Teachers often have to buy supplies like printer ink, cleaning supplies and more

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During this past Hot Labor Summer, I had kind of hoped to see educators striking more in the fall. Maybe we’ll get there soon. The truth is that public education in this country is in crisis and has been for a while now. I was briefly a classroom teacher several years ago (pre-panini) and it was very bad. One of the worst things about teaching (to me) is the expectation that teachers should supply their own classrooms. Look, that makes sense for artisans or mechanics to buy their own tools, to a degree. A mechanic can use the same wrench for twenty years. But most of the supplies teachers need are things that kids use up–paper, markers, glue sticks. So the cost of supplying your own classroom adds up quickly because you have to replace these things over and over. Teachers are also paid less than their similarly-educated peers. When the Huffington Post brought out this list of things teachers ask for on wishlists or pay for themselves, I nodded in recognition. I, too, had to pay for basic things like printer ink, pencils, and paper.

If you haven’t had a child in a public school or worked in one yourself, you might assume that most teachers are given “the basics” — but the teacher wish lists you may have seen online tell a very different story. Some schools and districts are well-funded, down to the electric pencil sharpeners, but a shocking number are not.

Just some of the supplies teachers have had to pay for: We asked our HuffPost Parents Facebook community about the items people are surprised to learn that teachers often have to buy for their classrooms. Here’s what they told us:

Fans: “Most of our building isn’t air conditioned, and we return on August 14th.” —Heather Mcalpin-Berkemeir, high school English teacher, Cincinnati, Ohio

Furniture and books: “Bookcases, shelves, hundreds of books for a classroom library.” —Kathie Hilliard

Technology and accessories: “A stand for a projector, extension cords, a computer for a student.” —Merry Mc @merrymclellan

Cleaning supplies: “Wipes for messes” —Louise Dewaele

A desk and chair: “Somehow not provided and we aren’t allowed to use our $75 in supply money to purchase. Also, can’t use that money for tissues, sanitizer or basic needs for students.” —Rebecca Nitterauer McCord

Carpet: “I desperately need a new one this year, and I am not allowed to use my district provided funds.” —Sarah Underwood

Storage: “Storage bins, posters, curtains, and sometimes furniture.” —Kim Mecum

Decor: “Bulletin board paper/borders, incentive charts/stickers/prizes, any decorations” —Denise Iannascola Matarante; “Anything that makes it more ‘homey’” —Britany Tuetken

Food: “Snacks for students” —Catherine Sullivan

[From the Huffington Post]

They list even more things in the article; basically any office supply you can think of, chances are, teachers are paying for it out of pocket. My story in regard to teaching and money is so absurd that it could have been a script for a movie. While school starts in August, many teachers don’t get their first paycheck for six weeks, until October. That meant that I did not have enough money for first and last month’s rent, and I had just left home, so I stayed with my friend’s parents until I got my first paycheck. Then I moved into a rented room, in a house, that I shared with other people and an undisclosed but extremely high number of cats. That was all I could afford. Despite the fact that I was working in one of the wealthiest zip codes in the country, the district provided me no supplies. None at all. Not even pencils. I was given an annual budget of $300 to be spent only on “enrichment’ materials, not basics.

Then, shortly before the first day of school, an administrator made a comment to me about how barren my classroom looked. She implied that it seemed like I didn’t care about my students because I did not have decorative poster boards and crepe paper everywhere. (A student from Russia told me he liked how plain the classroom looked because it reminded him of home. Which is perhaps the sweetest compliment I have ever received–and the most accidentally backhanded. Kids will be that way.) I had to ask my mom for money to stock my classroom with essential supplies–paper, pencils, glue, scissors, markers, a first aid kit. For over 70 students, it cost $1000. If my mom hadn’t been able to help me, I would have had to take on credit card debt to supply my classroom, because it was six weeks out until my first paycheck. Meanwhile, the administrators at my school each made $250-$400K a year. The money is going in the wrong direction in our schools: away from the students and away from the teachers.

You can help support teachers with supplies for their classrooms at DonorsChoose.

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