Mom Complains About Spending $100 For Her First Grader’s School Supplies — ‘I Didn’t Even Get To Buy Anything Fun’
She insisted that many of the school supplies her child needed didn't seem that important.
George Rudy | Shutterstock As summer comes to an end, many parents are gearing up to send their kids back to school, and with that comes back-to-school shopping. To make sure students have everything they need to start the year off on the right foot, teachers will often send out a suggested list of supplies.
A mom named Harlee was taken aback by how much money she had to shell out for her child's supplies considering she's only in elementary school.
She complained about spending $100 for her first-grader's school supplies.
"I just spent about $100 on my first grader's school supplies, and they wouldn't even let me buy anything fun," Harlee remarked in her video. In response, a former teacher named Daniella stitched Harlee's original video on TikTok and broke down all of the items that she had to buy, while also explaining why parents are asked to purchase these supplies in the first place.
Starting with disinfectant wipes, Daniella pointed out that this is such an important part of a student's supply list to prevent the spread of sickness in the classroom. It also helps teachers who have to spend at least an hour after school wiping down all of the desks and shared items that are passed around from student to student.
Next were sharpened pencils, which Daniella insisted were beneficial in saving time for both teachers and students.
Harlee continued, complaining about having to buy packs of crayons, which Daniella interjected was simply a convenience because crayons break all the time in a first-grade classroom. She continued with her lament over buying different colored folders for specific classes, colored card stock, and even hand soap.
Evgeny Atamanenko | Shutterstock
Harlee explained that she wasn't able to buy her first grader "fun" or "colorful" school supplies because of the specific list of things that the teacher wanted, like a certain-sized binder, glue sticks, Kleenex tissues, headphones, scissors, and dry-erase markers.
For the most part, teachers usually ask for specific supplies, including name-brand items, based on past experiences. They want the classroom to run as smoothly as possible, and considering how much time and effort teachers put into crafting lesson plans and decorating their classrooms for their students, it's the least parents can do.
"Being a teacher is not an easy job. It is so draining, time-consuming, and selfless. Just be grateful to your teachers and your school system for being there for your child every single day," Daniella said. "Instead of making a video complaining, maybe make a video thanking your teacher for dealing with your kid all year long."
Teachers often have to reach into their own pockets for classroom supplies without financial support from the school district.
According to a survey of more than 1,100 educators by the Association of American Educators (AAE), most public school teachers will spend a significant amount of out-of-pocket money on classroom supplies, an average of $673 per year.
When educators were asked on social media what they had spent their own money on, they all listed common supplies like paper and notebooks, binders and clipboards, crayons and pencils, dry-erase markers, glue sticks, and organizing bins.
Some said they have to purchase their own soap and hand sanitizer to supplement what is provided by the district. One analysis even estimated that for an academic year, educators will spend more than $820 out-of-pocket on school supplies.
"I use my own money to keep it filled up during the year," Jamesha Gilliam, a public high school English teacher in Marion County, Florida, told CNN. Thanks to inflation, most school supply prices have gone up considerably as well. "I would get a 50-pack box for $10, and this year it’s closer to $25."
During the 2022-2023 school year, Gilliam spent about $1,000 stocking up on school supplies. "It’s a lot of money to replenish for the year. It’s not only supplies. I buy books, too," she said. "I bought 'The Great Gatsby' for my entire class because I wanted them to be able to mark it up with their own notes. It was expensive, but I want to try to go above and beyond."
For the most part, parents have to buy school supplies at the beginning of the year and then maybe replenish them every now and again, but teachers are saddled with the bulk of the costs.
Back-to-school expenses are just part and parcel when it comes to the costs associated with raising kids.
Nia Tipton is a Chicago-based entertainment, news, and lifestyle writer whose work delves into modern-day issues and experiences.