Cheap School Supplies

13 Responses to “Do you think parents should have to buy all the school supplies or should the school provide them?”

1. Annie Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   Talk to the school district. The average high school teacher (in my district) makes $40,000 a year and has 125 students. The schools typically run out of money and supplies by early February. Teachers can only get a tax credit up to $250 each year. Almost every teacher exceeds that (many spending much, much more), even though they look out for the big sales every year, i.e. when Target has the 10 cent note book sales. Sometimes they need to ask the parents to help out because they cannot afford to buy the supplies themselves. If all of the 125 students can pitch in $5 a year for supplies that is an extra $625 the teacher can have in supplies.

   The best thing for you to do. Attend the school board and city-council meetings. Pay attention as to whom is running for various positions, and don’t forget to vote!

2. pokeyprincess77 Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   i think that the teahers should supply the stuff like colored pencils, special pens or pads, and suff like that. but the stupid should get the normal paper, pencil/pen and folder

3. Samantha Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   The school district only gives each teacher a specific amount to spend on classroom supplies. Usually, it’s not enough because the district doesn’t have enough to dole out. Therefore, teachers ask the parents of their students to buy items like dry erase markers, boxes of tissues, hand sanitizer, etc. I think it’s perfectly reasonable for teachers to ask their students to provide these items. I mean, why should the teacher pay out of his or her own pocket to buy supplies that your children will use or benefit from? School supplies get expensive. If every child pitches in a little bit, the teacher doesn’t have to spend a fortune on supplies for the year.

4. purple_eyes Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   I think that the kids should pay for the supplies rather than the students. As for those stuff that you never used, why don’t you jsut save them for next year since maybe the teacher will request for the dame thing that you never used last year.

5. Christina S Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   I strongly believe the school needs to buy the supplies. If you think about it our parents already have to spend what like tons of money on taxes EACH year just for us to go to school. If the stuff is too expensive for the school to buy for each student then we shouldn’t be using the stuff, or we should have an option if we use it or not. We even have to buy locks for our school. That’s a bit ridiculous if you ask me! We don’t get to choose the type of lock either. We get 2 locks with the same code for 5 dollars each. The catch? Oh you know they have a catch. You HAVE to buy 2 locks! And if you don’t have a lock, it costs you detentions, and stuff like that. In my opinion, all you really need it a mechanical pencil, and a notebook for each class. No crayons that obviously you never use. No markers, and maybe a pen if you really think you need one. Not a huge binder. I mean like.. all the papers fall out of them anyways. I’d rather get a 30 cent folder that holds everything!

   ***HOPE THIS HELPS!***

   ~ChriSSy~

6. Sarah C Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   Yes, as we all know the American school system needs an overhaul…teachers are underpaid and don’t have the implements they need to teach our kids. Very few states have pre-kindergarden available. Most states say success by six and that sort of slogan but besides airing TV commercials do little to support our kids. All children should have access to schools and should get the same education whether they live in Malibu or South Central LA. We are a very rich country why is it we can spend billions on aid to other countries but our teachers are so underpaid. So if my child’s teacher says she needs any classroom supplies I do anything in my power to get them for her, and let me tell you we are not rich by any means.

7. tercentenary98 Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   Since public schools cannot guarantee zero tolerance, a stop to favoritism, and proper heating and air conditioning for students, I think the school system should be made to pay for it.
   After all they are charging for students to ride the buses in some states.
   This is one of the reasons why we home school. Public schools have gone in decline in the last 20 years.

8. shizumi_jou_honda Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   While I agree that supplies these days are getting more and more expensive, and the supply lists seem to grow each year, it’s difficult for teachers to provide everything for an entire class.

   Some teachers actually try to go that extra mile, but usually it’s from their own pocket, and they’ll be paying for a class of 30 or so as opposed to us just buying what our child needs.

   It also depends on the school itself. The schools I attended as a child provided almost everything we needed, we just had to bring a notebook and pens/pencils. It wasn’t until High School when things got pricey with a longer supply list.

   If anything I would suggest maybe speaking with the people in charge of the school district and send in a proposal for some kind of compromise that should work for both parents and teachers.

9. caj Says:
   May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

   The school should provide the needed school supplies. My children have been in school districts which did this. What are our taxes for? They have also attended districts which asked parents to buy supplies for the whole school, students and teachers,and then kept them at the end of the year. I have no problem with this if the school provides supplies, but why would they conserve money by keeping supplies which the parents bought? I also don’t like the lists that get kept in each student’s folder and get checked off until you have brought in each and every item on the list. If I am required to buy $60.00 or more of supplies, when do I get to vote on what I think is required for my student and what is excess?

10. trtrmom Says:
    May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    I just paid $26 for my pre-kindergartner’s school supplies. OMG, he’s going into class with 4 year olds! I’ve also got a son going into 5th grade. We’re talking about spending $50 or so dollars on backpacks, notebook paper, spirals, red checking pencils, dry erase pens. etc. I’ll have to replenish the supplies throughout the year! Don’t we pay enough taxes, out of our salaries, to cover teachers’ dry erase markers and Kleenex???? Oh yeah, I forgot, our taxes go largely to pay for missiles and tanks. Maybe our government should rethink taxes, so that more of our money could be spent to educate our youth to solve problems without crime and wars. If we could produce a well educated society, welfare would be used less, maybe less crimes would be committed and so on!

11. Michelle Says:
    May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    That is a hard one for me. … It would be nice if the school provided this stuff. In fact, I went to an "alternative" school that did. It’s good when the school provides stuff if you are low-income

    Then again, back to school shopping can be so much fun for some people! My 5 year old loved picking out her own backpack, folders, and stuff. I enjoyed it too. It is a way for her to start expressing herself through her own style.

    In my opinion… It would be nice if the school could provide the items such as tissues which are for the whole classroom. And when they want a specific brand/color, it would be nice if they could take care of that too. Not only would it save the parents a little trouble and money, it would also be easier on the little people to not have to carry a bunch of supplies with them the first day.

    When it comes to backpacks, folders, and notebooks… I think that the school should offer low-price "back to school" packs for those who are having financial problems. But children should also be able to bring in their own stuff (within reason).

    By the way, I don’t know where the items you paid for go. My school use to send some stuff back with me, and my kid’s pre-k teacher sent back some stuff (glue, paint, crayons, scissors, etc…) at the end of the year. I guess it just depends on the teacher/school.

    Another thing to think about… This may or may not apply to your school, but some schools can’t afford to buy supplies for hundreds or thousands of students. Then again, they could probably get some kind of bulk pricing and pass the savings on to parents if they did have "back to school" packs. I can remember classes where I didn’t have text books (the teachers made copies of the most important pages or said to share) and one class where we didn’t even have enough seats for everybody. (If you were absent one day, your chair went to someone else and you got to join the kids in the floor at the back corner.)

12. REC Says:
    May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    I moved from Arizona to Ohio, and I was suprised that in Ohio not only do you have to buy a long list of school supplies, but on top of that you have to pay school fees for all grades. I feel if I’m paying taxes and school fees in Ohio then the school should have enough money to buy soap, construction paper, and other supplies.

    I’ve never had to buy soap, pens, or staples and take them to work. But I also don’t make as much as the average teacher.

13. WV Teacher Says:
    May 4th, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    Look, I’m not one of those teachers that cries, "Poor me! I don’t get paid enough!" However, I really don’t get paid enough to provide all of my students with materials. I get $50 a year to spend on school supplies. That has to buy dry-erase markers, writing paper, construction paper, pencils, crayons, and many other items. As an 8th grade teacher, I have over 140 students every day. Forget about the school systems buying everything! They won’t do that!

    I’ll tell you what I’ve told others (since this has been a hot topic in WV lately). If I have a student who doesn’t have money for materials, I’ll provide it, but I’m not going to provide it for everyone. Now, this year, I bought a folder and a one-subject notebook for every student. It cost me $16.65 for all of that. By the end of first semester, I guarantee that about 25% of my students will have lost some of their materials. Is it then my responsibility to keep supplying materials to kids who can’t be responsible enough to keep track of them?

    This is a very sticky issue. There is no easy way to solve the problem. I understand that many parents can’t afford to pay for their child’s materials. That should be paid for. However, I hate when rich parents complain about the amount of stuff they have to buy, and I also hate it when we have to provide materials to students who lose all of their materials. Again….no easy solution. Someone is always going to be unhappy.

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