Summer break is coming to an end, and there are ads and sales everywhere for school supplies.
Some schools have even sent out supply lists already, and fellow parents, we can be honest, these lists look a little different from some of our lists when we were in school. There are a lot more items, and some more bulk buys.
That doesn’t mean that the knee-jerk reaction to complain about costs is the correct answer.
School Supply Lists Have Changed
When I was in school, in the 80s and 90s, there were no Clorox wipes or hand sanitizer on our lists. We weren’t asked to buy paper towels, and supplies like pencils and notebook paper were brought in throughout the year as needed, rather than in bulk at the beginning of the year.
Not everyone’s experience was the same, but I can understand why parents are surprised to get lists that include dry-erase markers and three boxes of tissues. It’s not what we were used to. Things have changed.
One thing that has changed significantly is funding. Those of us who didn’t have to bring in boxes of Kleenex probably also remember a supply closet, maybe in the school office, where we might be sent for boxes of chalk or printer paper.
These days, our kids’ teachers are supplying many of their own classroom needs. My teacher friends have posted wish lists at Amazon or other retailers, in hopes that the community will help ensure they have basic needs like printer toner, carpet circles for reading time, and flash cards.
This Isn’t The Fault Of Teachers, Though
If you’re feeling frustrated because you used to get $20 at the beginning of the year and sent it into the store to buy notebooks and pencils, and now your kids need $150 worth of supplies each, I can empathize. That’s rough, and it’s hard when you have multiple kids and the budget is already tight.
We must, though, go into this knowing that it isn’t some attack on us by teachers. It’s frustrating and expensive, but the teachers are trying to meet the needs to teach our kids. They aren’t trying to pile on the expenses; they’re trying to make sure all of our kids have what they need for the year.
One teacher recently went viral on TikTok for pointing out that at this point, she’s expected to prepare children for the possibility of a school shooter and be ready to try to keep them safe if the worst happens. Parents are mad at her for asking them to buy more than one pencil at the beginning of the year.
The Vitriol Can Get Out Of Control
This is the time of year when the social media posts start. They often use abusive language towards teachers, express anger over other aspects of school (like curriculum, inclusiveness, etc), and absolutely rage over the cost of school supplies.
One mom caught my attention with her Reddit post this week, begging people to see past the cost. She wrote:
“Education just lost another $6,000,000,000+ nationally. That’s six billion. With a B. And guess who gets to subsidize that. It’s you…If you hate this (which is perfectly reasonable) then I beg you, don’t hate the school or the teachers. Hate the policies…If you still find yourself blaming the school or feeling entitled to private supplies that are never shared, please go volunteer in the classroom. See what actually goes on and how these supplies are used. See the kids who have empty lunchboxs and are more concerned with a safe place to sleep than if they brought a pencil. Then report back.”
She hit the nail on the head. Every time that education funding is cut, kids and parents get hurt. Then communities get hurt, as the effects ripple out. The financial blow, though, is seen at the school, in the cafeteria, in the classrooms, and yes, in the school supply lists.
Do What You Can
For those parents who are reading this and saying, “Fine, it’s not the teachers’ fault, but I still can’t afford this,” you are not alone. For you, I’m going to offer three steps to a solution.
First, buy the supplies you can. If the list asks for six boxes of #2 pencils and you can afford 3, buy three.
Second, communicate. If the list asks for brand-name disinfectant wipes and that’s out of your range, contact the teacher and ask if generic wipes are okay, or if they’d rather you skip the wipes. Let the teacher know if you’re short on supplies, and find out which are the highest priority. Maybe some items can wait for later in the year, or at least next payday, and you might be able to skip some altogether.
Meanwhile, if you can buy the listed supplies, do so, and the above is precisely why.
Third, check for community events. I noticed this week that a major cellular carrier is holding events in some areas and giving away backpacks stuffed with supplies. Locally, there will be churches and other organizations that will hold backpack drives, and before the first day of school, they’ll hold events to give away what they’ve collected. Last year, our local HBCU held a big event for kids. Local organizations set up booths giving away school supplies along with brochures for their services. There was even someone providing free haircuts!
If you need these services, use them — that’s why they’re provided. If you’re able to support them, please do, because they benefit the whole community, not just the kids who get free notebooks and pencils.
Most importantly, don’t blame the teachers, and don’t attack the schools. We can all fight for our kids and schools together.