Why do parents have to buy school supplies in public schools?

[Anonymous]

Parents have always purchased school supplies.

While in recent years schools often pay for most supplies, this has NOT been the historical norm.

[Anonymous]

Growing up in CT we only bought an assignment pad to write our HW assignment in. Maybe a binder in older grades. Never tissues or classroom supplies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents have always purchased school supplies.

While in recent years schools often pay for most supplies, this has NOT been the historical norm.

California had free supplies for all in the 1960s - at least for several school districts.

[Anonymous]

FCPS is well funded, not underfunded. Not sure if they are adept at managing a budget, but their problems are caused not lack of funding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I buy the supplies myself (not the kit) and it never been more than $60. That’s not a hardship for most (but not all) families. And no one is checking if you don’t send anything in.

Same. I stopped caring if the supplies were used or if we got the 8 pack instead of the 12. And it's not that expensive.

[Anonymous]

FCPS family here, it is ridiculous that individual families are asked to provide:
1. Hand soap
2. Hand sanitizer
3. Antibacterial wipes
4. Tissue Boxes

All of the above are cleaning supplies that should be supported by district funding. They get away with passing it onto families because who is going to say they don’t want their kids to have these things? But no, this is not normal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FCPS family here, it is ridiculous that individual families are asked to provide:
1. Hand soap
2. Hand sanitizer
3. Antibacterial wipes
4. Tissue Boxes

All of the above are cleaning supplies that should be supported by district funding. They get away with passing it onto families because who is going to say they don’t want their kids to have these things? But no, this is not normal.

I’ve never been asked for hand soap and hand sanitizer wasn’t a thing when I was a kid but I distinctly remember having to bring in tissue boxes, gallon bags, and paper towels in elementary school on top of the #2 pencils, pocket folders, spiral notebooks, and my beloved trapper keeper.

[Anonymous]

Oh and glue. So much glue. And this was before glue sticks were popular.