DocumentaryGirl Posted August 18, 2009 Share Posted August 18, 2009 I went to school in central and eastern North Carolina, my brother who was 8 years younger than me had school supply lists but I was never handed one. In middle school the teacher wanted notebooks organized a certain way or you needed a certain kind of calculator for math class but that was it. My husband and I checked out some school supply lists and I was curious exactly why a kid in Pre-K would need all the junk that was on that list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Bedlam Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 It's largely CYA. Some teachers use the stuff. Some don't. I should point out that the school for which I work does not consult me about what I think my kids oughtta bring before they put out these lists. I should also point out that the list available at the local Wal-Mart does not match the one my school has on its web site; I can only presume that these are printed by Wal-Mart, not my school... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruunwald Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 If your complaints are directed at your schools, they are for the most part misdirected. Schools require children bring in supplies because they can no longer afford to buy supplies out of their own budgets. Public school budgets come from tax money. State and local officials decide how much tax money schools get. State and local officials almost never lower your taxes, but they do slash school budgets. What you all should be doing - as I do, having my own fourth grader - is ask what the H-E-double-hockey-sticks state and local officials are doing with all the tax money they collect from you that they used to give to the schools. And if those officials have lowered your taxes, just to suck up to you, and you praised them for it? Then this is what you asked for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethohman Posted August 19, 2009 Share Posted August 19, 2009 Makes me very angry here in Ohio where I live. You have a school supply list you have to send with your kids to school within the first week or so. You vote on school funding, to raise taxes. Most of these pass, which is fine. Then, you have to write a $40 - $60 check to the school to cover supplies the teacher have to get. WTF!? Don't I pay taxes / mileages to the school already, and send in my own pencils / crayons / paper / tissue? Really, really irritates me. And everyone from around here just accepts it, as that how is has been for years. They break down what your check covers, but I have yet to see the calculator I paid for with three kindergartners 2 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyn Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 I totally agree that the school supply list needs to be re-evaluated! I went into walmart to go food shopping and they have a stanchion in the front with the school supply list for each grade. There is bunch of crap that kids will NEVER USE or will definitely lose! When I was in school, our school supply list was: notebook pencils and pens folders scissors glue ( no, not for sniffing to get through the day!) lol That was it! and you know what? We used all of it! Now these kids "need" so much crap with them for school that between holding the supplies and textbooks in their book bags, they will be hunched over like the Hunchback of Notre Dame by the time they graduate high school! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorderl Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 Now these kids "need" so much crap with them for school that between holding the supplies and textbooks in their book bags, they will be hunched over like the Hunchback of Notre Dame by the time they graduate high school! IIRC i read or saw an artical that many kids wear their backpacks improperly, which adds to back problems. The artical also mentioned that the weight shouldn't exceed a certain weight (yeah right), i believe it was 7%-10% of the childs weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haldir Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 that & kids don't use both straps. It's more or less over the shoulder & go (guilty, as that is how I use a backpack, ha ha). Well tomorrow is the big day & we finally got done with our lists today. Funny thing is on my daughter's list, it has a 2 1/2 inch binder. The sale rep at Staples said they don't make that size & allot of schools are putting that on there by mistake. So we ended up using a 1 1/2 inch (one we had from last year) & if she needs a different one, then so be it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ixminis Posted August 20, 2009 Share Posted August 20, 2009 I found some 2.5" binders online (and I searched because I remember needing that back in the stone age when I was in school) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrome Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 My son's school is supplying all of the kids stuff this year. Paper, pencils, folders, even compasses! The only thing the kids are asked to bring is a water bottle and a box of kleenex. He attends a public school, but we're in a district that's separate from the Omaha Public School District and is run (IMO) much, much better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sergeant_Crunch Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 My wife freaks when she can't find specific items, I just look at her and say, "What, are they going to kick him out of school because his folders aren't the right color?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaperbryan Posted August 24, 2009 Share Posted August 24, 2009 My wife freaks when she can't find specific items, I just look at her and say, "What, are they going to kick him out of school because his folders aren't the right color?" My wife is the same way. And while I have known the teachers to say "Your Blue folder is for take-home work, your green is for in-class assignments" etc, thus making the color scheme helpful, I've also had the conversation "we looked everywhere, everybody was sold out, so they have to use these instead" and there was never a problem. I've seriously considered getting the kids a few cheap spirals, some cheap loose leaf, some pens & pencils and sending them off.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kheprera Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Ahh, the wonders of Every Child Left Behind... Thomas started Kindergarten this year. What child in their right mind requires 6 boxes of crayons or 6 bottles of glue? And what child needs dry erase markers when there is no dry erase board on the list? Oh, yeah, there aren't chalk boards in the school, but dry erase ones.... So 15 kids + 1 pack each of dry erase markers = enough for several years. Seriously? I know teachers don't get paid enough, but when 60% of my property taxes are going to the school district, I expect them to supply SOME of the supplies. Oh, and they freely admit to teaching to the test because of ECLB (NCLB according to the legislature). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocumentaryGirl Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Ahh, the wonders of Every Child Left Behind... Thomas started Kindergarten this year. What child in their right mind requires 6 boxes of crayons or 6 bottles of glue? And what child needs dry erase markers when there is no dry erase board on the list? Oh, yeah, there aren't chalk boards in the school, but dry erase ones.... So 15 kids + 1 pack each of dry erase markers = enough for several years. Seriously? I know teachers don't get paid enough, but when 60% of my property taxes are going to the school district, I expect them to supply SOME of the supplies. Oh, and they freely admit to teaching to the test because of ECLB (NCLB according to the legislature). Haha my husband just joked that the teacher is going to turn around and sell them on eBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kristof65 Posted August 25, 2009 Share Posted August 25, 2009 Most of the dry erase markers will end up lost, and by the end of the school year, the teacher will be left with a couple of green ones that barely write. After the last day of school, as he or she cleans up the class room, they'll find a bunch in the back of their desk drawers, and most of the rest in all sorts of odd places, usually without the cap on, rendering them useless. The majority of the crayons will be reduced to little stubs barely an inch long, while some will be eaten, and others will be lost on the playground. At least half the glue will be spilled onto the desks, tables, chairs, floors and the children's clothing. A tiny bit more will end up in girls hair, and some will be eaten, but quite a bit will be smeared across hands and faces. A little bit might even end up on the kids projects where it's supposed to. That's pretty much the way it was for my son's kindergarten class last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrome Posted August 27, 2009 Share Posted August 27, 2009 So 15 kids + 1 pack each of dry erase markers = enough for several years. Seriously? Actually you go thru them pretty fast. A box of dry erase markers only lasts about 2 months here at my office, and we only have 4 people and only use our white board a couple times a week. At the moment I have the only black marker in the building and I'd defend it with my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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