GRRRRRRRRR... my ps rant......

[BMW]

This last year I bought multiple spiral bound notebooks... many were not used, except for a page or two. We're talking excellent shape. Completely usable. So, this year I didn't buy any new ones and figured we'd use up last year's supply.

 

And my son tells me he has to have 3 new spiral bound notebooks. I said, "No problem, we have a stack of them on the shelf at home." And he replied, "But the teacher said they have to be brand new." I said that I would discuss it with the teacher.

 

So, I emailed the teacher. I mentioned that we have a large family and that we have several perfectly good notebooks... only a few pages missing at the most and that they are in great condition.

 

I got an email back from her stating that, no, they were not acceptable. She did tell the class that they had to be brand new. She also told me where to go and buy them for about $.25 each. The point, to me, isn't the money... it's the waste! I have great notebooks here that should be used! Most teachers will not accept work if it's on paper that is torn out of the spiral notebook... I want to use what we have for the principle of it.

 

Good grief! I am thinking about asking the principal, "Really? I know $.25 isn't much, but, your teacher can really tell me we cannot use what we have?"

 

And I'll probably go to Target and get 3 new ones tonight regardless....

 

okay... rant over.... but, what a waste!!!

[Laura Corin]

This last year I bought multiple spiral bound notebooks... many were not used, except for a page or two. We're talking excellent shape. Completely usable. So, this year I didn't buy any new ones and figured we'd use up last year's supply.

 

And my son tells me he has to have 3 new spiral bound notebooks. I said, "No problem, we have a stack of them on the shelf at home." And he replied, "But the teacher said they have to be brand new." I said that I would discuss it with the teacher.

 

So, I emailed the teacher. I mentioned that we have a large family and that we have several perfectly good notebooks... only a few pages missing at the most and that they are in great condition.

 

I got an email back from her stating that, no, they were not acceptable. She did tell the class that they had to be brand new. She also told me where to go and buy them for about $.25 each. The point, to me, isn't the money... it's the waste! I have great notebooks here that should be used! Most teachers will not accept work if it's on paper that is torn out of the spiral notebook... I want to use what we have for the principle of it.

 

Good grief! I am thinking about asking the principal, "Really? I know $.25 isn't much, but, your teacher can really tell me we cannot use what we have?"

 

And I'll probably go to Target and get 3 new ones tonight regardless....

 

okay... rant over.... but, what a waste!!!

 

Don't the pages rip out completely?

 

Laura

[Paige]

How would she even know they weren't brand new if you tore the used pages out? Is she counting pages? That seems so silly!

[Hockey Mom]

How would the teacher know if they weren't brand new? Is she going to count each page?

 

I wouldn't send in new ones if you already have perfectly acceptable notebooks. That's so wasteful.

 

ETA: Or what Paige said. LOL

[anissa]

I would send him with the ones you have...what are they going to do, kick your son out of school? Waste is horrible. Don't schools preach about recycling/reusing all the time....

[Crissy]

I wouldn't buy any more. I would send him with what you already have. Remove the used pages and they'll be fine. If he doesn't point out the difference no one will know.

If she counts the pages and finds that you didn't buy 'brand new', what will she do? Refuse his work?

Probably not, but if she does you would then take the issue to the principal.

Her request is ridiculous.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Spiral notebooks? If it's just a few pages, I'd just tear those out - make sure you pull the little 'bits' that get stuck in the rings ;) - and send them as "new".

[Remudamom]

Don't you dare go out and buy more. How idiotic of her.

[nrg]

Tear out the offending pages, nice and neat. Send the notebooks you have. Don't tell. Ridiculous policy.

[Moxie]

I never had my teachers check my supplies. I'd use what you have.

[kalanamak]

This kind of idiocy brings out the worst in me. I'd send him with the dang notebooks, and if she has to have me in to talk to her, I might fake a seizure JUST SO I COULD EMPTY my bladder all over her floor. I could even bite my tongue and froth a little blood.

 

Sick-with-power is too generous a phrase for her.

[Mynyel]

Ooooo I my daughter had a teacher like that (it happened to be the teacher that made me so *not nice word* angry that I started homeschooling..hmm maybe I should thank her!) and there is no way I would back down. I would inform her that under no circumstances are you buying new ones when you have some. I would tell her...in there words.... suck it up. :)

 

Ooooo my dander is seriously up over that!

[ktgrok]

I was going through my son's stuff from last year and found the same thing! He had one notebook that only had 3 pages used, and another that only had 1 page used. My big question is, why did they ask for these in the first place? The only one that got some use was half used. And he still had about 500 sheets of notebook paper. I go broke every year buying all this crap, and then they don't even use it!!!! There were still 20 pencils too. UGH.

 

I'm SOOO glad we are homeschooling finally, and can just buy what we need or want. My son wanted a really cool binder that reminded me of a Trapper Keeper and I was able to say yes, we can spend the 10 dollars, because I didn't waste all that money on notebooks that won't get any use.

 

ok...my rant is over now. Sorry to hijack yours.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I agree with the others. Unless she has absolutely nothing to do and sits around counting pages, she will never know. Hand your son a bag with his 3 "new" notebooks in it and he hopefully won't know either (since it sounds like it would be stressful to him).

[AlaskaGrownFamily]

There is no way on earth I'd buy new notebooks.

[LuvToRead]

I agree with the others. I wouldn't have even called the teacher. After all, I would still consider them brand new if only 3 or 4 pages were used.

[Jen+4dc]

I wouldn't buy any more. I would send him with what you already have. Remove the used pages and they'll be fine. If he doesn't point out the difference no one will know.

If she counts the pages and finds that you didn't buy 'brand new', what will she do? Refuse his work?

Probably not, but if she does you would then take the issue to the principal.

Her request is ridiculous.

:iagree::iagree:

 

I'm SOOO glad we are homeschooling finally, and can just buy what we need or want. My son wanted a really cool binder that reminded me of a Trapper Keeper and I was able to say yes, we can spend the 10 dollars, because I didn't waste all that money on notebooks that won't get any use.

 

ok...my rant is over now. Sorry to hijack yours.

:lol::lol::lol:

[leighp]

I agree with the others. Pull out the pages. If they are from other children then they will be "new" to your son. ;)

[AnneGabe]

Just going to ditto everyone else, I'd send the ones you have!

[dm379]

I'd send the ones you have and find a way to make sure the teacher knows it.

[Maverick_Mom]

Few things get me as riled as this kind of nonsense. I'd be tempted to go to a school board meeting and say, "First you raise my taxes every year, and now, when I'm trying to pinch pennies to pay the tax bill, your teachers insist on brand-spanking-new notebooks when I have barely-used ones that will get the job done?!"

 

Except I'd worry that it would get back to the teacher, who would then take it out on my child.

 

It's just inexcusable. I remember one year when dd was in ps, one of the items on her English teacher's list was a 3-inch binder. Sheesh, not only did we have to schlep to Staples or Office Depot (couldn't find them at Walmart), but the thing wouldn't fit in her backpack with her books and other binders. Finally I told her to just take a 2-inch binder instead, which *did* fit in her backpack, and the teacher didn't know the difference.

[Crissy]

Few things get me as riled as this kind of nonsense. I'd be tempted to go to a school board meeting and say, "First you raise my taxes every year, and now, when I'm trying to pinch pennies to pay the tax bill, your teachers insist on brand-spanking-new notebooks when I have barely-used ones that will get the job done?!"

 

 

 

I'd also be sure to mention the district's stated education goals and ask how a 'used' notebook could possibly detract from them.

 

My son goes to the local public high school. If he encountered a teacher whose priority seemed to be pretty school supplies over the content of his education, I'd have words with a number of people.

[5LittleMonkeys]

I was going through my son's stuff from last year and found the same thing! He had one notebook that only had 3 pages used, and another that only had 1 page used. My big question is, why did they ask for these in the first place? The only one that got some use was half used. And he still had about 500 sheets of notebook paper. I go broke every year buying all this crap, and then they don't even use it!!!! There were still 20 pencils too. UGH.

 

 

 

I was told by all three of my girls teachers that they put more on the lists than one child actually needed for the year so that children whose parents don't send anything will have supplies too. I kept all of our supplies at home and doled them out as my dc needed them. I received e-mails asking to send the supplies in so they could be put into the room supply cabinet. Uh...no.

 

Another vote from me to just send the notebooks you have.

[Maverick_Mom]

When dd was going into kindergarten, we were asked to provide a clean white tee-shirt as an art smock. My older daughter, who is very artistic, used fabric paint to personalize her little sister's shirt; it was very sweet and very creative. Little did we know that we were not sending in a tee-shirt for *our* child -- the tee-shirts were pooled and sent down to the art room to be used by *everyone.* Dd's custom-made art smock vanished after we sent it in and did not reappear until the end of that year. I guess I should've known better. :rolleyes:

[MelanieM]

Ok, I'll be the minority on this one... If your son is uncomfortable about the notebooks not being new, then I'd get him new notebooks. If he doesn't care, then I'd let him know it's a silly rule and to just take the ones you have. (It sounds like he cares, though.) Unless you think the teacher would actually check for some strange reason, in which case I'd go with the new ones now that you've specifically asked her what you should do.

 

I most certainly would not choose this as my battle ground with the teacher. This is the person who will be working closely with your son, hopefully providing him with an education this year. No use getting off to a bad start with her over something like notebooks. Not when the cost of a win might impact how your son is treated for the next nine months.

[Corraleno]

:iagree:

 

Yes the teacher is being an idiot, yes it would be wasteful to buy new notebooks, but if you send the old notebooks, how will your son feel about it? Will he feel nervous and worry about upsetting the teacher by doing "the wrong thing"? If you make a stink about it on principle, and fight it all the way to the administration, will your son be mortified by all the drama? If his teacher decides in the first week of school that you're one of "those" parents, will she make your son miserable for the rest of the year?

 

If this was an incident where your child had been treated unfairly, I would fight like heck to make it right. But I wouldn't raise a huge stink, and risk embarrassing or upsetting my son (or even ruining his entire year) over 75 cents worth of notebooks. I'd just buy new ones, and if you can't use up the old ones at home, just send them with him next year, without even mentioning that they're not new.

 

Jackie

[Anne in CA]

From personal experience I am sure that this teacher will never have them use more than 10 pages. She is on a strange, sad, little power trip. That said, if you want to make your son as secure as possible you are right to buy the notebooks. She will probably make him "pay" for your common sense. This is one reason I homeschool. I don't want to condition my kids to idiocy.

[KidsHappen]

I post a yearly rant about the whole supplies issue each year. They never use evevything they ask for, all items have to have different specifics tha the ones the year before, you kids don't get to use the items they picked. We were supposed to send in a box of 24 Ticondaroga wooden #2 pencils. Great that's what I want her to use. The first day she comes home from school and says she needs a pencil so I told her to go get one of her new ones. Oh no, the teacher collected all of those and will give you one pencil to use in class when you need one. Same with colored pencils, markets, index cards, etc. This year they need red, green and purple 1' binders, next year blue, orange and black 2 '' binders. Specific colored folded, dividers, subject notebooks, comp books, etc. I thought for sure that finally this year with two in middle I would empty my cabinet of all these extra. Well, no not so much. I did tell my girls to get and keep their pencils and then take in these bags of 100 miscellaneous pencil to their teachers. Then if I student needs one he can get one of those. I did the same with pens, colored pencils, markers and we fianlly managed to use all folders, dividers, notebooks, and loose leaf paper but I still have 20 binders in various colors, shapes, sizes, forms and for different purposes. At this point, I have no idea if I should hold on until they are done with school as surely they will eventually need something I have or if I should emtpy the clutter and give them to a good cause and buy new ones we we need them. But then I think of the waste and what if we can't afford it when they need it and I swear it is enought to drive aperson crazy.

[amys]

I agree. I think the whole thing is STUPID, and I can't tell you how many very-partially used notebooks we've had come home at the end of the year, but no way would I make my child feel uncomfortable at the cost of a new notebook. I would definitely have a talk with him about the ridiculousness and waste of it all, but if he felt strongly that he had to have a new notebook, I would go ahead and get him one. The partially used ones tend to get repurposed as "ridiculous stories and drawings" notebooks, anyway!

 

SO glad to not have to deal with the "school supplies" issue this year, for the first time in what, 9 years!

 

Ok, I'll be the minority on this one... If your son is uncomfortable about the notebooks not being new, then I'd get him new notebooks. If he doesn't care, then I'd let him know it's a silly rule and to just take the ones you have. (It sounds like he cares, though.) Unless you think the teacher would actually check for some strange reason, in which case I'd go with the new ones now that you've specifically asked her what you should do.

 

I most certainly would not choose this as my battle ground with the teacher. This is the person who will be working closely with your son, hopefully providing him with an education this year. No use getting off to a bad start with her over something like notebooks. Not when the cost of a win might impact how your son is treated for the next nine months.

[Guest]

How silly! I would probably send in the ones I had, if they looked new. I also might worry if she would treat my child unfairly if she realized they were the ones she told me not to send. That's a tough one.

[delaney]

EVERY year! Last day of school and here some 3-4 notebooks PER KID home with like 10 pages used! Why not use a binder with dividers?:confused:

[asta]

They're not for your kid, they are for the class, as someone else said.

 

The ONE year my kid was in public school, he never once had a decent pencil. Not ONCE. I sent a pencil every day. Every day he was given a 2-3 inch piece of crap to use. His new pencil was put into the "stash".

 

Grrr.

 

 

a

[Teachin'Mine]

Spiral notebooks? If it's just a few pages, I'd just tear those out - make sure you pull the little 'bits' that get stuck in the rings ;) - and send them as "new".

 

:iagree: They will be new to your son. :)

[tennismomkelly]

EVERY year! Last day of school and here some 3-4 notebooks PER KID home with like 10 pages used! Why not use a binder with dividers?:confused:

:iagree: This was our experience, as well, in PS. Of course I saved them so now I have a nice stack of notebooks to use as scratch paper because we use a binder instead of spiral notebooks.

[katemary63]

I would send him with the ones you have...what are they going to do, kick your son out of school? Waste is horrible. Don't schools preach about recycling/reusing all the time....

 

:iagree: Yeah, I would never have asked permission. Just send the old ones. She's not going to use a magnifying glass on them.

[FO4UR]

At risk of being tarred & feathered on this *heated* thread...:tongue_smilie:

 

I see the teacher's pov. Your definition of "slightly" used is missing 3 pages, which is completely usable. Your neighbor's definition of "slightly" used may include coffee spills and 3 pages left. The teacher has to make a hard & fast rule or deal with the other kind of crazy....(the first kind of crazy being refusing perfectly good supplies and ticking off decent people).

 

So...*I* would send the notebooks missing 3 pages but I wouldn't let ds know. If ds would know, I would just buy new.

[Chris in VA]

:lol::lol:

This kind of idiocy brings out the worst in me. I'd send him with the dang notebooks, and if she has to have me in to talk to her, I might fake a seizure JUST SO I COULD EMPTY my bladder all over her floor. I could even bite my tongue and froth a little blood.

 

Sick-with-power is too generous a phrase for her.

 

I think it's stupid.

If she catches you, just tell her you haven't taught your kid to count to 150 yet, so you thought he wouldn't notice--y'know, homeschool math and all....

[Chris in VA]

They're not for your kid, they are for the class, as someone else said.

 

The ONE year my kid was in public school, he never once had a decent pencil. Not ONCE. I sent a pencil every day. Every day he was given a 2-3 inch piece of crap to use. His new pencil was put into the "stash".

 

Grrr.

 

 

a

 

OIC--that happens here, too, in some of the classes. Dd had to bring in a LOT of pencils.

 

OP, just put his name on the notebooks. That may inconvenience the teacher, but honestly, I wouldn't care. That way, the 2 missing pages wouldn't hurt anyone else.

[Lizzie in Ma]

Don't you dare go out and buy more. How idiotic of her.

 

:iagree::iagree: and to be succinct, screw that

[PiCO]

I feel your pain!

 

My dd had her first day of middle school yesterday. She had all her supplies. Turns out only one of the Language Arts teachers wrote the list, the teacher she has doesn't need most of the stuff on the list.

 

But fortunately, there are very few "community" supplies in our middle school. She is responsible for her own stuff.

[BMW]

Update: The teacher repeated told the children in the class that their notebooks had to be brand new. I told the teacher it wasn't a matter of $.25 per notebook, but that the ones we had WERE new with just 2-3 pages used and looked excellent... I told my son I would not buy more, that he needed to use what we had... they are not tattered or anything. So, I know my son wont be embarrassed. Then the teacher emailed me that another parent donated about 25 new notebooks to the classroom and I didn't need to purchase any... Oh, gee, thanks....

[Jean in Newcastle]

Update: The teacher repeated told the children in the class that their notebooks had to be brand new. I told the teacher it wasn't a matter of $.25 per notebook, but that the ones we had WERE new with just 2-3 pages used and looked excellent... I told my son I would not buy more, that he needed to use what we had... they are not tattered or anything. So, I know my son wont be embarrassed. Then the teacher emailed me that another parent donated about 25 new notebooks to the classroom and I didn't need to purchase any... Oh, gee, thanks....

 

What do you bet that she donated her like new stash of notebooks that are missing only 2 or 3 pages?:D

[LG Gone Wild]

Update: The teacher repeated told the children in the class that their notebooks had to be brand new. I told the teacher it wasn't a matter of $.25 per notebook, but that the ones we had WERE new with just 2-3 pages used and looked excellent... I told my son I would not buy more, that he needed to use what we had... they are not tattered or anything. So, I know my son wont be embarrassed. Then the teacher emailed me that another parent donated about 25 new notebooks to the classroom and I didn't need to purchase any... Oh, gee, thanks....

 

What a d*@chebag. She knew what you meant.

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

:lol::lol:

 

I think it's stupid.

If she catches you, just tell her you haven't taught your kid to count to 150 yet, so you thought he wouldn't notice--y'know, homeschool math and all....

 

LOL!

 

I am so concerned about the running theme in this thread. "Don't offend the teacher because she might make your son's life a living hell all year over it."

 

If we really think teachers are that immature, then why in the world are we sending children to them to be educated? If we expect them to be petty and vindictive to the point of holding a grudge for a school year, then why are we placing children in their care?

 

I've never sent kids to ps. Is there no hierarchy in place to deal with a teacher who acts like that? Is it really so normal that everyone must walk on eggshells around school teachers?

[Dobela]

You know, I was once a public school teacher. Some grades and schools I worked in had community supplies and others didn't. Either way we (the other teachers that I worked with and myself) were usually just THRILLED that the child actually came to school with paper. We as teachers didn't care if it was left over from last year or not. Just having paper was a blessing, and a double blessing if it was the kind we preferred. I can't tell you how many never came with paper to begin with.

 

What a ridiculous arrogant teacher to demand that. I don't care of it was just a quarter, some families are struggling to put food on the table and that quarter helps.

 

I don't care if another parent provided notebooks. I would still send him with the ones we already owned at home. Surely another child in real need can use those donated ones.

Edited August 19, 2010 by Dobela
spelling

[ereks mom]

I would send him with the ones you have...what are they going to do, kick your son out of school? Waste is horrible. Don't schools preach about recycling/reusing all the time....

 

How's she going to know anyway? Only if she counts the pages... And how's she going to have time to do that for each kid in her class of, what--20-25 kids??? If you've torn the pages out neatly and the covers aren't worn, they'll be virtually indistinguishable from brand new.

[meet me in paris]

LOL!

 

I am so concerned about the running theme in this thread. "Don't offend the teacher because she might make your son's life a living hell all year over it."

 

If we really think teachers are that immature, then why in the world are we sending children to them to be educated? If we expect them to be petty and vindictive to the point of holding a grudge for a school year, then why are we placing children in their care?

 

I've never sent kids to ps. Is there no hierarchy in place to deal with a teacher who acts like that? Is it really so normal that everyone must walk on eggshells around school teachers?

 

Nothing personal, but clearly you haven't had a kid in ps. Not all teachers act that way (thankfully!) but I've dealt with some real winners. It happens.

[angela in ohio]

I've never sent kids to ps. Is there no hierarchy in place to deal with a teacher who acts like that? Is it really so normal that everyone must walk on eggshells around school teachers?

 

Yes, but the Union trumps the hierarchy. Good luck firing a teacher who physically abuses a child, let alone who's just mean.

[mum]

Sometimes a teacher knows that for that subject they will use every page in a new notebook. I have experienced this. It's terrible to get to the end of the year and be 5 pages short after all the work that's gone into the notebook. The notebooks you have will doubtless be used by others and not be wasted. We recycle lots, my husband is a teacher and brings home things other teachers throw out. He and I try to use them. We don't always make the kids, because they do with a lot of hand-me-downs, not the latest brands, etc, which is fine and they don't mind. But I want them to experience a bit of abundance and if a new notebook for .25 does it, then that's great. Sometimes they don't mind the used stuff.

[angela in ohio]

You know, I was once a public school teacher. Some grades and schools I worked in had community supplies and others didn't. Either way we (the other teachers that I worked with and myself) were usually just THRILLED that the child actually came to school with paper. We as teachers didn't care if it was left over from last year or not. Just having paper was a blessing, and a double blessing if it was the kind we preferred. I can't tell you how many never came with paper to begin with.

 

What a ridiculous arrogant teacher to demand that. I don't care of it was just a quarter, some families are struggling to put food on the table and that quarter helps.

 

I don't care if another parent provided notebooks. I would still send him with the ones we already owned at home. Surely another child in real need can use those donated ones.

 

I agree. When dh taught, most students came with no supplies, and the school couldn't afford them. Anything sent in by a parent would have been happily accepted, as it would have been a few less dollars we had to spend out of our family's budget for the class supplies. I think this teacher needs to teach in an urban school district for a little while to readjust her expectations.