I always wondered why I was paying $6,000 a year in taxes (and that was 10 years ago, much more now!)
School supplies aren't cheap! And don't get me started on taxes!!! I home school my kids, so the tax thing really rankles me. For my not insignificant investment I would expect the local high school kids, who are cashiers at various spots around town, to at least be able to make change!! Often times I have to tell them how much to give me back!
I have purchased crayons, pens, etc., but never have run across "ect, ect, ect". Is that ectoplasm? lol
The underlying deal here is that the schools want you
to buy THEIR packaged class room supplies. The products
include EVERYTHING but a backpack and lunchbox the kid will use through the entire year, including 2 large boxes of
tissues, a box of baggies, paper towels, etc. And each teacher gets to add in any specific article she wants for her kiddoes. The pack comes to about $75, and contains
mostly BRAND names like:
CRAYOLA (RoseArt not allowed!)
24 (pre-sharpened) TICONDEROGA pencils (no others)
CRAYOLA classic markers
CRAYOLA 12 Pack colored pencils
TEXAS INSTRUMENT calculator (specific science model)
8 colored pocket folders...specific COLORS (no designs)
2 REAMS of wide-lined paper
and the list goes on. Don't take the school's "package"?
Then go to the store and duplicate the list to the tune of at least $100. Walmart's pricing helps quite a bit! WHY?
Because like the schools, they buy in huge quantities!
But don't think for a minute, the schools aren't making a
profit on this deal with Crayola, TI, and Ticonderoga!
They are into it for the same plushy deals they get for
buying a classroom set of APPLE computers plus at least
TWO computers for each classroom in the building plus
APPLES throughout the offices!
Oh, BTW, you're not allowed to put your child's NAME on
any of the supplies, since it all goes back into the
supply room. The teacher requests supplies as she needs
them. SO, you see what's going on here. She gets
FREE pencils, paper, folders, etc. for any kid in the
school whose parents show hard luck stories and don't
pay for their kids' stuff. It's the same old school
lunch program on a more sophisticated scale. I'm told
those supply rooms still have lot of stuff in them at
the end of the year.
And don't forget all of the "fundraisers". Kids are knocking on my door every week trying to sell something! SHEESH!