Posted by:
summer
(
)
Date: November 05, 2022 10:12AM
Wow. Most teachers do keep extra supplies for classroom use, but they normally wouldn't send it home for homework because in most cases, it never comes back.
In my career, I've supplied most pencils, markers, crayons, scissors, rulers, etc. for my classroom. When a new student would arrive in my class without supplies, I would sigh, and go to my supply box. I would take out a pencil box, pencils, a marker, crayons, etc. I could get that kid outfitted within two minutes. Many parents are remarkably cheap. Why buy things that "the school" (in most cases meaning, the teacher) will provide? People should not wonder why there is a teacher shortage.
I had one student whose parents were immigrants. The father was a physician, unheard of in that neighborhood. He was getting training at a local hospital. I sent home a supply list for her twice, and got nothing in response (both parents spoke and read English fluently, so that was not an issue.) So I gave the girl the usual kit. One day she came to me complaining that her seatmate was using "her" crayons. I told her that I would talk to her seatmate, but I also pointed out that they were in fact, my crayons. The mom, who was a real horror show, came in the next day with the same complaint, and I made the same observation. The mom visibly huffed, but did send in supplies for her daughter the very next day -- finally! Some people will get away with whatever they can get away with.
The next time you hear a politician or commentator railing against teachers, teacher unions, or the public education system in general, think of Summer reaching into her own pocket time after time after time to provide what the parents and schools should have provided, but did not. I estimate it's been somewhere between $15-$20K over the years, with only a very small fraction of that gotten back in tax deductions. I wish I had that $15-$20K back to provide for my needs and wants, teacher salaries not being very huge.