Wondered if some should no doubt consider this SCARY in a way ,that

[Valerie5555]

teachers would have to resort to buying their own classrom supplies for their classrooms, and librarians may even had to resort to buying children's / teen , adult and other books for their libraries.

[Systematic Chaos]

1. Here in Las Vegas

I briefly dated a woman who was a nanny in a fairly good neighborhood. The kids went to elementary school, and sometimes when I went with her to pick them up they'd come home with school memos asking parents to donate PAPER TOWELS to the school. And this was back in 1999.

[Valerie5555]

2. Unbelievable in a supposedly good economy.

eom.

[Arianrhod]

3. This started a long time ago.

Back under Reagan, I watched in dismay as Orange County, CA (which would, within a few years, go bankrupt under the Republicans) closed down dozens of public libraries due to lack of funding. Funnily, at the same time, largely Democratic Los Angeles County was opening new ones. . . .

The wealthy scions of Republicanism want ignorance to spread. The thing they fear more than anything else is truth, and if the people genuinely become educated, the Robber Baron economy the Repubs are rebuilding will come crashing down around them.

Not that it isn't going to, anyway. . . .

[Valerie5555]

6. Hopefully any Washingtonians who really LOVE the Smithsonian Institute

would really be peeved or :grr: or :argh: if that place's budget is greatly cut.

[ProfLefty]

4. Unfortunately.

This is already the case in the California public schools. Teachers and students are forced in combination to furnish most of the educational supplies. A tragedy when you consider that this is the richest nation in the history of the world.

[CaTeacher]

8. Thank you for pointing out this terrible

problem! As always, I agree with every word you say!

When are we going to dismantle our costly miliatry and use the money to teach and take care of the children?

[Valerie5555]

9. And I also dread to see the day when the US did anything like successfully

"armtwisted" Canada into cutting funding for libraries and museums in favor of the military.


On edit I am sure I wouldn't be surprised if the so called "terror war" was used as an excuse.

[ProfLefty]

10. Have to agree.

Once again with both you and Valerie, cateacher. Our current administration's priorities are completely warped and misdirected. The more we invest in education, health care and other important and vitally needed social programs the less we will need to depend on enforcing our will around the world with military might.

[CaTeacher]

12. And the only way that we can do that

is by paying our fair share of taxes--Fortunately Kerry is going to take care of this problem.

[Bjornsdotter]

5. This has been happening for years...

....my seventh grade teacher (Chicago Public Schools)in 1973 bought the class construction paper and paints so we, as a class could have art. She also supplied the class with toilet paper as this was also cut.

As a teacher I have always bought various items for students, including a pair of glasses for a student whose parents couldn't afford to replace his broken pair. They were donated by "Anonymous" so that neither the students nor the parents would be embarrassed.

When I worked for a science company that supplied schools, many teachers were given a budget of $100 a year for supplies. The teachers would the equipment out of their own money.

No child left behind....my ass.

Too many children are left behind.

Cheers,
Kim :toast:

[Valerie5555]

7. I am a Library and Information Technology or Library Technician student ,

and heard an instructor tell of cases where either the school librarians or library technicians had to buy books, usually for the libraries of poorer schools.

[ProfLefty]

11. Yes.

And isn't it funny Valerie how the shortfalls in funding always seem to impact schools in poor and predominately minority districts in such a disproportionate manner?

[Dem2theMax]

13. That goes on all the time here in Calif.

Every time I go into the bank, they have some program going where you purchase supplies for the local schools. Same at Office Depot. I'm sure there are a lot more than just those two types of businesses getting involved in these programs. It stunned me the first time I saw it. When I was in school, we had everything we needed. OK, so it was in the dark ages. Still. It's sad beyond belief that our kids today, with all the wealth in this country, are doing without the basics to learn.

[radfringe]

14. friend of ours in CA

teaches 2nd grade

she spends between $500-$1000 per year out of her own pocket for school supplies for the kids

last year she was transfered to a different school - she and her husband spent the summer months repairing and painting the classroom (they paid for the paint, sheetrock etc out of own pocket)

made the rounds at used furniture stores, tag sales, flea markets etc to find enough desks/chairs for the kids -- paid for it all out of their own pocket

she also keeps a supply of bread/sandwich items at the school for kids who don't have lunches and are not eligble for lunch programs

[Sirveri]

15. Last year I made 13,500

if you make under a certain ammount they will waive the unit fees at the local community college. I didn't make the cut this year. I made too much money and I live in the Bay Area. I guess I can thank Reagan and Arnie later.

[GreenArrow]

16. it's unacceptable

.

[Skittles]

17. it's been that way for quite some time

I have been donating school supplies for years in an effort to help relieve the burden on teachers

[Shopaholic]

18. I was in Target the other day and

there were no less than 2 teachers in line with me who had their carts filled with supplies they were having to buy for their students. One told me that she had to "hide" them from her husband because he got so angry that she had to use her own money to buy supplies for her class.

[Shopaholic]

19. duplicate

sorry

[rucky]

20. www.donorschoose.org

www.donorschoose.org

Check this out!

[ikojo]

21. In St Louis there are all kinds of drop points for

school supplies in the suburbs and the city, most often at Office Depot...and that is not just for pens and paper. "School supplies" includes clothes, coats, gloves etc for kids. In 1999 there was an incident where a 10 year old kid had been mauled and partially eaten by a pack of wild dogs. This kid's mom was so drug addicted and such an incompetent parent that she was unaware he was not at home until the cops came to her house the next day to tell her he was dead. The paper interviewed his teachers and was told how one teacher had bought him a coat and a pair of gloves. This little boy had never had a pair of matching gloves and the teacher related how fascinated he was by the gloves.

One of my friends is a social worker in the St Louis area and she routinely buys personal care items for kids. A couple of Christmases ago she bought bedding for a girl who lived in a small house with her mom, grandpa, several siblings. This kid had never had a bed with sheets and pillows and blankets. My friend felt bad in that she could not afford to outfit the entire family with bedding but realized that at least the girl would be served.

More and more, it is the parents who are providing things that the school district once did. It is not uncommon to see tissues on the list of school supplies.

Let us not forget the ever present "fundraisers" begun on the FIRST day of school. Kids are sent home with glossy magazines so their moms can take them to work and coerce co-workers into buying overpriced tchotchkies. After all who could say no to a child or so they think. When I am presented withe these appeals I make it a point to stress that if corporations paid their fair share of property taxes then parents would not be turned into salespeople for the schools.

[Jacobin]

22. It's been that way for decades in many places

[Iris]

23. So much for Bush's idea that the "community" will take care of

these sorts of needs.

Maybe the teachers could go to a faith-based charity, sit through "The Passion" and get their supplies that way.

[Valerie5555]

24. Wonder what Laura Bush would think if librarians had to go through that

same process to get new library books, since she was a librarian at 1 time, or maybe she's too "strung out" on Xanax and other "calm pills."

[Iris]

25. Actually,

she convinced her husband to give libraries and museums more funding than they've had in years.


Pretty amazing since she seems like such a doormat.