school funding is a sore point around this house.
at the beginning of the year, we get a list of about 40 bucks worth of stuff (markers, pencils, glues, kleenex, ziploc bags, etc) that is required for the classroom. Twenty kids times 40 is around 800, times all the classrooms. Thats a lot of free supplies coming out of the parent's pockets. That doesnt even include the supplies they request 4 or 5 times a year for special projects.They also send out catalogs of premade food, holiday supplies etc. as fundraisers. Then there is the 2 different picture days, both with expensive a$$ packages you are guilted into buying, also fundraising for the school. Don't forget the Scholastic bookfair where not only are some of the profits donated to the school, the teachers make wishlists for parents to buy and donate books to the classroom. Then there is the local stores that donate to the school of your choice when you use their little savings card. All of this is on top of the money that comes out of our pockets in the form of taxes.
I feel like we are supporting our school out of pocket even after we as a community are tapped on taxes. I don't believe there is a gap in school funding, I believe the teacher's unions are doing what they can to badmouth the school system. I've been on every side of funding vs. supplies and I am the most irritated on this one.

my point is that I would rather trade a couple of these crappy projects the kids do in return for the military being able to bomb the crap out of some terrorist nation before they can make my grandchildren dead.