Mom to Mom

[Imadickens]

I was forced to retire from teaching autistic 6-8 graders due to a work injury two years ago. My dd teaches SPED at the high school, and  for many years she would get my kids when they moved up! Our kids were, for the most part, very needy. My dd and I always provided everything the kids needed for school, often including clothes, shoes, and even glasses! We had one boy we needed to send food home every weekend!(we both worked with other teachers, so we didn't bear the entire cost). I told my dd that the biggest part I missed about working was getting the new supplies for the new year. So, since my dd had to go back to work before her dd started at her school ( she's going into second grade this year!) my grand has been staying with me. So, I offered to take her out to get her school supplies sinc the list was just sent out. When my dd gave me the list my jaw dropped! First, for my grand's supplies, not only did they specify how many note books, pencils, etc, but they gave name brands for some items! She was to bring... 1-book bag, 6 marble notebooks, 1-24 pack crayons, 4 boxes Ticonderosa pencils, pencil box, 2 packs of lined paper, 3-4 glue sticks, blunt scissors, 2 packs 3x5 cards, 3x3 post it notes, 2 large erasers, there could be more, I don't remember. On top of this students were to bring supplies for the teacher! 4 boxes of tissues (usually one is asked for!) , 1or 2- 6 packs of dry erase markers, and 2 reams of copy paper! I know full well that the district does not give teachers as many supplies as it used to, but...our district is over 75% free lunch kids! Our new teachers beginning salary is over $56,000 plus benefits and there  is extra pay for mater's credits and more.

Every teacher in  the district is provided white board markers and copy paper. I can buy jumbo boxes of tissues for $1.00 each and sanitizer, which isn't recommended for children anyway, costs $3.99 for the huge pump bottle at Sam's Club. Stores like Staple's and Office Max run sales for teachers that run .10 per item at the most, some are offered free! So, the cost to the teacher for a year's worth of these items would be well under $175.00 for everything!

I took my my grand to Walmart and dropped over $40.00 on just her items and didn't get everything! The list had been sent by the school so it is not just her teacher requiring this. I bought extra of what I could for kids who won't have any. As a teacher I can attest to the heart wrenching sadness in a little one's eyes who comes to school without the items needed! That child begins the year feeling not as good as the other students and fights his or her way up from there! It gets worse when the parents don't sign the papers for free lunch. Either the parent can't read, or maybe is here illegally. Whatever the reason, the school will call the child out in front of everyone about it and stop feeding the child after the first two weeks, even tho they throw food away every day. I know this for sure as a dear friend quit her job in the cafeteria after a child asked for a little more food ( the portions wouldn't fill a thimble, as my grandmother used to say) and when she gave the child two more tater tots, she was yelled at. Later that day she watched as pans of food were dumped in the trash! Then, the same child must have gym clothes and the right type of gym shoes. I can't tell you how many of our kids didn't even have a winter coat, much less a hat or gloves. Then, there are the perks that happen during the year. Book fairs, holiday shoppes, field trips, school t shirts, sports, music, etc. These are not free. How can we get a child to try a little harder when he sits on the side while other kids buy books, can't buy his mom a dollar gift for the holidays, and sits alone with a substitute while the rest of the class pick pumpkins.

In all fairness, there are funds for these students. However, the child must have a teacher who is observant enough to anticipate the need, a parent who will sign admitting the need, and then be first to ask for help. There is not nearly enough money to go around and it's second only to filing the long form tax return in Chinese to apply for assistance. Public education is not free by any stretch of the imagination! 

Thanks for for letting me vent! I have offered to run fundraisers, donate my own money, and my ds boss once offered $1000 to help give my students a real Christmas. I was only allowed to take the money if I gave it to the whole school! So, like every year, my fellow teachers in our class and I paid for it out of our pockets! The level of frustration for my dd and me ( and many others , to be fair, but sadly not all) is equaled only by the need in so many of our children.

[lolakimono]

I think the brand name is to keep everything equal, so that when the supplies are shared there is no one student or group who feels that they have lesser/better supplies if they are all the same.  

We don't have a problem with copy paper, but there are schools that have X amount of paper for the year, and when that supply is used they cannot make any more copies- period.

[Ms X]

I really don't know where to begin to sort out the absurdities and outrages inherent to your post. Teachers are very important.  However, their benefits and OBSCENELY early retirement are bankrupting the citizenry.  Further, it is ridiculous to order parents to buy expensive supplies beyond their children's needs so that they can be given to other students.  I can only conclude that the schools are run by people who lack intelligence, a sense of proportion, and a conscience.  In the years to come, the current situation will become unsustainable and will collapse.  Perhaps then a more sensible system will emerge from the rubble.

[ALRATIBA]

I can understand paying for your child's personal needs (pencils, notebooks, etc.).  But - you don't need that many items ... which probably "diappear" before long.

You need to get the parents together and confront the school board.  What are they doing with the thousands and thousands of school taxes that your community pays?

[dex]

My whole family donates school supplies every year but sometimes I wonder why the parents don't plan for the cost of their children's needs.I know that there is assistance given to families at back to school time for supplies and a little extra for clothing.My family grew up poor but my mom always found a way to save throughout the year for the things we needed.I think many people have difficulties budgeting and simple meal planning.these skills need to be taught to all of our children so they manage their own lives as they become adults and not feel dependent on anyone.

[ECBG]

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@lolakimono wrote:

I think the brand name is to keep everything equal, so that when the supplies are shared there is no one student or group who feels that they have lesser/better supplies if they are all the same.  

We don't have a problem with copy paper, but there are schools that have X amount of paper for the year, and when that supply is used they cannot make any more copies- period.

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@lolakimono@ImadickensThat's exactly the way it was at the high school I taught at.

@Imadickens, I did all of that stuff for our sons when they reached school and the elder is 35.

I would say to contact your congressman and ask why if we can support aliens we can't buy our children supplies NEEDED in class!

[Q4u]

I remember this with my own kids, having to provide the supplies for the year for them.... even in an upscale neighborhood/schools that had higher taxes paid. Not only that, but music was taken off the curriculum (not enough money?) and music was extremely important to most of the kids involved including our older son.... so to keep that going, the parents got involved and had to provide funding....fundraisers, bakery sales, door to door selling!   (I really resented the door to door selling and didn't think it was safe!!)   

[athenian]

Every teacher I know buys supplies for his or her students out of pocket.  Bless them for their dedication and generosity.

If the schools bought the supplies themselves, they should be able to buy them far more cheaply because of volume discounts.  And shaming children for something that is not their fault is ugly.

I don't know where the taxes we pay go, but it a national shame that we scrimp on our most precious assest.

[Justice4all]

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@lolakimono wrote:

I think the brand name is to keep everything equal, so that when the supplies are shared there is no one student or group who feels that they have lesser/better supplies if they are all the same.  

We don't have a problem with copy paper, but there are schools that have X amount of paper for the year, and when that supply is used they cannot make any more copies- period.

@lolakimono

Ticonderoga pencils because the others are made in China and the erasers shmear red stuff instead of erasing, and you sometimes have to sharpen them to a stump before they take a point, if then!  Of course, Ticonderoga pencils are made in China now, but I am betting they have more quality specifications than the generic.

[scatcat]

I would take the list of name brand school supplies with a grain of salt. I'm guessing this is a public school. So if a kid shows up with Target pencils instead of Ticonderoga, what will happen? If the kid shows up with 1 box of tissue  instead of 4 (we're talking $1 a box), what will happen? They are not going to kick the kid out of school. Personally, besides the $110 calculator my kids need for hs math, school supplies are cheap. 25 cents for notecards, 25 cents for spirals.  Kids in our district get free or reduced lunches and no one sits out a field trip. On a side note, our teachers are very well paid and have great benefits. And work the least number of hours allowed by the state. My kids constantly have late arrival or early dismissal to make time for their meetings. The teachers are not made to work overtime for these meetings. But these are 1st world problems, which aren't problems at all.