It's inevitable. Each year, teachers dip into their own pockets to buy things like notebooks, tissues and pencils for their students.
This inevitability is even enshrined in the tax code, which gives educators a $250 deduction for their trouble. Late last week, in hammering out their big tax overhaul, Republicans decided to preserve that deduction. So we thought we would ask teachers how much of their own money they spend each year.
The answer: more than $250.
Erin Craddock, a fourth-grade teacher in Virginia, says she spends more than $300 a year on things like chapter books, bookshelves, folders, organization trays, pocket charts, construction paper and hand sanitizer.
Many teachers told us they spend as much as a $1,000 a year, including Heather Lyke.
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29 comments:
Stop buying all the crap and just teach, you don't need all the bells and whistles. And if children don't have food let admin know and contact social services if necessary.
You also have to realize parents don't have money to buy all the crap you request. You don't need a "certain" color or type of folder/notebook. What's wrong with having one notebook for all your work. Stop the vicious cycle.
6:00...you are clueless aren't you?
Tell admin?? What are they going to do?
My wife was a teacher. She saw some children with ragged shoes, no coat, no school trip money, no supplies, no lunch money.
Guess what?
She did what thousands of teachers do -- she bought them and never said a word about it.
What's next for you? Helping the Grinch? Or telling poor kids to go F themselves because you got yours and they are just a burden??
If you've never been poor or had to endure schoolyard taunts and assaults because it's very obvious you were poor, you just don't have a clue about what student and teachers go through.
Hey! Look! There's a homeless woman looking in the dumpster for food.
Why don't you run over there and kick her ass for being NOT YOU???
6:00 But y'all gots money for cigarettes, deer stands, decoys, hunting licenses, fishing licenses, $9 a dozen bloodworms, 30 packs of Natural lights and IPhones but can't send your children to schools with the tools they need to learn. Vicious cycle? Apples don't fall far from the tree!
Been poor all my life, but still worked hard. It's not the teachers responsibility to feed other people's kids. It's the parents job the only way to break the cycle if all the freebie handouts is to stop them.
I have none of what you listed.i worked hard and did without when necessary. Kids went to school for years without all the crap and are better educated than what we see today.
My wife spent $1,200 last year
Dear readers, I can tell you with all absolute certainty that as a former principal and as a teacher I spent significant amounts of money on my students to purchase basic necessities. Among those were beds, food, and clothing. I share this for no recognition whatsoever, but rather, as a Christian and a parent and a father who recognizes that without basic means our children have no means to learn. I am now well retired, and continue to do the same through our church and ministry. It Is necessary to understand that when children do not have the basic means of support there is no way they can learn. Most teachers do indeed purchase out of their own pockets significant expenses for students. While in no way is this required of any teacher, I believe that there are vocational sense makes it mandatory for them to do this and I commend them for it.
Regards,
Paladin
I agree parents need to supply their kids with the equipment for school. In the event the can't or won't there is moa money the schools are given. Some admins use it for supplies (an allotmsnt for each teacher)and such others prefer to use it for movie license etc.
Boo hoo, they get paid $50,000+++++ to work a 192-day year, get over it!
$250 a year is nothing. Other trades have supplies they have to buy for work. Think of a construction worker or mechanic. They have to pay for the trade license if they have one. They have to buy safety gear. Ever seen the price of work boots? They are well over 100 dollars a pair if you want a pair that will last. How about the pants and shirts they wear? They can't really wear them any other place but work since they are usually stained up on the job. Teacher can at least wear the clothes other places. There are just as many other jobs that are just as important as teachers. Yes without them some would say we would all be stupid. Stop and think how we would all be without mechanics, electricians, HVAC mechanics or plumbers. Hospitals couldn't function, roads wouldn't be built, schools wouldn't be built nor would they have electricity, plumbing, flooring or God forbid air conditioning.
Paladin,
Thank you for your service. I left education because of the violence and disrespect that plagues our schools. I never once asked for pitty and gladly stayed late to help students. It was never about great pay but a decent middle class wage for a college degree plus a masters wasnt too much to ask for. Honestly, the pay wasnt too bad and the benefits were really top notch when compared to what other local companies offer.
To see the ignorant comments like 600 pm just confirms my thoughts that this is a backwards area with little redeeming qualities or intellect. You get what you pay for and what you all allow to happen in these schools drives away potential business owners.
Who would move their business here if that meant their kids had to go to the madhouse/riot grounds of JMB, the thug training of parkside, or the ghetto that is WiHi?
951, another shining example of ignorance.
Yes, but these jobs can also write off clothing expenses.
Thats the rub- teachers cant write off their clothing like, say, nurses or welders because conceivably a shirt and tie can be worn elsewhere while scrubs cannot.
Before making a claim, please research. Its easy. Look at what is and isnt deductible on the IRS website.
Joe,
Thank you for this article. These usually bring out the locals who somehow think teaching is part-time (hysterical) or that teachers are lazy (even more hysterical) or that each and every teacher is an NEA union certified liberal (definitely not true). And they also bring out good, understanding people as well.
I wonder, if teaching is so glamorous and easy, why isnt there a line of people out the door of the WCBOE applying for jobs??
It is easy to vilify the profession- most people have sat in a classroom which, in their minds, qualifies them as educators. However, less than 50% of what today's public school teachers do is actually instruction, which is a source of immense frustration to them. Think paperwork, meetings, planning, getting resources, high stakes testing, etc. Add in dealing with disrespectful, thughish, and sometimes violent offenders and their "parents," and the benefits just add up to make it a career worth pursuing or continuing in unless you enjoy being frustrated each and every day.
Instead of vilifying them, apply to be a sub, come in to a rough school for a few days, then give us your illustrious opinions, 6:00 am!
951, if you think it is so easy, go to the HR page at wcboe.org and apply! Go ahead! I mean, its so easy, right? Come on now, get going...
My wife is a teacher and will gladly pay for a poor children's class trip, or for a hungry kids meal. God blessed us with the ability to always pay it forward. Now dont get me wrong there is a big difference between needy and greedy.
435 reading comprehension isnt your thing, is it? The ppint of the article is that $250 isnt even close to what most teachers spend! Please go to Wor Wic catalog, look up ENG101, sign up. Then come back and post. Thank you!
Teaching is a noble profession that has become tainted by the leftist agenda...children are being brainwashed into becoming little liberals--patriotism? pride of country? respect? FORGET it...The "I deserve everything free mentality" is rampant, as well as the "I can do whatever I want" is out of control. Why should these kids grow up to raise responsible children who WANT to get a good job to provide for their families---"I'll get food stamps, housing etc...why should I work" (this is not a jab at any racial or ethnic group--this is a pervasive attitude). The TEACHERS are being taught this way of thinking....break the cycle and get back to teaching to restore our country before it is too late.
4:35...feel sorry for yourself much??
The difference between you and a teacher is, for one thing, the fact that they spend their money on OTHER people. Children.
And they do it voluntarily, not because their job requires it.
You and 6:00 pm don't seem to know or care that there are plenty of kids who have working parents who are barely making it. They aren't losers or slackers, they are just POOR.
What did you do the last time you saw a kid walking the street in December with a short sleeve shirt?? Laugh and yell at him to "get a job!!"?
Kids are NOT responsible for their parent's choices. It seems that some of you don't stop to think of anyone but your selfish, self-centered self.
Comparing your purchase of work pants for yourself and a teacher buying a coat for a kid tells me everything I need to know about you. The only thing you didn't do was lecture us on how bad you had it and how tough life was and how you overcame all obstacles even though you didn't have any food for 5 years and drank water from a stream while it snowed all day. What a bad-ass you are.
You look but don't see. Listen, but don't hear.
You're making our point, parents can not afford the crap the teachers want. A certain"color" folder, a certain type of notebook, one wants folders with pickets one teacher does not. Using one notebook to save your work in is enough. And seriously who cares what color a folder is. And I'd a child doesn't have money for lunch, the parent should be sending them to school with a bagged lunch, it's not the teachers responsibility to buy them lunch. Kids are not responsible for parents choices, but neither are the teachers. If a child needs help bring in the proper agency to assist the family.
lmclain get off your high horse. You and you assumptions. You think you know the person that left a comment and want to attack them. Grow up. We have spent more hours volunteering and helping the community than hours you have probably worked. There is nothing saying the teacher HAS to buy those things. It is not part of their job requirement. You think others don't help people's children? You're sadly mistaken. There are agencies/groups that give out coats, food, school supplies and just about anything else kids should need. If it is such an imposition for the teacher either don't do it or don't be a teacher. It's like a mechanic saying they don't want to touch grease.
7:32
Sure you can try to deduct them if you itemize however many people don't itemize because the standardized deduction is more. Even if you do itemize you only get a small percent as a tax credit. If you think you get back that 200 dollars you spent on clothing you are sadly mistaken.
7:49
They aren't required to spend a dime! I think my reading comprehension is just fine. Maybe it's you not me that doesn't seem to understand. Try life 101.
950, momma was wrong again! Try to read first, think, then answer.
You LIBERAL TEACHERS FAILED the public school system always complaining and pointing fingeres. Your the PROBLEM look in the MIRROR. BTW you failed me also.
Out of all of these comments, I didn't see one pointing out the obvious. This would be a moot point if we didn't have these so-called leaders blowing through and wasting money like it belongs to them. We are a wealthy nation and could have a school system where this wouldn't even be up for discussion. The answer: quit putting the wrong people in the wrong positions. Short of that, the only fix is societal collapse and that is very obvious of our direction.
The highest percentage of social security disability claims from teachers is MENTAL Illness. TEACHERS UNION is a joke.
9:43.....
I like the view up here. You scold me for "assuming" things, then you assume you volunteer more than I work. Bet you don't.
Secondly, don't put words in my mouth and then argue them. I NEVER said teachers think it's an imposition.
I SAID they do it and don't say anything about it. They are not looking for your reward or approval and they don't do it for those reasons.
And no kid is ever kicked out of class because he didn't have the required red notebook.
Your reading comprehension needs improvement.
keep cheering.
This goes to show you that public schools are not free. The state should be sued because public schools are supposed to be free and with us parents having to buy stuff for other kids when we are struggling ourselves it isnt right. Wicomico county can build 2 brand new schools and cannot afford paper, pencils and stupid hand santizer for the children. The officials are a joke.
The school administrators are the ones who rake in the big bucks here. I wonder if they fork out money for classrooms. Teachers, make your wishes known to local organizations who sponsor classrooms. The DAR is one such group.
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