I had a rare summer afternoon off yesterday, so being the responsible Mommy that I am, I printed out my kid’s back-to-school supply lists and headed to Target. Please know that I love my kids’ school. Their quality of education especially at a public school and in the low-on-the-education-list state of Arizona, is actually pretty incredible. In fact, they won a national blue ribbon award this year…a national distinction that only about 40 schools were awarded country-wide.
All of this said, I just have to gripe for a moment about the supply list. In all truth, it doesn’t bother me that schools have begun to ask for supplies when our tax dollars are just not cutting it and school budgets are a joke. What bothers me is the total disregard for a family’s pocketbook. The school doesn’t just ask for a 24 box of crayons….they have to be Crayola crayons. I don’t understand this. Don’t they know that the Roseart crayons cost less and really are fine to use? Or, don’t they know that the pre-sharpened box of Ticonderoga pencils cost more than the unsharpened ones? Can’t they just do what our teachers did — give a couple of kids in the class the job of sharpening them at one of those manual pencil sharpeners?
I’m just curious, Mom’s .. how does my kids’ supply list compare to your kids’ schools? Below is the supply list for 3rd grade. I think it is completely obnoxious, but is this what all schools expect from their families or does our blue ribbon winner expect more? Please tell me!
THIRD GRADE – Please do not label supplies. All supplies will be shared.
1 set of earbuds
2 Expo dry erase markers
1 pencil pouch (not Mrs. Franklin’s class)
4 Pink Pearl eraser
24 count Crayola crayons
1 pair Fiskars scissors
1 Mead composition book (black & white, not primary kind)
1 box Crayola twistable colored pencils
2 package colored paper
24 no. 2 Ticonderoga pencils-sharpened (black outer shell)
Surface Wipes (bleach free)
36 no. 2 Ticonderoga pencils-sharpened (yellow outer shell)
2 boxes of Kleenex
2 glue sticks
1 GB or 2 GB Flash Drive-put name on it 1 pkg.
Crayola markers
6(six) 2-pocket folders (variety of solid colors)
(Wish List items: colored cardstock, Elmer’s white glue, Post It brand post-its,
2(two) 3-prong pocket folders (1 red, 1 blue) Scotch tape refills, Ziplock – sandwich and gallon size, white
copy paper, hand sanitizer or liquid
I can’t even imagine what the supply list is going to look like when we get to high school. That is a very scary thought!
My song of the day is from the Ramones. I chose a little punk rock attitude towards schools today, because man…..this school really better rock with every kid bringing in a supply list like this one! Besides the Ramones and “Rock and Roll High School” is just plain fun to listen to, so click HERE to help me make light of an otherwise annoying situation. Rock on shopping Mommies!!! It’s the only way to survive the back-to-school insanity!