Crusty, Hard Nipples

When I was in elementary and even middle school things were not as hectic for parents as they are now; nor was it as expensive.  Our parents didn't have to spend a fortune nor devote two hours at Wal-Mart or Target, checking off a supply list. We had a lunch box, a backpack, a folder with pockets and some pencils, which we sharpened once we got to school.  Everything else was provided.

Now, the kids are required to have dry erase markers, colored pencils, Crayola brand washable markers, Sharpies, mechanical pencils with the replacement lead packets OR pre-sharpened #2 lead pencils (because Lord forbid we should sharpen them at school), a flash drive, personal pencil sharpener, a pencil bag or box, ruler, pens in blue, black and red, an eraser, thin-tipped multicolored highlighters, four hard-cover binders and four packages of 5-tab binder dividers, a three inch hard-cover binder, 1000 sheets of college-ruled paper, two reams of white copy paper, three boxes of Kleenex, three tubes of Chlorox wipes, a roll of paper towels, a locker mate organizer and their own Master lock.

Really?!

I have two children:  one in elementary and one in middle school.  Between the two, we spent over $400.00 just to get them ready for school.  Keep in mind, that does not include school clothing, tuition or lunches.

Unbelievable!

THEN, as an asterik on the bottom of the school supply list is a note that reads:  "Content area and/or electives teachers may require additional class-specific supplies."

What?!?

What else could you possibly need in order to teach my child? 

I don't mean to get off on a rant here, but all of these budget cuts on our school systems are milking parents dry.  Something's gotta give...and it doesn't need to be the parents! There comes a time when the milk dries up and eventually the schools are going to come looking for the suckling parental monetary tit and find nothing but hard, crusty nipples. ~