Am I the only one who is ticked about the "school supply" lists?

[hotcouponmama]

I mean, it's bad enough that all the supplies get pooled, but really, are 20 kids going to go through 400 gluesticks in one year?

And don't get me started on things like providing dry erase markers, reams of copy paper, and sharpies, not to mention coffee pot filters, kleenex, and clorox wipes.

I live in the wealthiest school district in the state. The budget is something like 70 MILLION for 8000 students!!! And it's the most wasteful district in the state, yet they ask for more money, and then they want dry erase pens. They don't use chalk boards anymore, but when I was a kid, cleaning supplies and chalk were not on the school supply list.

This was the same district I used to work in, and I watched one of my drivers who worked for me PT who also drove for the maintenance dept. and she would throw out PALLETS of supplies that were the "wrong" kind of paper, or leftovers from the year prior.

I refuse to send some of the things on the list. Anything that the district should be supplying - paper, board markers, and coffee pot filters, I refuse to send. The whole thing is a scam if you ask me!

[puakinikini]

I have a 10 y.o. step-son and I was amazed the first year I saw his school supply list - crazy! We were never required to bring all our supplies to school when I was a kid (and good thing too, b/c our family was on welfare when I was little). I was shocked that cleaning supplies and things that were clearly for the classroom (paper towels, kleenx, lysol wipes, purell, etc) were also on there. I am thankful for my stockpile - as I end up spending very little.

I understand that teachers buy a ton of stuff for their classrooms out of their own pocket - and clearly I do not want to add to that - but why isn't the school district covering some of that cost? My aunt teaches and she only gets $50 for the whole year. I am with you - ridiculous.

[purplefdu]

lol, I've never agreed with the pooled school supplies idea and should I ever have a child where they expect the parents to supply copy paper or coffee filters I'd tell the PTA where to kiss. I always brought in extra school supplies to the guidance department every year for the kids who needed them and I always had an extra pen/pencil/paper for the kid who never had any, but no way should I have to supply for every idiot in class and then go without if they didn't get enough.

[ShoppingCartDiva]

I think pooling school supplies is ridiculous.
I also don't think schools should require you to send anything more than YOUR CHILD will need. A box of kleenex, that's fine. Paper towels, cleaning solution, ziploc bags...no way.

[Kcwalc33]

Oh man...We have 15 days until school starts here and we still do not have a list! I have emailed, called everywhere in our district and no replies all week. I'm just going by what I remember from last year.

Not to mention...last year about mid-term we were asked for more school supplies! I think it's ridiculous! This year I bought extras with all those great deals, but I'm not buying anything else. They can get it from some other parent who can afford it.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

We also live in the richest county in our state and they run with a surplus budget of a couple million dollars left over every year. I don't go out of my way to buy stuff that is not a supply my children will use in class. Ill give what I have stockpiled but if I don't have it in my stockpile I am not buying it.

I remember when I was in school you got a Trapper Keeper, some Peachy (sp?) folders, a composition book, crayons, pencils, glue, pencil sharpener, and a few folders with kitty cats or unicorns on it. Plus a new metal Strawberry Shortcake lunchbox :D

My kids are getting the basics, I made up my own school supplies list:

- Pencils
- Crayons
- Colored Pencils
- Glue
- Glue sticks
- Erasers
- Pencil Sharpener
- Ruler (Free from the 4th of July parade)
- Notebook Paper
- Sissors
- Folders
- Pencil bag
- Backpack
- Lunch tote
- Highlighters
- Markers

That it...thats all they need.

If the school needs clorox wipes, kleenex, baby wipes, ziploc bags, paper towels, dry erase markers, copy paper (YEAH RIGHT!), they are going to need to buy it with that surplus money.

[aimeebee]

Well, this is the first year that I don't have a school supply list at all. Both of my kids are in the middle school now and here they don't put out a list. But, here's the thing...my 11yo dd is getting snobby in her old age. LOL She is not happy with the boring supplies I buy. She has a birthday gift that she wants to return at Wal-mart so that she can buy her own fancy supplies. Well....lah tee dah...

If I were buying supplies that were gonna be pooled...you had better believe they would be the penny or nickel deals. I sure wouldn't go all out.

[queenofthehivemomof5]

For our oldest once she hit middle school it was worse because there was no list, they told you to bring a notebook and pencil and they would give list first week of school

Well 1, everything was picked over by then. 2, stuff was no longer on sale, 3. you had to rely on middle school child to write down supply list and bring said list home AND give you the list

That and the supplies needed for older kids are more expensive ($100 calculators), gym clothes, art fees, sport uniforms, etc)

[jonnysmomma]

I will be getting Jonny's preschool supply list tomorrow and now im scared LOL!

I have been getting 10 boxes of crayolas and 5 packages of 2 glue sticks every time im at walmart(i live 20 miles from WM) and I have 24890323 Ziploc baggies taht i got from the target deals. i have no problem sharing that stuff cause it cost me next to nothing. Im actually pretty nervous about the other stuff because we live in the LOND and i dont see coupons for lysol/clorox wipes to match any deals around here. We have a month before school starts anyway. Maybe ill get the kindy list from the elementary school and start stockpiling for it now.....?

[ILv2Shop]

~For those that do this, (buy what the school wants) what would happen if you bucked the system and didn't bring what they want like Heidi? (just bring from your stockpile)Do you just get frowned upon or reprimanded or what do they do?
~Unless a child was participating in the caffeine jolt, why should they bring coffee filters.
~Reps to Heidi for reminding me of the beloved, Pee-Chee with the built in times table.