Ridiculous school supplies thread!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PreK private school supply list:
5 pencils
1 box of crayons
Sanitizer and
1 box tissues

I'd be irritated if I was paying $30,000 a year and still had to provide hand sanitizer and tissues. My DC in private school (early elementary) has never needed to bring in school supplies -- school has provided everything, including crayons, pencils, folders, etc.

[Anonymous]

My biggest complaint was that I didn't realize it listed brand specific items and we were really struggling to figure out exactly what we were looking for. DD is going into 3rd and starting a new school. Previous school had a pretty generic list - glue sticks, pencils, composition book. New school had very specific folders, some single ones, some multi- packs. And it was specifying certain material for some and we didn't realize that the description referred to the material. I laughed at the 4 pack b/ w composition book followed by 1 b/w composition book. Uh, why not just list 5 b/w composition books.

I also had to Google what a flair pen was. Jeez, 39 years old and been buying pens for years, but I didn't remember that Papermate had a style called Flair. I thought it was some fancy, special pen.

3 kids at Target on tax- free shopping day, plus 2 clue-less parents = alcohol when you get home from back to school shopping.

Luckily another shopper heard us half cursing, half laughing and explained some things and that's when we realized it was all listed based on Staples descriptions. It was like solving a riddle

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PreK private school supply list:
5 pencils
1 box of crayons
Sanitizer and
1 box tissues

I'd be irritated if I was paying $30,000 a year and still had to provide hand sanitizer and tissues. My DC in private school (early elementary) has never needed to bring in school supplies -- school has provided everything, including crayons, pencils, folders, etc.

Not all privates cost that much sweetheart

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You don't need special pens to edit your work. Generations of children have learned to write without being required to use green and red pens.

If you have the money, sure, it's fun to have all kinds of extra school supplies. Making them a requirement on supply lists is absurd. It's like silly wedding registries. Oh yeah, while we're at it, let's ask for a cherry pitter, a turkey lifter, and a toast rack.

Hey now! I love my cherry pitter!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"If you were at work, and there was an item you wanted that cost a couple dollars and would make a significant difference in your work efficiency, would you consider it absurd? "

If it only costs a few dollars, it shouldn't be a problem for the teacher to buy it.

I used to work for the county. Getting supplies depending on the agency and supervisor was a joke. I bought all my own supplies from pens to paper to staples. Sorry no empathy. I will supply what my kids need but not teachers. The county wastes so much money on nothing. Perhaps we should look at the wasteful spending so employees can be supplied with basics. The irony is the admin in their fancy offices get supplies but the teachers do not. We are on a budget. Those pennies add up. To the teacher with the dirt comment. My kid would love that. You could probably teach him better as he have far more fun with a stick and dirt than a fancy board or ipad.

But these are supplies for your child to use, to save your child time. When you worked for the county did you routinely pay for supplies for other people to use.

[Anonymous]

I am so glad I don't teach your kids. You are so disrespectful of your kids' teachers....making fun of them and suggesting they are using you as a registry when they are just doing their best to teach YOUR children. Shame on you.

[Anonymous]

My kids go to school in another state and we don't have to buy school supplies. The PTO provides them (granted, they ask for an $1100 per student contribution for the PTO, so maybe I'd rather buy supplies)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"If you were at work, and there was an item you wanted that cost a couple dollars and would make a significant difference in your work efficiency, would you consider it absurd? "

If it only costs a few dollars, it shouldn't be a problem for the teacher to buy it.

I used to work for the county. Getting supplies depending on the agency and supervisor was a joke. I bought all my own supplies from pens to paper to staples. Sorry no empathy. I will supply what my kids need but not teachers. The county wastes so much money on nothing. Perhaps we should look at the wasteful spending so employees can be supplied with basics. The irony is the admin in their fancy offices get supplies but the teachers do not. We are on a budget. Those pennies add up. To the teacher with the dirt comment. My kid would love that. You could probably teach him better as he have far more fun with a stick and dirt than a fancy board or ipad.

But these are supplies for your child to use, to save your child time. When you worked for the county did you routinely pay for supplies for other people to use.

Technically, yes. Co-workers and others routinely took them from my desk. I was very careful with them so I knew they were going in my desk and taking them. I am not ok with buying in a community pot. If it is for my child, fine. But, for all kids, the county should supply them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am so glad I don't teach your kids. You are so disrespectful of your kids' teachers....making fun of them and suggesting they are using you as a registry when they are just doing their best to teach YOUR children. Shame on you.

A good teacher can teach regardless of the brand of crayons (target vs. crayola) and a ton of supplies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They actually use a lot of Play Doh in kindergarten. Next to crayons, scissors and glue, that is the most sensible item on the kindergarten list.

On a side note, my kid was so bummed when his half of the alphabet had dry erase markers instead of Play Doh on the list

They do?
Because there's no Play Doh on my soon-to-be-kindergartener's supply list. And there's no scissors either. Just crayons, glue sticks and that's about it.
Now I'm sort of worried that my kid won't learn anything in K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PreK private school supply list:
5 pencils
1 box of crayons
Sanitizer and
1 box tissues

I'd be irritated if I was paying $30,000 a year and still had to provide hand sanitizer and tissues. My DC in private school (early elementary) has never needed to bring in school supplies -- school has provided everything, including crayons, pencils, folders, etc.

That's why you pay $25K in tuition, idiot.

[Anonymous]

These threads make me thankful that our PTA rocks. If there's a supply issue, they're on top of it.

I supply my children with what they need, and I donate to the classroom when supplies are low.

And to 13:08, you're pretty much a disgrace to teachers. You'll supply your kids with materials, but you won't help out the teachers - even AFTER your tirade on how the county wastes money but forces teaches to work w/in a budget.

nice

I'm glad you're out, btw.

As a teacher, I'm offended by your ignorance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I can't think of anything. I order our school supplies through the PTA. It's amazing!

What is ridiculous about a pencil sharpener and some play doh?

Why can't the classroom have a pencil sharpener that the whole class uses? That worked for my kindergarten class in 1990; it should work now.

You have no idea what actually went on in that class when you were a student.

+1. The pencil sharpener is the proverbial water cooler of elementary classrooms. Plus the electric ones break really quickly after only a bit of misuse. They cost about $35 through the MCPS warehouse. I have $200 of school money to spend on supplies for my classroom for the entire year. I need my pencil sharpener to last for at least 2 years. Individual pencil sharpeners, plus keeping the class sharpener behind my desk, help ensure that can happen.

Who said anything about an electric sharpener? How freaking lazy do you want kids to be that they can't hand crank a pencil sharpener nailed to the wall for DECADES? Those things are workhorses, and last forever.

+1000 that's all we had. and as far as the pencil sharpener being the "water cooler" of the classroom, that's really up to the teacher. She / he should be able to control their classroom. We never had that problem in class.....

[Anonymous]

Who said anything about an electric sharpener? How freaking lazy do you want kids to be that they can't hand crank a pencil sharpener nailed to the wall for DECADES? Those things are workhorses, and last forever.


+1000 that's all we had. and as far as the pencil sharpener being the "water cooler" of the classroom, that's really up to the teacher. She / he should be able to control their classroom. We never had that problem in class.....

When was this? Back when Reagan was president?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PreK private school supply list:
5 pencils
1 box of crayons
Sanitizer and
1 box tissues

I'd be irritated if I was paying $30,000 a year and still had to provide hand sanitizer and tissues. My DC in private school (early elementary) has never needed to bring in school supplies -- school has provided everything, including crayons, pencils, folders, etc.

That's why you pay $25K in tuition, idiot.

I think that's PPs point. So calling her an idiot shows you don't get it.

Private school tuition levels should mean not having to buy supplies. I'd also feel irked. It's like when you spend a ton on a plane ticket and then have to pay $25 for an extra bag. You just feel nickel-and-dimed.