# Back to School Supply lists in Primary Education are Lame **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 17, 2017, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873 "2017-08-17T14:47:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/81 "2017-08-28T16:24:21Z")
Yes, yes, I recall these supply lists and all the frustration they caused! When my boys were in Kindergarten through about 4th grade I was a diligent parent. I dutifully bought all that stuff, the useful and the useless, and carted it into the school building on day 1 to be pooled. I knew not all the parents were buying it, but I was cool with that. Then, I got sick and tired of my kid constantly coming home with some chewed down, bit-off eraser nub of a pencil, and composition books that looked like they had done serious time being run over in the parent drop off lane. And no, this damage was not being done by my kid, this is what the teacher was giving out to use. I never understood where all those bright, shiny new supplies went every year. It was like they got sucked into a vortex and raggedy shreds were being spit back out. Where’s all that stuff I saw coming in here in the first day? Look, I don’t mind normal wear and tear, that happens, but some of this “redistribute the wealth” mentality gets taken too far at some schools. And to the person upthread who said they labeled everything? Tried that, and they took it anyway. My sister and her daughter have the same complaints, and the worst for her was a particular notebook my sister bought my niece that had some unusual design on it that she specifically wanted. It was sent to school with her name boldly written on it with Sharpie, and the teacher told her she couldn’t keep it, took it, said it had to go into the pool, and my niece got to watch another girl get to use it with her name taped over my neice’s. What’s the point of that? My sister searched for another one to replace it, and of course none was to be found anywhere. We both got fed up and just quit buying this stuff to send to school. I sent daily supplies with my child, including travel packs of tissue and hand sanitizer, and just donated to the school supply fundraisers every year, and let that be that. I never would have formed this opinion if the school had been reasonable and uniform about it. But taking new supplies from the students who bought it and giving them some mangled crap in return? Not today, girlfriend! I have asked the same question about the old heavy duty wall-mounted pencil sharpeners. I was told they are “too noisy” for today’s classrooms. 😕 And as to teachers collecting money from students, well, here’s a funny story about that from my 1970s “childhood daze”. My cousin was a year behind me in school, and her class, like all the others at our elementary school, were highly anticipating the Class Christmas Party. Most teachers took up a dollar or two from each student for refreshments, and students drew names and exchanged gifts ($5 limit). Her teacher started asking for money early and often. Starting in September she was asking students to bring in what ever spare change they could find lying around their houses and donate it to the Christmas Party Fund, which was a big glass jar on her desk. So this class of kids is getting all excited about the wonderful Christmas Party they are going to have as this jar fills up, how it is gonna be so much better than anyone else’s, blah, blah, blah. And then, the day of the party, they all show up dressed in Sunday clothes, with their gifts to exchange, and with their little mouths all set for some tasty treats, a far-cry above your standard cookies & punch…and there is no food! Instead, there is a big box with a bow on it, and the teacher opens it up and shows the class the nice pantsuit (hey, I already told you it was the 70s! :D) they bought her for her “Teacher’s Gift” for Christmas! Needless to say, after 30 kids all went home and cried to their parents about it, she found herself in a Holly Jolly Fix! Remarkably she wasn’t fired, though. But yeah. I feel your Supply List pain. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/82 "2017-08-28T16:36:37Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > They don’t have the hand-crank pencil sharpeners attached to the wall anymore? > [@bordelond](#): > > None of my kids’ classrooms have had these. They don’t have chalkboards anymore, either – just whiteboards. I recently went back to my grade school, which I was last in in 1976, and I noticed that not only do they have hand-cranked pencil sharpeners on the walls still, I think at least one was the same one! The chalkboards, however, had been replaced. We did find one of those 5 piece chalk holders that you used to make music staffs in a junk pile. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/83 "2017-08-28T16:56:58Z")
A good-quality hand-crank pencil sharpener can indeed last decades, but there are also a lot of them that aren’t nearly that quality. Pro tip: Never, ever get an X-acto sharpener. ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/84 "2017-08-28T16:57:29Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I recently went back to my grade school, which I was last in in 1976, and I noticed that not only do they have hand-cranked pencil sharpeners on the walls still, I think at least one was the same one! Those things were work horses! I know there are probably quite a few still in service. I would love to find an old school being torn down and salvage a few. They were always screwed to the wall at the end of the chalkboard and the metal trash can was usually underneath it. When it got full, we emptied out the sawdust into the trash can so we could grind some more. I guess kids today just can’t be trusted or counted on for that common sense stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2017, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/85 "2017-08-28T17:08:14Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > A good-quality hand-crank pencil sharpener can indeed last decades, but there are also a lot of them that aren’t nearly that quality. Pro tip: Never, ever get an X-acto sharpener. Weren’t the old ones called Boston, or something like that? I have used X-acto, and they, like all the new ones do leave a lot to be desired. ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/86 "2017-08-29T01:22:31Z")
We had to buy binders this year. 2- or 3-inch, I forget which. But that was the entire description. No brand, no color, etc. We picked out a fun color for it (and everything else where no colors were specified). Found out that it was supposed to be black. I’m actually fairly surprised we didn’t get them all sent home. You want black, you ask for black. I’m not a mind reader. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/87 "2017-08-29T15:41:47Z")
> [@Fair\_Rarity](#): > > We had to buy binders this year. 2- or 3-inch, I forget which. But that was the entire description. No brand, no color, etc. > > We picked out a fun color for it (and everything else where no colors were specified). Found out that it was supposed to be black. I’m actually fairly surprised we didn’t get them all sent home. You want black, you ask for black. I’m not a mind reader. Absolutely agree with this. If you do not specify then you get what you get and you don’t get upset. I can understand specification sometimes. For example, a teacher that has theee sections of say, math and she keeps the folders in class to keep the kids graded work in. In that case, I can see where she may want each class color coded. Is it absolutely necessary? Probably not, but I see where it’s coming from. But, again, to the point, if you want something specific be clear about it. ---
**Author:** ![WildBlueYonder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ce7236/32.png) [@WildBlueYonder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildBlueYonder)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/88 "2017-08-30T11:02:12Z")
In this state of Michigan…(not sure of other states) The state lottery system was suppose to help the school districts. Hm. We pay property taxes to pay for education, the lottery system helps pay for schools and yet, we have parents support, teacher support and still yet, free lunches for the poor. Now I see a commercial about the free lunches that includes some zillion (greatly exaggerated) still available. Where does all the tax money go? Arent school books reused each year for at least a couple of years? Are teachers being paid a decent wage yet? As in any case of public taxes, are these monies ever used properly? (Where do I go to get in line for the pockets lined in gold?) > [@Wallet](#): > > Just wanted to add that the only crayons that exist to me are Crayola - any other brand is usually a waxy mess. Yes. Any other pencil than Ticonderoga brand are garbage too. Been there done that. generic glue sticks, glue no problem-but some things are needed with brand names!! > [@Merneith](#): > > Here’s a thought. Why not raises taxes for the school board so that it can buy these supplies in bulk and supply them to students every year? It would be cheaper to buy in bulk and more efficient. Yes, that means someone who doesn’t have a child might have to kick in a dollar, but everyone knows that good school systems benefit the whole community with better property values and a better educated workforce. > > Americans should be ashamed at not providing fully funded schools for our children. Begging pencils and paper from the parents is a disgrace. I can see where there might be a few things families need to kick in for but the lists get worse each year! > [@Kimballkid](#): > > Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for adequately funding schools and would gladly pay a bit more in property tax, I’m just trying to point out that it isn’t easy for everyone to be able to pay more. > [@Kimballkid](#): > > The problem is that most public schools in the US are funded, at least in part, by local property taxes. So you would be raising taxes on just the people that own property which would disproportionately affect a minority of the people. > [@Kimballkid](#): > > I know, but that rate is not zero. > [@Dangerosa](#): > > Not really. When a landlord has his property taxes raised, he passes it down. And most people live somewhere - they either own property or they rent it. The simple matter is we don’t WANT to fund our schools adequately. We are selfish bastards who think that if Abraham Lincoln could do it with a slate in a log cabin by himself, then I don’t know why it costs $12,000 a year per student to send them to public school - and why should I pay for it, I graduated already. What of the citizens that dont have children, never have and still pay taxes to send other children to school. My brother wants to know why there is such a thing as paying for lunch. Indeed we did pay for milk in Kindergarten but I dont believe there was much else we paid for…(I remember taking money to school in a brown envelope pinned to our clothes) > [@Grumbacher\_Red](#): > > Those things were work horses! I know there are probably quite a few still in service. I would love to find an old school being torn down and salvage a few. > > They were always screwed to the wall at the end of the chalkboard and the metal trash can was usually underneath it. When it got full, we emptied out the sawdust into the trash can so we could grind some more. I guess kids today just can’t be trusted or counted on for that common sense stuff. My husband acquired one of those, works great and continues to do so. When I was young I saw the different size pencils you could use but I never got to change the size… ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/89 "2017-08-30T15:31:49Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#): > > The state lottery system was suppose to help the school districts. Hm. That’s also what was said about our state lottery when they were trying to get it passed. Here we are many years later and the schools are still continuing to seek opt-outs of the property tax limits. Plus, an increase in the state sales tax was passed last year to help boost teacher salaries. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/90 "2017-08-31T12:56:49Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > They don’t have chalkboards anymore, either – just whiteboards. Gee, how are the kids supposed to stamp each others’ butts without those erasers filled with chalk? And no more lucky kids who get to clean the erasers by pounding them against the brick wall outside. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/91 "2017-08-31T13:17:18Z")
> [@WildBlueYonder](#): > > In this state of Michigan…(not sure of other states) > > The state lottery system was suppose to help the school districts. Hm. > > We pay property taxes to pay for education, the lottery system helps pay for schools and yet, we have parents support, teacher support and still yet, free lunches for the poor. Now I see a commercial about the free lunches that includes some zillion (greatly exaggerated) still available. > > Where does all the tax money go? > Arent school books reused each year for at least a couple of years? > Are teachers being paid a decent wage yet? > As in any case of public taxes, are these monies ever used properly? > > (Where do I go to get in line for the pockets lined in gold?) You might check the 2016 Michigan State Income Tax instruction book. At the back are charts and tables of revenues and expenditures: In FY 2015, the state made $788 million from lottery profits In the same year, the state spent $13.66 billion on education. You can see where the tax money goes if you bother to look. If you can come up with better spending plans, I’m sure they would listen. I don’t like your chances, the state has many auditors ensuring that monies go where they are supposed to and that they are used properly. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/92 "2017-08-31T13:51:51Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > But what about the farmer who has 1,000 acres of land. He doesn’t have anyone to pass that tax down to. And if crop and livestock prices are depressed, it puts him in a precarious position financially. What about the senior citizen living on a fixed income like social security? ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/93 "2017-08-31T14:02:51Z")
> [@Grumbacher\_Red](#): > > And as to teachers collecting money from students, well, here’s a funny story about that from my 1970s “childhood daze”. My cousin was a year behind me in school, and her class, like all the others at our elementary school, were highly anticipating the Class Christmas Party. Most teachers took up a dollar or two from each student for refreshments, and students drew names and exchanged gifts ($5 limit). Her teacher started asking for money early and often. Starting in September she was asking students to bring in what ever spare change they could find lying around their houses and donate it to the Christmas Party Fund, which was a big glass jar on her desk. So this class of kids is getting all excited about the wonderful Christmas Party they are going to have as this jar fills up, how it is gonna be so much better than anyone else’s, blah, blah, blah. And then, the day of the party, they all show up dressed in Sunday clothes, with their gifts to exchange, and with their little mouths all set for some tasty treats, a far-cry above your standard cookies & punch…and there is no food! Instead, there is a big box with a bow on it, and the teacher opens it up and shows the class the nice pantsuit (hey, I already told you it was the 70s! :D) they bought her for her “Teacher’s Gift” for Christmas! Needless to say, after 30 kids all went home and cried to their parents about it, she found herself in a Holly Jolly Fix! Remarkably she wasn’t fired, though. > > But yeah. I feel your Supply List pain. I have a similar story about “Teachers Gifts”. They ask all the parents to say give $10 or so which is supposed to be voluntary BUT, we find out the teacher is given a list of who paid and who did not. Guess which kids get the extra help? Oh, and some parents who have a little money, give some what I call “tips”. Like allowing the teacher the use of their Colorado vacation cabin or gift certificates to fancy restaurants. The teachers talk among themselves as the kids go grade by grade and guess which kids get picked first when the teachers choose their students? As for the lists, the craziest thing we were ever asked for was a roll of 24 exposure film and a $5 gift certificate for processing. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/94 "2017-08-31T17:33:10Z")
> [@Grumbacher\_Red](#): > > Those things were work horses! I know there are probably quite a few still in service. I would love to find an old school being torn down and salvage a few. > > They were always screwed to the wall at the end of the chalkboard and the metal trash can was usually underneath it. When it got full, we emptied out the sawdust into the trash can so we could grind some more. I guess kids today just can’t be trusted or counted on for that common sense stuff. My grandpa was a math teacher and he salvaged one. He put it in right on the entrance his house library (which was his closed in back porch). BTW, if the noise of sharpening is the issue, then why not just mechanical pencils? Or erasable pens (which have gotten a lot better)? When I was that age, we weren’t trusted with our own sharpeners at that young age. You could easily put a finger in them. It’s also why we had to use safety compasses and scissors until high school. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/95 "2017-08-31T19:58:53Z")
> [@Urbanredneck](#): > > I have a similar story about “Teachers Gifts”. They ask all the parents to say give $10 or so which is supposed to be voluntary BUT, we find out the teacher is given a list of who paid and who did not. Guess which kids get the extra help? > > Oh, and some parents who have a little money, give some what I call “tips”. Like allowing the teacher the use of their Colorado vacation cabin or gift certificates to fancy restaurants. The teachers talk among themselves as the kids go grade by grade and guess which kids get picked first when the teachers choose their students? > > As for the lists, the craziest thing we were ever asked for was a roll of 24 exposure film and a $5 gift certificate for processing. I gotta say that it takes a lot more than $10 to make me feel particularly generous toward anyone. Maybe I’m just a bitch? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/96 "2017-08-31T20:24:48Z")
I’m not fully understanding this thread. If I buy a kid a spiral notebook the school takes it away from him? We always bought one spiral notebook, for lecture notes per class. I carried a book bag with all my materials. We stored some of it in our lockers and grabbed what we needed before each class. I do remember they had a student in the hallway selling supplies before school started. The school had a rolling cart with paper, pencils, erasers etc. You’d give the student a nickel for a pencil. She put it in a coffee can to turn in. You could buy a ten pack of loose leaf paper for a dime. These items were only meant for occasional purchase. When you hadn’t been to Walmart in awhile. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/97 "2017-08-31T21:58:19Z")
> [@Kimballkid](#): > > Why would the pencil sharpener and stapler have to be electric? All we had for a pencil sharpener was the hand-crank one attached to the end of the blackboard. Same with the stapler, the teacher had a manual one in her drawer and we just had to ask to use it. They don’t. The OP stated that electric sharpeners and staplers are more efficient. ---
**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/98 "2017-08-31T22:57:32Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > I gotta say that it takes a lot more than $10 to make me feel particularly generous toward anyone. Maybe I’m just a bitch? So what are some of the best gifts you have ever received? ---
**Author:** ![Grumbacher\_Red](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85e7bf/32.png) [@Grumbacher\_Red](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumbacher_Red)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/99 "2017-09-01T13:21:22Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > I’m not fully understanding this thread. If I buy a kid a spiral notebook the school takes it away from him? Yes. That’s exactly what happens in my area. The kids who bring in supplies the first week get 99% of it confiscated, it goes into a pool to help out kids whose parents send them to school empty-handed, and the ones who donated supplies basically get grubby leftovers from years past given to them to use. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2017, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873/100 "2017-09-01T15:34:00Z")
> [@Grumbacher\_Red](#): > > Yes. That’s exactly what happens in my area. The kids who bring in supplies the first week get 99% of it confiscated, it goes into a pool to help out kids whose parents send them to school empty-handed, and the ones who donated supplies basically get grubby leftovers from years past given to them to use. That’s not exactly how it goes in my experience. The kids who donated aren’t singled out for grubby leftovers. All resources are pooled and doled out to each child independent of who contributed. Luck of the draw, but no one goes without. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-to-school-supply-lists-in-primary-education-are-lame/793873.md?page=6)