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Erin O School supply lists are going beyond the old standards like notebooks and pens this year. With budgets tight, now schools are asking students to provide items like Kleenex and cleaning spray.
What are some non-traditional items on your kids' back-to-school lists?
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/15/business/economy/15supplies.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=school%20list&st=cse
about 1 year ago - Comment
Deborah we've been asked to send kleenex, hand sanitizer and cleaning wipes for years. We also have to send all crayons, pens, pencils, loose-leaf paper, folders, notebooks, rulers....etc. My high schooler needs a scientific calulator. And the past few years they've asked for money. Money. Money for stuff the teachers will need to buy over the year. We are in a very good district ( based on test scores, but our county gets the least amount of money from the state)
about 1 year ago
Brandie Schoools around here have been asking for things like that for quite some time ... kleenex/wipes (both cleaning and baby wipes)/soap/ziplock bags, etc etc ... I guess I didn't realize that that wasn't common everywhere.
about 1 year ago
Erin O Deborah - Asking for money is pretty straightforward! I know a lot of teachers buy things out of their own pockets, too. And Brandie, I don't know how common it's been in the past - it was new to me, but sometimes the media reports trends that aren't particularly new. :)
about 1 year ago
Deborah I bought a lot our out of my own pocket when I was teaching. Only made $12k a year, then. I don't think the teachers should have to buy anything....I think parents should kick in more if they can. I can.
about 1 year ago
Brandie I don't think teachers should have to pay. But cleaning supplies - should be the school's responsibility IMO. And parents do pay for all of that - it's called taxes. But states got *irresponsible with money and now they're all hurting and so now people who don't have the $$ to kick in extra are trying to figure out how to do it.
And if you have extra and you are willing to give, I think that's awesome and wonderful and would never discourage that - but some people can't, and when you get these insanely long school lists, it's tough for them. That said, although we don't have a class/teacher to donate too - we always donate to local school supply drives because it's important to me.
(*yes, I know we are in a bad economy, but at least in MY state, we had a major deficit prior to the economy tanking. If we hadn't done that, if we had, gasp, saved money at the state level for the rainy day - because we all know they come - things would look very different right now. Tight? Yes. But as dire as they are? Nope, I don't think so. If your state did not operate this way, disregard the comment, but even during the boom of the economy, my state was operating at a deficit and also, so were 78% of school districts. And who pays for all that irresponsibility? The students. So sad. And so wrong, and yet, no one will take responsibility for it - they keep telling us it's because of the economic downturn that we are in this mess. Nope, it's because even when things were GOOD, we were still in a deficit, which made the bust part a whole lot worse.)
Anyway, whatever. I know what I pay every year to educate my kids - and it's a whole lot less (by I mean like 90%) or what our school district spends per child, and so frankly, I think they absolutely could have been conserving money before the bust hit.
about 1 year ago
Meghan I thought that manila paper was crazy when I got out of college. Now that I am a teacher I kind of understand it.
I think the most bizarre thing is being in line last week and watching a mom buying 5 bottles of hand sanitizer for all 5 teachers. I used to look at the list and if I thought it was excessive, I wouldn't get it. I mean I can make sure that when my child's nose is runny, that she had adequate Kleenex and hand sanitizer.
As a teacher, I feel I have more of a responsibility to teach kids about wasting resources, more than ever. I teach junior high and always go through using only one Kleenex, using both sides of a piece of paper, and recycling supplies.
Not all teachers get that money the school system spends, and we are thrown lesson plans we are required to teach that require things like construction paper. Please keep this in mind as parents. However, if it is a public school, they are prohibited from requiring you to buy supplies.
about 1 year ago