School supplies !!

My oldest isn’t school aged yet but I will intentionally buy extra supplies so that they can be used by others in the classroom. Every kid deserves to have school supplies and it adds up really quickly. Teachers are often buying their own as many things aren’t district provided (I’ve been a public school teacher for 16 years). If there’s some kind of special pencil my kid wants or whatever that’s fine and they can keep that separate but things like glue sticks, etc can for sure all go in the communal pot.

@GMF see I think it should be optional like if you can buy extra please do but I don’t think every parent should need responsible for every kid

I guess it depends. But also I’m not there yet (I don’t have any kids in school). I feel like when they are younger and get such specific supplies list and everything is the same I don’t see an issue with it. But then at the same time I thing that’s hard for teaching them accountability and taking care of their things. I don’t want to have to keep restocking the classroom crayon bin because little James wants to break them all. But as they get older and get to put more personality into their picks I definitely don’t think they should have to share.

I would be frustrated. We pay school tax maybe that money should be invested in supplies. What i personally buy for my kids is for my kids.

Yes it bothers me. What I buy for my son is for my son only. I get that teachers shouldn’t have to buy supplies for kids, but that doesnt mean I should have to buy supplies for other people’s children. I always ask the teacher if she has a separate classroom list and I’ll donate supplies from that list. Two days ago my son told me he hadn’t had a pencil box all year. I bought him one with all the supplies and he hasn’t had it the whole year…. So had to buy him a whole new one

@Jay I feel the same way you do. !

No, I just want to be informed before that’s what will happen. Like if I’m buying folders for the whole class I wanna know so I can buy plain folders rather than the more expensive ones that I’m only buying because it has my kid’s favorite character on it

I buy supplies and give them to the teacher to do as they want. It’s not my classroom and I’m sure the teacher has a plan.

I don’t mind but like someone else said I just want to be informed ahead of time so I don’t get my kid excited when shopping with them about certain folders and notebooks and stuff and then they don’t get to use them

I guess it depends on the supplies? And how old are the kids. I know money is tight and school supplies can be expensive even with sales during back to school time. I would want to be told though. Just in case I buy something special for my child and they get excited and not be able to use it.

If I buy something special for my kid they’re using it idc if the teacher wants to put everything in one pot she won’t be taking anything from my kid 🤷🏾‍♀️😂 I’ll be right in her classroom asking where is my baby’s stuff

I'm not there yet but I won't mind buying extras for the class but I will mind if *everything* I've bought goes into one big pile. Using crayons as an example, I don't mind buying 2 packs and having one with my daughter's name on it and the other one going into a pile for anyone to use that needs crayons and doesn't have any. Unless the supplies are being well taken care of (which unfortunately doesnt always happen) I will be upset if she *has* to share the crayons I bought her with classmates. I hope that makes sense, like I don't mind helping those who need help but I will mind if it's not allowing my child to use good quality supplies (like if everyone is using the same crayons and tearing them up then I'm going to be upset that she didn't just get to keep the ones I bought her for herself, yk?).

Idk how it works in the US but in primary school everything was provided by teachers, then secondary school we have to supply our own (age 11/12+) but my 7 year old has asked for specific prices of stationery for school and she keeps them in a pencil case, as do some of her peers. I'm aware they borrow and share these items amongst their table but she brings it home every night.

My daughter isn’t in school yet but with sisters that are teachers I say I’m okay with sharing bc by the time the year is over the teacher has bought new supplies several times thats shared with the entire class so unless your kid always has the needed supplies and never loses or runs out of it during class which is unlikely - the teacher or a generous parent is helping with those supplies anyways. So yes I did buy it for her but long as I’m not being required* to resupply her supplies just because they were shared and not due to her losing or running out of them herself then I’m cool.

@Taylor 🥳🥵 absolutely. Which is why as long as I’m able to I will send extra 💜 it’s not about needing to be responsible for every kid. Just filling in gaps where I can.

I’d just buy some extra standard supplies (generic notebooks, pencils, crayons, paper etc) and then any fancy (like paw patrol or whatever) notebooks or supplies id label with my child’s name. I get both sides of this debate. I want everyone to have everything they need but I also want my child to have his special paw patrol notebook he loved

This doesn't happen here. They get everything from school.

@FairyMother 🦖🌸 a lot of times they collect all the supplies from everyone on day one and then pass an even amount of stuff out as needed to the class so that everyone has the same things and same amount. In theory it works but in reality somebody is stuck picking up the slack of other parents who sometimes can afford but don’t care enough to buy it

@KK the teachers that put everything in the pot will either take the stuff with their name too or send it home and say they’re not allowed to have it.

@Taylor 🥳🥵 generally that’s not how it works for young grades. At least not in my experience and hearing from teachers. They collect it all and keep it all as community resources in the classroom so it doesn’t really matter anyways and that’s why they’ll say on the school supply list to get solid color stuff along with like a few boxes of Kleenexes and white board markers and stuff. The only individualized stuff for the kids are their backpacks and water bottles. It makes stuff a lot easier on pre k and kindergarten aged classrooms and children, less stuff to keep track of or lose or damage

@Autumn wdym it’s not how it works you literally just said what I said the teachers take everything and put it in a community pot. The district makes the school supply list in both north and South Carolina and most of the time they don’t specify colors they just say “3 notebooks, 2 folders, crayons, etc” and it’s up to the individual teacher to decide how they want to handle it in their classrooms

@Taylor 🥳🥵 I’m saying they don’t redistribute it out to the kids how you explained passing an even amount of stuff to the class, they just keep it all in the room, the kids of pre k and kindergarten generally aren’t keeping any individual supplies

@Autumn that’s not how every class works a lot of teachers pass out an even amount of everything I’m literally speaking from experience not just making shit up for shits and giggles 😂😂😂

@Autumn your little world is not the WHOLE WORLD I’m speaking from my perspective and you’re speaking from yours. Like I said before ITS UP TO THE DISCRETION OF THE TEACHER

@Taylor 🥳🥵 lmao okay? Never said it was, that’s exactly why I said “at least not in my perspective”, I’m speaking from experience too. I noticed a lot of people in the comments didn’t have school aged kids and didn’t know that many schools just want the younger grades to provide classroom supplies as community resources not for individuals

Schools should provide materials for their students, but since they are underfunded, teachers ask parents for support from parents so teachers aren’t using too much of their own money to pay for supplies. I worked in public schools and I couldn’t believe the schools provided almost nothing.Teachers bought almost everything with their own money.

@Taylor 🥳🥵 yes, teachers definitely depend on most parents to pick up the slack of the few parents who aren’t able to contribute so that kids all receive equal resources in the classroom.

@Grayson public schools are awful but if you ask your local lawmakers where your tax money goes they swear it’s to the school system like what exactly are you paying for ?

Nope and I buy extra. But I understand my view is coming from a financially privileged place.

@Brittany lol that’s honestly on my list to know when I’m financially stable… when I can buy extra school supplies for the class and not even think about it

I would be fine with that. However our district provides all supplies for all kids. However that’s sure to change with the DOE being dismantled because we are a title 1 district

I don't mind having the kids share school supplies. My child's school has a list of supplies that is for personal use and a list that is for the classroom. So as parents we know which is for the whole class and which is for our kids alone. The reason I don't mind is because I dont think kids should be penalized if their parents didn't get the school supplies for whatever reason. Personally I feel like the school districts should be supplying the public schools with everything needed for the year and the parents nor teachers should have to buy it.