Well, here we are...a new school year is right around the corner.

How do you do your back-to-school shopping?

Do you shop all summer?

Do you wait till the last minute?

What is your average expediture per child?

I really don't do back to school shopping. I pick up things here and there. I try to hit the sale racks at the end of each season and buy things a bit big, so they will fit the following season. Kids clothes are so expensive for the amount of wear you get out of them. I'm also a big fan of Act II, now on PA Ave. I buy and consign a lot there.

Although I have no children, I think it would be so much easier if the school distrcit would just buy the supplies, and then bill it to the parents who can afford.

Why bill it back to the parents? The schools save millions on not buying workbooks for each student now a days, by just getting one original book and xeroxing off what they need (I have issues with copyrights here). The schools have more than enough cash to supply students with paper/pens/pencils/ etc..... If you dont think so, ask where all the coke/pepsi machine money goes?

Excuse me, but where do people get off saying the school should get the supplies and then charge the people who can afford it???Obviously you do not not know that those persons who 'cannot afford' it get it free--usually courtesy of the teacher(out of his/her own pocket) or from civic organizations--the boy scouts, girl scouts and some businesses make sure that they are available....
Those of us who can afford it seem to be always targeted to pay for not just our own families, but those of others...is this not theft?

How about this? I'm thinking the schools should supply all of the supplies, workbooks, etc. for all of the students.

I pay enough in taxes - I don't need to be hit come back-to-school time with the costs of supplies, special workbooks, little fees for this and for that, etc. Our family budget is strained badly enough as it is!

And then we've got to do all of the fundraisers! How about if we give the schools the money they really need, and then force them to use it WISELY?

Maybe I should clear up my point, by people who can't afford it the school system should pay for their supplies, but if you can afford it you should have to pay.

We have that--its called welfare. And I agree w/BMIC--get rid of the fundraisers!

What gets me is that they ask for 2 of a lot of things just for that reason. So if someone in class doesn't have supplies or can't afford them they use stuff that
the other kids have brought in