Does anyone else have to buy A LOT of school supplies?I had to spend over $150.?

Question

I don't mind buying what my son needs to go to school, but when I am told that I must buy dry erase markers, flair pens, reams of copy paper, and 100 real wood pencils(my son couldn't use this may pencils in the whole school year), I wonder what exactly they will be doing with all this, because I know that my 5th grader will not have use of these things personally.

In addition, we are told to purchase six bottles of germ X, six containers of disinfecting wipes, five rolls of paper towels, cans of Lysol.

I understand that they want to keep illnesses down, but doesn't the county in which I live have any responsibility to provide a clean environment for the school children?

I have only one child, what in the world do people who have 2, 3 or even 4 kids in school do? How can they afford this?

Answer 1

Ask me..

I have 2 kids (4 & 6) and I also received letters from their respective class teachers with a list of items that they need. My guess is that it will take at least 150-200 bucks to complete that shopping.

Answer 2

Thank you finally someone asking the same thing i always asked myself. it is outrages how many things they ask for. i agree with you. but i found out the supplies are not only for our kids, they share with everyone else. Which i dont find fare. we should be able to keep these things at home and send them to class periodically.  How about those dead beat parents that dont buy anything for their kids, not even new clean clothes, that means we have to support their kids school supplies, too????....i'm feed up with giving out freebies to schools. Specially in mecklenburg county i live near rich communities and they have money let them spare a couple of $100's in our schools....there i feel better...

Answer 3

wow.......

i guess they just want them to be safe and also all these supplies its going to last for the whole school year or even two school years. so  try and use the old ones for next year.

Answer 4

Wow! I understand having to buy a box of tissues or something to donate to the class, but your son's requirements are outrageous. The school system you're in definitely needs some better funding if it can't afford soap and paper towels for your kid. But that just shows the priority of our nation. Not a whole lot we can do about it right now, just hope for change in the coming election. :)

Answer 5

So much for No Child Left Behind. What you are experiencing is the direct result of schools being forced to direct funding toward meeting the obtuse and illogical expectations of the No Child Left Behind Act. Instead of spending important funds on supplies, many schools find they must divert these funds toward preparations and testing materials to meet the arbitrary "grade" qualifications in order to receive federal funding. Being that if they fail to "pass" the grade they have their funding cut, many schools find themselves in the situation where they absolutely must spend extra money in making certain their schools can make the grade. The costs are especially high at the middle school and high school levels, but the burden of paying it gets passed down all the way to the lowest grades. In a sense, your schools are in a catch-22 situation. All you can do is call your school and tell them you cannot and will not pay it. If it is a public school, they cannot force you (if it is a private school, then you're just out of luck). But maybe a better idea would be to get on the horn with your state representatives and congressmen. They're the ones that let the law change so foolishly. They're the ones that ultimately have to fix the problem.  

Answer 6

you're absolutely right.

your county's school shouldn't be ordering you to buy this many supplies for your child. the 'flair pens' are necessary? dry erase markers? copy paper? these are all things teachers need, not students. i would make an issue of this and go to the school board.

all schools/counties around my area are told to buy a folder, a few pencils, a pen or two, and paper in 5th grade.

the lysol and such are understandable, but should NOT be mandatory for parents to buy. again, contact the school board.