Anonymous wrote:I think the problem is that teachers/schools are not transparent about what is needed and why. It is best when teachers provide two lists:
1) The items your kid needs for the year, and you should feel free to send slightly used items because if it gets used up, you are the one who will wind up replacing it anyway! Also some items can be used and not "used up" like pencil cases, rulers, etc. I see no reason this stuff must be new as long as it's in working condition.
2) Items that are needed for the classroom, whether specifically assigned to families to send in, or placed on a wish list that parents can buy off of. These tend to be communal items, extra supplies needed for kids who can't afford them or whose parents can't get it together to buy them, and necessities that schools for one reason or another don't provide because school funding is stupid. My experience is that if the parents at the school tend to be well off, teachers will simply ask parents to send these items directly, and at schools with a lot of low income families, they just let people know there is a wishlist and people are welcome to purchase things on it or share the wishlist with friends and family.
The problem is that for teachers who simply ask families to provide the stuff for #2 directly, they will often just add these items to the "supplies list" without making it clear that these things are not actually for your child -- they are for the classroom and for other children. They should just be honest about it. I can't imagine begrudging these things, assuming that you have an income that enables you to spend $30 or so extra on classroom supplies so that the classroom has cleaning supplies and low-income kids have crayons. Just be honest about what it is.
Items from #2 should be new for reasons that should be obvious.
Yes definitely part of the problem and I have also seen teachers with storage tubs full of the items they are requesting which tells me they don't need it in the first place.
They also need to split it up into - "Need" and " nice to have" - so that paint set can go on the "nice to have" list and the "need" list wont' require enormous amounts of school supply drives each year. which as an aside, have become completely out of control. Last year, I was at Target late one evening and some people working there go to the donations bin, pull the stuff out, put it in cart and take about taking it for re-shelving. I was appalled for all of 1 second bc I realized that is pretty brilliant and I wouldn't doubt some other stores do it as well. I am sure they donate some quantity at some point but probably just case packs of stuff they get at discount prices.
Lastly, I really think APS for example needs to use a lot of that money that got for covid and supply tissues and clorox wipes. In fact, these should go into the budget and no teacher or parent should have the burden of providing paper products to an institution who can purchase them much, much cheaper at wholesale pricing and buy in buil.