Saturday, August 25, 2007

School Supplies

"When I was in school..."

I got a new notebook.

I got some new pencils.

I got my very own box of crayons.

I got a box of tissue.

I went home and put my name of everything. I was thrilled.

My kids' school supply list amazes me. This is a nice word. It actually ticks me off, and I am not going to do it. I am going to rebel against the school system. I am not going to spend $75.00 per child on supplies that are going into a communal basket. They don't even get to keep their own crayons! On the "list" I am to supply two boxes of baby wipes, two boxes of Ziplocs, and name brand art supplies that will not come home at the end of the year so we can reuse them the next year. This stuff is not returned, and the next year each student has to provide the same things again. What happens to the leftovers? Get this...the list says, "Note the size and brand." No, I don't want to. I want to buy "generic" baby wipes and "Ziplocks" just like I do for my family. I buy the "refills" of baby wipes to save money, and I don't know if I have ever bought a "Ziploc". That is 50 boxes of baby wipes per classroom. Has anyone ever heard of soap and water? What could they possibly be using 50 boxes of baby wipes for.

And I don't mind buying snacks. That is all good and wonderful, but don't ask me to buy three boxes at a time. Once again, that is 75 boxes of snacks. Where would you even store that stuff? I will send a box a month.

To top it all off I hear how teachers spend so much of their own money on school supplies. Today I got an e-mail from a teacher that said she spend $1500 a year....um, what would that be on? And even if that is true...you make $60,000 dollars a year working 9 months! My husband has to buy tools to do his job and NO ONE is giving him a medal. If he doesn't he can't do his job, and he gets fired! It wouldn't surprise me if next year the list included a Costco size supply of toilet paper for each child.

I remember hearing a story of a man who had the same set of colored markers through his entire elementary education. It was an advertisement for those types of markers, but that is beside the point.

I could buy my child's whole curriculum and homeschool him for less than $75.00, and have him home. I am doubting myself and my decision.

No, I am not hormonal. I am just sick of hearing that the taxes my husband works his rear-end off to pay "isn't enough." I will probably break down and buy most of this stuff because my children have to go to this place everyday. I don't want to label them as the kids with a cheap mom. But...I don't like it. I think I will join the PTO or something so I can at least get a lame answer for why things work like they do. Ok, I will stop complaining.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I totally agree. This year I went through the old notebooks that they sent home last year and ripped out the 2-10 pages that they actually used and resent them as new! I also pick out whatever brand I want, who cares if it is Roseart glue or Elmer's glue? And another thing, what in the world do they need 10 (yes, ten) glue sticks for? I asked Justin if they were using them to glue on the shingles for the roof. Ridiculous! My little sister is a school teacher and guess where she shops for supplies for her daughter? The extra supply closet for students who don't pick up there stuff at the end of the year. (My sister says that parents have to request that the supplies be returned at the end of the year otherwise they are used for the poor, which I guess includes her somehow...)

Hang in there,

Love Kelly

Shellie said...

Ah, Kelly. You always make me laugh. Does your sister read my blog, though? I am so glad I am not the only one who thinks this is not ok. I miss you guys so much tonight. The neighbors are having a party and laughing their heads off. I told my family it just makes me miss my siblings. You guys make me laugh way to hard...

SnowWhite said...

it gives you the shits doesnt it. I am actually pulling my eldest out of private school at the end of this year because of that crap. I was told to buy another pair of gym shoes for they had to have laces, what the hell does that have to do with their development arghhh. I just told the last school that I would provide for my child only and if she ran out she could do without till she comes home and lets me know she needs whatever it is. It is quite greedy of the school isn't it.
xx
shona

Anonymous said...

Ahhhhh. The things I have to look forward to with Matthew. Wonder what we'll have to supply for him by the time he goes to school. A new playground?

Holding my breath,
-Krista