School Supplies

Today I have a little rant and rave.
Hope you'll forgive me.

Whoever decided parents should buy all the school supplies and half the classroom supplies too, I'd like to have words with. Don't we pay taxes for just this sort of thing? Whatever happened to the days when kindergartners simply shared a tub of germ ridden paste? Our kids can't even relate when Gar and I talk about the weird kid who sat in the corner and ate the paste. Remember the days with the box of silver scissors and the lefty scissors had red tape on them? Remember that weird paper we used to use that was sort of like newspaper, but not quite? Remember that all copies used to be mimeographed so the print was always purple? Who decided that the vat-o'-paste was not good enough and glue sticks must be had by all? And furthermore who decided that the parents should pay for them?

Now, I understand it was our choice to have five kids, and I fully expect it to be an expensive undertaking. I expect to pay for lots of clothes, food, lessons, dental visits etc. I expect to have to buy five backpacks, and five pairs of gym shoes. But the lists these days are getting out of control.
Take a look at what we had to buy for school this year.
Keep in mind that ALL of these items were on
required school lists from my kids teachers.
I didn't fudge at all.
I may actually have forgotten thing or two.

125 pencils
72 crayons
60 colored pencils
38 notebook dividers
24 blue pens
24 black pens
12 red pens
10 regular glue sticks
10 reams college ruled paper
10 notebooks
9 two pocket folders with prongs
9 dry erase markers
6 highlighters
6 binders
5 boxes tissue
4 different flavored packages of bubble gum (not making it up!)
4 erasers
4 black flair pens
3 boxes ziplock bags
3 composition books
2 pkgs. post-it notes
2 pencil pouches
2 Primary ‘fat’ pencils
2 boxes baby wipes
2 large glue sticks
1 pkg. oversize index cards (300)
1 pkg. regular index cards (500)
1 Spanish/English dictionary
1 backpack
1 box of paper cups
1 dry eraser
1 protractor
1 compass
1 pkg. markers
1 roll paper towels

Other required items we had at home already-
6 pairs of scissors (yes, I realize I have only 5 kids!)
2 graphing calculators
2 rulers
2 pencil pouches
1 water bottle


This does not even include other school expenses like: Student ID cards, PTA membership fees, emergency kits, lab fees, kindergarten snack, school planners, P.E. clothing, field trip fees, school pride shirts, athletic fees and textbooks.
You heard me right.
This year a high-school teacher tried to get us all to pay for a $33 textbook.
I want my taxes back.