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School Districts Cannot Require Parents To Buy School Supplies
Michigan Capitol Confidential ^ | 7/30/2013 | Tom Gantert

Posted on 07/31/2013 2:22:05 PM PDT by MichCapCon

Every year, public school districts in Michigan request classroom supplies from parents. But few seem to know that these items are not mandatory — state law requires them to be provided by districts.

Some parents in the Standish Sterling School District received a flier from three fifth-grade teachers listing a half dozen “necessary items” their children would need and another five “optional items.”

In Michigan by law, the school district is responsible for supplying students with necessary supplies. The state Supreme Court ruled that this includes basic school supplies.

Standish-Sterling Superintendent Darren Kroczaleski said he checked into it and the list was sent out by the teachers because they receive requests from parents and organizations looking to donate supplies and want to know what is needed.

“It was more of a FYI, ‘if they are going to purchase it …’ ” Kroczaleski said.

Krocaleski said he wasn’t aware of any letter sent out with the flier explaining that it wasn’t mandatory for parents to purchase the “necessary” items on the list.

Audrey Spalding, education policy director for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said it’s not uncommon for school districts to send out ambiguous communications about purchasing school supplies.

“Parents should know they are not required to purchase their children’s school supplies,” Spalding said. “The law requires schools to provide school supplies.”

MLive reported this week that a national retail survey found that all-new school supplies can cost between $161 and $330 for students, depending on grade level.


TOPICS: Education
KEYWORDS: backtoschool; schoolsupplies; supplies
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To: fwdude
I always thought that that was kind of communist.

Kind of???

21 posted on 07/31/2013 3:08:42 PM PDT by LibertarianLiz
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To: goodwithagun

“Pens.” Pens, by definition, come equipped with ink. Otherwise, they’d be “pencils.”

“Ink Pens” is redundant, and it surprises me to hear a teacher call them that. But I am quibbling, so don’t take me seriously.


22 posted on 07/31/2013 3:08:53 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Justice for Trayvon: Dig up his body and shoot him again.)
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To: Cyber Liberty

Remember when you had to specify “ballpoint” pen to distinguish it from a fountain pen?

Yeah, I’m just barely that old.


23 posted on 07/31/2013 3:13:35 PM PDT by fwdude ( You cannot compromise with that which you must defeat.)
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To: Cyber Liberty

I use ink pens as opposed to felt tipped pens. Sharpies would be an example of this. They bleed through papers and onto desks, making paper grading impossible and classroom cleaning a pain. The packages of most of the non-felt tipped pens are labeled “ink pen”, so I’m only going by what the manufacturer brands them as.


24 posted on 07/31/2013 3:13:38 PM PDT by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: fwdude; Cyber Liberty

Not at all! I’m 34 and I almost always use a fountain pen! I love the feel, the smoothness, and the style that only a fountain pen can create.


25 posted on 07/31/2013 3:16:37 PM PDT by goodwithagun (My gun has killed fewer people than Ted Kennedy's car.)
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To: Cyber Liberty
“Ink Pens” is redundant, and it surprises me to hear a teacher call them that. But I am quibbling, so don’t take me seriously.

No he said "blue or black ink pens"... he's being precise not redundant. If someone said, "Please hand me that blue pen," do I give him the pen with blue ink or do I give him the pen made out of blue plastic?

But I'm being pedantic (and also leading with a conjunction) so don't take me seriously, either. [big grin with a wink]

26 posted on 07/31/2013 3:19:19 PM PDT by Sparticus (Tar and feathers for the next dumb@ss Republican that uses the word bipartisanship.)
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To: Sparticus

You are not being pedantic, you’re being accurate. I failed to grasp the proper meaning of the sentence, and it was properly presented.


27 posted on 07/31/2013 3:43:43 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (Justice for Trayvon: Dig up his body and shoot him again.)
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To: Tax-chick

What series is that?


28 posted on 07/31/2013 3:51:24 PM PDT by Shimmer1 (When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt.)
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To: Shimmer1

There are 8 books in the series so far. It begins in 1938 and continues into 1942. I hope the author, who is almost 80 years old, gets on with it before it's too late. I've never forgiven Louis L'Amour for dying with sequels unwritten!

29 posted on 07/31/2013 3:59:38 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Ask me about the Weiner Wager. Support Free Republic!)
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To: MichCapCon
Audrey Spalding, education policy director for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, said it’s not uncommon for school districts to send out ambiguous communications about purchasing school supplies.

Ambiguity is the mother's milk of progressives and radicals.
Niot having to comply with the law just leaves more money to pay the largely incompetent teachers.

Has everyone heard the World War Eleven story? really; being taught in a classroom. A teacher of undisclosed race calling WWII World War Eleven...

30 posted on 07/31/2013 4:03:55 PM PDT by publius911 (Look for the Union label, then buy something else.)
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To: Tax-chick

Ever read the Sam Campbell books?


31 posted on 07/31/2013 4:03:58 PM PDT by Shimmer1 (When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt.)
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To: Shimmer1

Is that the author or a subject? Nothing’s pulling up in my library catalog.


32 posted on 07/31/2013 4:06:51 PM PDT by Tax-chick (Ask me about the Weiner Wager. Support Free Republic!)
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To: MichCapCon
“Parents should know they are not required to purchase their children’s school supplies,” Spalding said. “The law requires schools to provide school supplies.”

Whoo boy...I can see taxes going up in a big way. It's for the chillun don't you know.

FMCDH(BITS)

33 posted on 07/31/2013 4:06:56 PM PDT by nothingnew (I fear for my Republic due to marxist influence in our government. Open eyes/see)
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To: cripplecreek

I ‘m an 83 grad too! Went to school in San Jose, Calif... we didn’t have that deposit rule... nor were we expected to bring our own supplies... i guess we did in high school... my parents still bought me my own paper and pencils and markers... crayons, ruler and compass for home... sharpener...


34 posted on 07/31/2013 4:08:42 PM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: MichCapCon

Tomorrow is Dallas ISD big school supply give away. People with be lined up before dawn for the gibsmedat.

I actually do teach in a suburb of Dallas. My school is about 80% “economically disadvantaged” students. Every year I give the kids a large plastic tote that is kept on shelves for them to keep their school supplies in. I tell the kids that they are responsible for their own supplies and no one is to go into their tote except them. If they wish to loan out things to other students that is fine, but I don’t collect them into a “community” pile. I give the teachers who do that a hard time. At open house I get the same two reactions to my class policy every year. The parents who bought their kid’s supplies are grateful, while the parents who didn’t supply anything at all are pretty sullen. For those kids who don’t bring any supplies at all I have a large box of old crayons that I have picked up off of the floor over the years, and for writing I let them use those little golf pencils. If anyone thinks that is harsh then please explain why I consistently get more parents request that I become their child’s teacher than the other teachers in my grade level.


35 posted on 07/31/2013 4:12:40 PM PDT by gop4lyf (Are we no longer in that awkward time? Or is it still too early?)
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To: fwdude

so did i... graduated in 83... your town was more progressive than mine back then... we got our supplies from the teacher... new crayons, pencils, pink eraser, paper in a drawer in the classroom... and a ruler and scissors that we were not allowed to keep... about halfway through the year, we got new crayons... (San Jose, Calif)


36 posted on 07/31/2013 4:14:03 PM PDT by latina4dubya (when i have money i buy books... if i have anything left, i buy 6-inch heels and a bottle of wine...)
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To: gop4lyf

I always thought the box of old crayons was cool when I was little.


37 posted on 07/31/2013 4:16:52 PM PDT by GeronL
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To: gop4lyf

Wow, did I have enough type-ohs in that or what? Never fails when I post from my phone.


38 posted on 07/31/2013 4:18:13 PM PDT by gop4lyf (Are we no longer in that awkward time? Or is it still too early?)
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To: Tax-chick

That’s the author. VERY good books. Written in the 40s and 50s. Here’s pics. Warning! Buy them off of ebay or Amazon. Bought mine off ebay.
If you can get them from the library, do so. They are treasures and collectible. (and priced as such)

http://www.lacellefamily.com/sam_campbell.html


39 posted on 07/31/2013 4:20:00 PM PDT by Shimmer1 (When life hands you lemons, ask for tequila and salt.)
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To: fwdude

In my day (50’s - 60’s) we had a minimal shopping list and we all used it ourselves.


40 posted on 07/31/2013 4:21:43 PM PDT by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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