Hell I don’t complain I buy everything on their list and then some. I have 3 kids and elementary in one in high school. That teacher has my child plus 25 - 28 extra 5 days a week 6-8hrs aday. I’ll buy a bottle of wine/6pk every weekend they want it!
The way to not go broke on buying school supplies… Buy them when they’re on sale/ clearance out, hold on to them. When you get the school supplies list for the following year you should have everything.
If you are complaining about school supplies after we had to experience teaching our own children during the pandemic with virtual learning something is seriously wrong 
I will buy these teachers anything and everything they want to not have to school my child 
#fixitjesus
Get on your state and local politicians, as well as your school district. Trust me the teachers hate it as much as we do.
It could be helpful to many parents to post upcoming sales of supply list items. Help each other out.
Buy and send what you can afford
Because only a few parents are responsible & buy school supplies. The rest depend on other parents to provide for their kids. Teachers try to get what they can out of the few responsible so they don’t have to provide for their class themselves.
Because it takes a village?
Teachers don’t have supplies to hand out.
Buy what u can. 24 is a lot, but do whatever u can. No one will fault u if u can’t. Money is tight
At the end of the school year, my daughter (3rd grade) brought home literally almost all of the school supplies that I bought for the year…. 
Because the school isn’t funded for those supplies nor should the teacher have to buy them. We assumed the duty when we became parents. We provide for them in all areas in life. I send extra during the year to help keep supplies stable in class.
Imagine being upset by the fact that you have to help buy the tools for your child to succeed at school 
it isn’t a surprise, it comes every single year. Save so you have it. Or reach out to local organizations.
Because a six year old can kill a glue stick in record time. Lol.
I’m a lunchroom lady and the school I work at a lot of stuff ends up in the dumpsters me and some of the other girls I work with that have kids dumpster dive at the end of the year and we get a lot of supplies for the next year I’ve seen a lot of stuff that was brand new thrown away
Cuz sharing is caring. Teachers buy so many supplies with their own money
Well back in the day70’s and 80’s, what the parent bought it stayed with their child. I can remember some kids didn’t have it, and yes it was the same ones every year. So if the teacher didn’t have extra , we had to share. Why make these kids feel bad, it’s not their fault, that their parents don’t or won’t do what they are supposed to do? That was first grade - 8th grade. Next we when to High school…. Each family had to pay a fee for each class, per child. If they were in Sports, Band , Etc that was extra money per child. Plus the regular school supplies, paper, pens, Etc. At the end of each year, if the students fee’s were not paid, they did not get their final report card. If at the end of the 4 years , if the fee’s from the 4 years were not paid, they did not get to walk graduation line, and they did not receive their diploma. So if you take a family that had multiple kids that ran into a lot of $$$$. So maybe the ones complaining need to think about that. Just remember the kids that don’t have this stuff, are looked down on, by the other kids. It’s not just the poor ones it’s a lot of the ones who come from family’s who can afford it.
There are children who aren’t able to afford anything for school. Either because they live way below the poverty line or are in foster care.
If you can’t afford everything just get what you can. There’s is no need to bash teachers or the school district for what they are requesting to help their students.
I buy a ton on Amazon throughout the year for the next school year.
Whatever you don’t buy the teacher usually buys with their own money.
Because a teacher can’t afford to supply 25 plus kids there supplies year after year
Because school districts are cheap and do not supply classrooms as they should.
Buy what you can afford! Even if you can’t get anything on the list get some hand sanitizer and tissues. Those are pretty cheap. Send them in with your child to give to the teacher. It’s the thought that counts.
Idk but our kids school charges us $20 per kid for school supplies for the whole year they provide it all
I always buy what is on my kids’ lists plus extras. We also provide snacks and water bottles for the whole class. We don’t have much money to spend but we try and help out the best we can every year.
Wonder the same. I bought my daughter above and beyond at the beginning g of the year only to get it all back at the end, and more that they provided throughout the year. Daughter said they kept her supplies in her cubby the whole time and barely used it. Which is awesome… but it was her first year in public school and I bought her personalized pencils lol she didn’t even use them
Thankfully mine don’t, I got supplies for all 4 kiddos for $140
Shop sales. That is literally only for your child. I always try to send extras too because a lot of teachers come out of their own pockets for other people’s kids and they already don’t get paid enough.
I’m sure you can have a conversation with the school district and let them know of your circumstances. You aren’t the first and won’t be the last… times are hard right now.
Cause your kids need to be responsible,with making sure they have what they need to do their work. Also I could understand more at being mad over supplying the Kleenex, or germx, paper towels,ect. But you really mad over the stuff your child will need to do their work. 
24 glue sticks? Usually its 3. But also the pencils…omg they disappear 2 a day per kid. Seriously!i work in school and the lack of pencils is real. Inner city school have supplies donated so you could get lucky and plead your case.the supplies you get your kid… stays with your kid. They just are constantly losing them
-Some children cannot afford what is needed. I always buy double whatever is asked of for this reason.
-teachers are already underpaid and shouldn’t be expected to buy the supplies out of pocket to teach my child.
-how many crayons are broken a day? How fast can your child pour glue out or press too hard on a glue stick and use the entire thing in t-minus 30 seconds.
— if Covid taught me anything, I am not a teacher. Virtual is not for me, so I’ll gladly buy whatever they need to be able to learn.
Thats for the whole year, just buy a few for the beginning of the year and then buy more as the school year progresses. My daughter at most used like 5. The pencils I understand needing a lot because they always lose them. Walmart sells a big box of like 25 or 50 for like $6
What upsets me is this. My now 10 year old daughter when she was in kindergarten, I bought everything in that list. I bought like 20 boxes of 24ct Crayola crayons only for them to give her a pack of Rose Art crayons. I don’t care that they share with all the kids, but I would have liked for my child to at least have access to what I bought. Same with the glue sticks I bought Elmers glue sticks, she was given some dollar store brand. The glue I didn’t really care it still worked and done what was needed. But those Rose Art crayons was awful, the red looked pink once put on paper.
I always send extra and help throughout the year. Help them help your children.
Because the majority of school districts don’t pay for supplies and teachers can’t afford to buy every child supplies on top of all of the other things they buy for their classroom.
When the children arrive. The supplies are put together. And if a child needs…for example a new pencil…the teacher takes one from the supply. No child will sit with no supplies.
If school wasn’t free you’d be complaining about having to pay for school. School is free and you’re complaining about buying a few supplies that will last the whole school year while your kid is being looked after 8 hours a day, for FREE. 
My ex sister in law is a teacher.her garage at her house is filled with all the “school” supplies the teachers are asking for…nope not me.i send exactly what my child needs put their name on everything in permanent marker and i dont send any papertowels, boxes of tissues or hand sanitizer…i know better.
Damn, glad to be a Canadian where my children’s school supplies are free and provided.
Here supplies are donated and shared. I know not all families can donate. We are fortunate we can. Whatever they ask for, I will provide. Our teachers spend out of their own pockets to make sure their classes are taken care of. They take care of our children as their own. I am beyond grateful for our teachers.
I can tell you that 2 glue sticks is 50 cents at Walmart. 24 would be like 6 dollars … I will gladly supply classrooms with anything I can so the teachers don’t have to pay out of pocket to have a successful year!
Also, usually they are requesting in hopes that they can get enough supplies. Provide what you can… anything helps
Buy 2 of everything send 1 or everything with kids name on it to school, keep rest at home!
Because teachers are underpaid and can’t afford to buy supplies for the whole class.!!!
Some parents barely provide any school supplies for their kids. If you cannot afford to buy supplies, I’m sure there are a lot of school supply give aways in most communities!!!
I understand where you’re coming from because I felt the same way in the beginning. Until a teacher conference where the teacher told me how much she appreciated the one extra pack of crayons. She said you wouldn’t believe how many parents send their kids there with NOTHING. Which then falls on the teacher. Who is SEVERELY underpaid. These teachers use so much of their money for the supplies, Fun learning activities, paper for the printers, etc. they keep the kids safe and hell their minds grow. I’d say that’s worth a few bucks once a year for “extra supplies”.
Teachers are basically given an empty classroom and use their own money to do what they can. The question shouldn’t be why you have to buy supplies, rather why does the teacher have to buy your kids school supplies? Our school district and state got a lot of money this past year, and hardly any money was used.
It’s not an obligation you provide what you can if you can.
Volunteering at my son‘s school I realized how much supplies is needed and how much the teacher herself or himself has to provide in buy out of their pocket because the school district doesn’t provide so I don’t think you should be mad at the school or the teacher for asking I think you should go and complain to the district supervisor
I get sending extras to school to help out other students and teachers I sent a lot extra and I did their own pencil cases / book bags and they took those too which didn’t make sense cause then I had to buy more for home cause they couldn’t do their homework
Just here to watch you get dragged
Over the years as a Pre K - 2nd Grade… In early elementary I can 100% guarantee that your child will easily use/ruin a minimum of 8 glue sticks. They will utilize 4-6 pencils because insert any reason here. Examples: my eraser broke, it isn’t sharpened correctly, I don’t like the way it feels, and many other reasons you wouldn’t be able to make up in your wildest imagination. Every sniffle will require a tissue because they’re bored, and blowing their nose and washing hands is enough of a break to relieve their tired/bored minds for 2 minutes. Broken crayons simply don’t work anymore… ever… in the mind of a child whose friends have a whole crayon. Markers will dry out because they don’t properly close them, and it is nearly impossible for us to check 10+ markers for 20 students everytime we scribble on paper.
However, we do understand that not every family has the ability to cover expenses for their students, and we will always ensure they have everything they need within the classroom. If you’re unable to purchase supplies than do not put yourself in financial strain over it. We understand that food, clothes, and other basic essentials are more important.
Hugs Mama, you’re doing great!
If you’re having a hard time getting everything (which there are many in my kids school district) call the school and see if they can help, call local churches, look and see if there are programs available to help. The help is there, you just have to ask.
Go to the dollar store
I taught VBS this summer. 1 week, 3 hours a day, 5 kids. I was literally just in charge of keeping them alive & singing songs about Jesus - & I came home every afternoon & crashed until the next morning. Teaching is the most exhausting job in existence. If my kid’s teacher asked me for a kidney, I’d tell her to pick which one. It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to send the school supplies requested by the teacher. Shop the list. Buy the exact brands she asks for. Send the exact amount she asks for. Teachers are not scamming you lol they’re creating an enjoyable learning environment for your kid - & when you slack, they often end up pulling your weight out of their own pockets so your kid isn’t left out.
I understand. Not everyone can afford to do this. This is why they ask for you to send so much. If you can’t they completely understand. Someone will cover it. I don’t mean that mean but it happens. I have always tried to get extra when I can. If not it’s okay.
My school taxes go up every single year. In fact my mortgage just went up $250 per MONTH above what I already pay for school taxes…just for school tax. If they’re raising school taxes in suburbs they should have more than enough to give these kids the supplies they need. I’ll gladly send my kid their own supplies but nothing more anymore.
I’m about to rant on so I apologise in advance! 
Parents should buy for their own kids and all schools should have budgets in place for those who can’t afford. Teachers should never have to pay for supplies for the students, they already make horrible salaries.
If I wanna buy specific or special items for my kids, they should go to my kids, not the rest of the class.
Also, can we talk about the fact that schools are not allowing us to send our kids whatever we like in their lunches??? I pay out of my own pockets for our groceries. If I wanna send a lunchbox full of Twinkies, the school should have NO SAY in that decision. I sent a ZEVIA soda in my daughter’s lunch one time and they didn’t let her drink it because they don’t allow sodas during lunch, claiming that they make the kids too hyper! Zevia drinks have zero sugar and zero caffeine! A juice box would wind a kid up more than that. Regardless, I should be allowed to send whatever I want with my kid!!! They should have no say in my childrens’ diet!!!
Schools should drop the BS and focus on implementing useful classes, increasing staff salaries, community involvement, anti-bullying campaigns, etc. Public schools are mostly a joke these days. They don’t teach our kids what they need to learn and, unfortunately, a lot of kids don’t have guardians who give a crap at home. They leave with little to no knowledge of the real world and are lucky if they thrive at all.
Because teachers don’t get paid enough to provide those supplies. You think the school district will
The teacher would have to pay for all of it by herself/himself as schools don’t have it in their budgets.
bc they don’t get paid enough period.
Shop smart
Clearance sales, prim days, coupons, price match
Every parent knows the back to school list is huge so there is really no reason to not be picking things up throughout the year 
As a single mom I don’t send all that. I’m sorry but I can’t buy supplies for kids who don’t bring any.
You are not providing for the whole class. You are providing for your child. Trust me when I tell you kids go through glue sticks and pencils like you can’t even imagine.
All the school supplies you buy is to last your child the entire school year. They use these for 9 months out of thr year.
As a parent who homeschooled this past yr your kid doesnt use not even half of what they expect you to buy and we did lots of work and projects.
I’ll buy them all the glue sticks and tissues they need of they take these damn kids back 
What’s really sad is our schools used to have the budget to supply all them. Our taxes went up and schools were cut.
Why should parents buy any school supplies where is all this lottery money??? When is the government going to stop giving millions away when we hear all the lying politicians how they want to support education when they want elected but forget it when they are elected …what about all the school taxes being paid by many who don’t have kids in school…
Then why do they ask for more every year
Wow people find anything to complain about ! You literally can get supplies from the dollar store. Lol some people have money for everything else but what’s important. The world needs kindness and compassion more then anything else right now. If you can spare it why not get a little extra.
If you can’t it’s understandable! These children are the future. Let them be great ,it takes a village !!!
Ps Think about ways to make your life easier instead of complaining, Be the Change ! You can do a lot of things to help get school supplies money. Ex Have a lemonade stand with you child , sell old clothes to a consignment shop, donate plasma, bake sale etc
Don’t be the typical woo is me, think outside of the Box !
The school my kiddo went to shared the crayons and glue sticks but folders, notebooks and pencils were for my child. They’d also ask parents to buy certain items for the class like tissues and paper towels. Unfortunately teachers can’t afford to supply their classrooms and the educational budget keeps getting cut
(no I’m not blaming republicans or democrats before anyone makes it political) if you’re truly struggling, your local church and other places might have a school supplies drive.
People don’t realize many teachers purchase from their pockets to provide the tools for instruction.
What makes you think you are funding the classroom? Do you really think that your child will only use 1 glue stick for the whole year? That a can of 30 disinfectant wipes will clean your child’s desk and chair for the year? Do you have a lead on some kind of always sharp never breaks or gets lost pencil? Are your magic markers truly magical and never dry out even without the cap on? I know, that single subject notebook with 30 pages will surely last the school year. That folder won’t rip or break either. Those tissues? How could one box NOT last all year?
These are supplies for the year. They get used up in school just like at home.
None of it is a surprise, it happens every year. Just shop smart and stock up on clearance through out the year. I was a single mom of three with minimum wage jobs. It’s not easy but it’s certainly achievable.
People act like teachers steal the kids supplies and sell them for profit smh these teachers spend more hours with our kids than we do and let me tell you that the break they give me is worth a shopping trip that will last for 9 months of the year
Stock up after it goes on clearance once school starts. Then ya have nothing to bitch about.
The supplies are suppose to last the whole year , if you are struggling financially just buy one of each item and ask the teacher to let you know when your child needs more .
Thanks God I was able to provide everything on my daughters list( I put her name in every items so they can be use exclusively by her ) but always send extra in case any child needs something
You want 100 glue sticks? I’ll buy you 100. You want 400 pencils? You got it! You want a carnival cruise? No prob. THESE TEACHERS ARE TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN! They take care of kids, teach them, nurture them AND YOURE COMPLAINING ABOUT THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED?!
It’s honestly bare minimum. 
You can go to a nearby back to school event for supplies. They are hosted every single year by churches, police stations and other organizations. Crayons are .50 right now at Walmart.
it’s the parents and teachers that make up the difference when a child doesn’t have something so that’s why I try to buy whatever needed.
So you feel like the teacher should have to pay for it?
WAAH…obviously the “fan” has never stepped foot inside a classroom since they graduated and possibly is a new parent because if they had been in a classroom or had children before, then they would understand that the small amount you are asked to contribute doesn’t come close to what is actually needed or used. Most times teachers make up the difference out of their own wages…buy what they ask and ask if they need anything else!!!
I think it more so depends on the grade. I love the public school list though. It’s way cheaper to purchase everything than when my 5 kids were in a charter school. Whew buddy. It was over a grand, for all of them, to supply everything they required!
I always see teachers post what comes out of their pockets for their students. After seeing them, I’d never complain. They’re already being paid so little to educate our kids.
You obviously don’t know how many supplies these kids go threw. The teachers aren’t responsible for supplying your child
As a teacher and a parent, I cannot complain. I get the kids what they need on both ends. Don’t think twice about it. If I have the means to fill in the gaps for other kids in my daughter’s class, I will. I will help out my kid’s teachers and peers. Our communities rely on the heart of others to fill gaps. That free food donation before food stamps hit, that donation of items after a house burnt down, and any other support others may need to flourish. That’s all.
And at the end of the year, most of it comes back unused.
Growing up (I’m 24 now) my parents always bought me a pack of each for pens, pencils, glue, crayons etc. folders for each class topic, a few binders, and then replaced them as needed. And I rarely needed extra accept for folders and sometimes a new binder if the plastic one got too full and broke. Maybe once or twice in the year. I was also good at not losing things or ruining them though.
Weird that you think that.
Clearly judging by the holier than thou,shameing ,and way you are all attacking this woman’s honest question you should all be more worried about funding programs to help your children w bullying because if this is the example your children have at home there are gonna be serious issues with your children bullying others.
7$ for glue… lol spend more on a fucking combo. She can have that many if she needs it.
PLEASE don’t feel like teachers are asking for more than what is needed. We understand more than most parents how difficult it is to buy all these supplies because we are often buying for kids in our class. Teachers try hard to not ask for too much!!
I buy what is asked for, always. I taught for 15 years. Parents are most excited at the beginning of the school year. Better to get everything a teacher thinks s/he needs at the beginning.
I’ve worked in schools and seen teachers stockpile supplies and throw them away at the end of the year. I agree. They ask for
Too much. I’d rather give like $40-$60 whatever gift card and have them buy what they need.
I buy stuff for my kids class but never this much, that’s a awful lot
I usually “bought the list” and sent to school as needed and then subtracted what was left over at the end of the year from the upcoming years list. I now have 2 drawers full of pencils, pens, erasers, notebooks, duo tangs, loose leaf, geometry sets, pencil cases, highlighters, rulers, dictionaries, calculators, white out, subject dividers, page tabs…etc. BTW….My kid’s graduated in 2014 and 2018! I also have triples of every damn color of marker, crayon and pencil crayon ever created, except for black! If they would only put 2-4 black ones in every pack, we would never need to buy a new set! LOL
Sounds like there take advantage of parnets to supply.the whole school.
That’s exactly why they ASK, not demand so much. It’s to make up for ppl like you that can’t “afford it” Otherwise it comes out of the teacher’s pocket. All these supplies are supposed to last the entire school year, fyi. I’m assuming you’re new?
As an elementary teacher, I must say some of these comments have me stunned. Believe me, it is very frustrating for teachers that we even have to request parents contribute anything to our classrooms! District budgets are cut year after year, and we do not control the allocation of funds.
I’m quick to just buy whatever my students need myself - but I also have 3 kids of my own and don’t make gobs of money. Educators work long hours, are constantly furthering their own education in order to be better teachers for your children, and put up with a LOT of disrespectful behavior from some students, parents, etc. The pay we receive isn’t nearly what we earn or deserve. We shouldn’t have to spend those hard earned wages supplying the basic tools kids need at school.
(Also, as many others have stated, teachers will not judge you or hold it against you if you do not/cannot provide the requested supplies! Just remember that every little bit helps, and we’re very grateful for any contribution.)
I’m so sorry that this is happening to you but I have never had a teacher ask for that many supplies your responsibilities is to supply for your child only, you can go straight to the principal and explain your situation. Some districts don’t even ask for anything they supplied everything I was very surprised.
Ok, so maybe your kid doesn’t use 100 pencils. Maybe they use 99 pencils & another kid uses 101. But maybe your kid goes through more than a box of tissues or breaks their red crayon - they don’t go without because there’s a communal stash to pull from. When you send just enough for your kid, what do you expect to happen when they go to open a marker & it’s dry? Is your kid entitled to someone else’s? Should the teacher have to supply your kid with a marker she paid for? Do you hear how trivial this sounds?
I know it seems like a lot, but school budgets have been cut down to practically nothing when it comes to classroom supplies and most teachers are coming out of pocket for the things they need for their classrooms and their kiddos. Don’t stress about getting it all at once. Get what you can when you can and send it in. I promise, the teacher appreciates everything.
You are not providing for the whole class. You’re insane if you think one glue stick is going to last all year.
My daughter worked as a school custodian for awhile. Kids are not at all careful with their things. She was forever picking things up off the floor so she could vacuum. Kids left glue sticks on the floor, broken pencils, pencils that had been run through the sharpener till there was only about two inches of the pencil left, just all sorts of stuff.
why does it bother you to provide what your child needs for school. Everyone buys a certain amount and they all use it up. What’s left over gets sent home. Value education and the things needed for it