along to parents. Parents get a break and kids have exactly what they need.

THAT is an awesome idea and I'd take advantage of that for sure!

[Peaches-n-Cream]

Originally posted by aephi alum
Liquid soap?

That list isn't too dissimilar from what I had to have when I was in elementary school 20ish years ago - although we had to have composition books, not looseleaf. But our school supplies were ours, not donated to some community chest.

My list was also very similar except for the liquid soap. I attended Catholic and private school, and they have even less money than public schools. We didn't have to provide for a community chest as far as I recall. We had to buy pens, pencils, crayons, a compass, erasers, a calculator, notebooks, a dictionary, a package of looseleaf paper, folders, and a binder for ourselves. These supplies changed depending on the grade I was in.

I completely understand that teachers cannot afford and should not be expected to purchase all of these supplies for their students and their classrooms.

I think that Staples or another store has some type of program where they donate cash back to a school district. Maybe that could help. I don't know the details, but I remember seeing some commercials about that.