Dillards 85: Ungodly Swim Suits It's a Cruel Summer

[patsymae]

4 hours ago, Meggo said:

A friend of mine has a daughter who is a first year teacher this year and just got a classroom assigned to her. So she posted something to FB (and her mom shared it out) about how she's a new teacher, just graduated and has no money to get her classroom ready for school and would everyone pitch in? 

Does not compute. I'm sure she's getting decoration type things - not out buying desks. But... doesn't her school pitch in for that? My son's (grade 2) school supply list wasn't crazy. Pencils, markers, colored pencils (guess who will be using last years), glue sticks, folders, paper, etc. Standard stuff. And I usually over buy when the teacher asks for dry erase markers (or Kleenex, or zip loc bags)  because I know teachers need extras and I know not every kid can afford school supplies. But...having to raise money for her classroom? That's not fair to any teacher - let alone a BRAND NEW ONE who is also likely paying off student loans and eating ramen.

 

More and more the norm in the US. Teachers pay for most supplies for their classrooms, and often for their individual students as well. And the Trump tax laws changed how they can (not) deduct those expenses.

7 hours ago, fundiesarefascinating said:

While I certainly agree that there are many, many parents who do an excellent job homeschooling their children and have academically advanced children ... I genuinely do not believe that any of the Duggar children who homeschool are going to fall into that category. 

Jessa (as one example) has, at best I would argue, a grade 5-6 level of basic education. Furthermore, she is not a teacher. Even with a heap of other children in his class Israel will be taught by someone who has actually trained to be a teacher, has a basic understanding of child development, teaching methods etc. 

In my opinion, a huge function of school is to provide students with an environment that is at least somewhat or attempts to be conducive to learning (quiet times, routines, a teacher who is teaching, reduced distractions). Jessa's children at home with an ever growing brood, on-going noise, a teacher who is constantly multitasking is going to impact even modest attempts to learn. 

Also worthwhile to consider what sort of intelligence we hope children develop? I mean it's great if Jessa has kids who excel at Math and Reading until grade 3 but honestly, I care much more deeply about developing emotional intelligence in children through friendship, cooperative play, conflict management, team work, empathy building, etc. Israel will be so much more advanced with his emotional intelligence by attending public school. He will have to learn to share with children who aren't his siblings, he won't always get his way, he will develop patience and an ability to understand the world through other perspectives (and not through "training"), he will have a more diverse set of friends which helps to develop empathy. So while I don't know about Israel "lapping his cousins" academically. I would be quite certain that he will be lapping his cousins, aunts, and uncles in emotional intelligence rather quickly. 

Sorry, I don't know how to condense the post. But I so agree with this. Aside from the biggies, like critical thinking is considered a good thing and not a sinful thing, there are just so many socialization experiences, for even a young age--you can't run on "Duggar time" and show up when you feel like it, you have to follow directions, you have to do what the other kids are doing even if you don't feel like it, nobody is more "special" than you, doesn't matter a fig what your church says, girls can do the same things as boys and even beat them at games...The Dillard kids will be lightyears ahead of their cousins (academically, maybe Jinjer's kids will be in an elite Christian school, but for the rest...sigh. Anna said on TV she had no idea it was possible to get a library card, and I'll bet dollars to donuts she never used one or got one for her kids after DC) in just the ability to think and to negotiate the world.

[JanasTattooParlor]

4 hours ago, Meggo said:

A friend of mine has a daughter who is a first year teacher this year and just got a classroom assigned to her. So she posted something to FB (and her mom shared it out) about how she's a new teacher, just graduated and has no money to get her classroom ready for school and would everyone pitch in? 

Does not compute. I'm sure she's getting decoration type things - not out buying desks. But... doesn't her school pitch in for that? My son's (grade 2) school supply list wasn't crazy. Pencils, markers, colored pencils (guess who will be using last years), glue sticks, folders, paper, etc. Standard stuff. And I usually over buy when the teacher asks for dry erase markers (or Kleenex, or zip loc bags)  because I know teachers need extras and I know not every kid can afford school supplies. But...having to raise money for her classroom? That's not fair to any teacher - let alone a BRAND NEW ONE who is also likely paying off student loans and eating ramen.

 

Seconding what others have said, but when I started my first year last year I walked into my room for the first time to find the 30 desks for my kids, my desk with an out of date desktop computer and a crappy desk chair, a filing cabinet and a bookshelf and that was it. I had to supply all of my own decor, office supplies, organizational and storage bins, extra supplies because kids go through Kleenex and pencils like no one’s business, a pencil sharpener, binders to put all my lesson plans and paper copies of activities, practice, and assessments in, and so many more things.  My state only gives us $275 for the whole year for supplies and I went through that very quickly. I got booted from my classroom before school started so that another more experienced teacher could have a classroom and so then I had to buy a rolling cart to bring all my supplies with me to the classrooms I taught in. If I had the money, I’d buy a class set of calculators since I work in a school where 50% of kids live below the poverty line and can’t afford a $120 calculator. But to have a class set for 30 kids would be over $3000 and I’ll never have the money to drop like that. It’s even worse for elementary teachers because they have to buy all the books for kids to read and all the manipulatives and play materials for their lessons. Most everyone I know has an Amazon wishlist that they ask people to buy them things from for their birthday and Christmas so that they can have more supplies. It would be a dream to have the school supply me with supplies for my kids, but the most I got was a T-shirt and lanyard last year and today we were given a mask with the school logo on it for this year. 

[justmy2cents]

My daughter’s school has a book sale several times a year. We always buy a book or two from the teacher’s wish list to add to the teacher’s library.
We do have a supply list at the beginning of the school year that runs us between $30-$45 every year. We’re lucky to live in a very good school district. Wish all kids had that. 

[FrumperedCat]

I do have a fair amount of respect for Chrissy Teigen with regards to this. She posted a few days ago asking for teachers to post their Amazon wishlists and then fulfilling them. It also had the impact of mobilising her followers who helped out too. I must admit I felt a tiny bit envious. I'd love to be able to casually help so many people like that! 

[monkeyrocks71]

Donorschoose is also a good place to get supplies. They run matching donations often, and also partner with major corporations, as well. There’s usually a major “surprise” fulfillment at some point of the year. And you get random people donating for this reason or that. I had one up for at-home supplies for my students for this fall, and a woman I don’t even know donates $260 (which completes my project) because she’d heard about donorschoose on “United Shades of America” and had gone to the school I teach at 65 years ago! 

[lexiloumarie]

I love Donors choose. I've posted projects before for my own vlasses and it's also the first place I direct my kids when they have tzedekah box money to use. My oldest loves to do music class projects like recorders or instruments. 

[medimus]

I understand most of the school supply things, but why do children have to supply tissues for the class? Surely if your child needs tissues, they bring a pocket packet of tissues or a hankie and just use it for themselves as they need? 

Quote

 

 

[Idlewild]

According to his twitter, Derick has joined the PTO.  I hope he is going to be sensible and work for the good of all the students and the school and not try and impose his dogma on others. 

[Maggie Mae]

2 hours ago, medimus said:

I understand most of the school supply things, but why do children have to supply tissues for the class? Surely if your child needs tissues, they bring a pocket packet of tissues or a hankie and just use it for themselves as they need? 

 

Because kids aren't allowed to go to the washroom as needed, so if they don't have tissues with them, they will just be a public health hazard. Our school system is fucked. 

I remember trying to sneak tampons to to the toilet as well, and being told that I wasn't allowed to bring anything in with me, so turn my pockets out in front of the whole class. The public school I went to at least let us have bags during the day, but they had to be see through. We treat our kids like criminals for existing and then wonder why they aren't independent. 

[Daisy0322]

I’ve been pricing out uniforms since my oldest will be starting private school next year or the year after. The school requires you to but from Landsend and have it embroidered. 
polo- 20

button down- 25

vest it cardigan- 25

pull over- 30

fleece jacket- 40

shorts- 20

pants- 25

 

not sure but the little girls clothes seems comparable but the jumpers are 30$

this is pk-8 

the dang embroidery costs 8$ ?

[medimus]

I've said this before but I didn't grow up in a country where uniform was a thing and i now live in one where they definitely are. The local girls school is uniform down to socks, shoes, jacket and hair accesories. And then there is all the PE kit.

This is an example at one of the suppliers: https://uniformity.ie/collections/loreto-foxrock

2 hours ago, Maggie Mae said:

Because kids aren't allowed to go to the washroom as needed, so if they don't have tissues with them, they will just be a public health hazard. Our school system is fucked. 

I remember trying to sneak tampons to to the toilet as well, and being told that I wasn't allowed to bring anything in with me, so turn my pockets out in front of the whole class. The public school I went to at least let us have bags during the day, but they had to be see through. We treat our kids like criminals for existing and then wonder why they aren't independent. 

That sounds horrible. We were allowed to the toilets if we asked and if you didn't have tissues we just shared with friends usually.

[adidas]

I’m Australian, so I grew up wearing a uniform and so did my kids. I don’t want to get into a debate but I am a strong supporter of it.

My sons’ uniform costs were nearly as expensive as the school fees haha. The blazer was $360 I think. Sports track pants were $60 or $70 and my youngest ALWAYS managed to rip through the knee on the first day he wore them. Every.single.time.  The sport polo shirt was $55. I remember the sport socks being cheaper than the regular knee high socks, I think they were $8 and $16 per pair. Darn nearly bankrupted us because between growth spurts and being rough and tumble boys, we used to visit the uniform shop at least twice a term.

[OHFL2009]

15 hours ago, Maggie Mae said:

I went to a private school, and every year we got a list from the teacher with what, exactly, they wanted us to buy. It was always long and there were always footnotes like **NO TRAPPER KEEPERS** and super specific things - 4 solid color folders in these colors, this type of pen, this type of crayons. It was all our own personal stuff, but there was no lisa frank folder for me. Very depressing.

I feel like we could've gone to the same school. The No Trapper Keeper rule made me so sad. I don't think I ever figured out why we couldn't have them, but the fact that we couldn't made me want one that much more.

[Meggo]

11 hours ago, JanasTattooParlor said:

Seconding what others have said, but when I started my first year last year I walked into my room for the first time to find the 30 desks for my kids, my desk with an out of date desktop computer and a crappy desk chair, a filing cabinet and a bookshelf and that was it. I had to supply all of my own decor, office supplies, organizational and storage bins, extra supplies because kids go through Kleenex and pencils like no one’s business, a pencil sharpener, binders to put all my lesson plans and paper copies of activities, practice, and assessments in, and so many more things.  My state only gives us $275 for the whole year for supplies and I went through that very quickly. I got booted from my classroom before school started so that another more experienced teacher could have a classroom and so then I had to buy a rolling cart to bring all my supplies with me to the classrooms I taught in. If I had the money, I’d buy a class set of calculators since I work in a school where 50% of kids live below the poverty line and can’t afford a $120 calculator. But to have a class set for 30 kids would be over $3000 and I’ll never have the money to drop like that. It’s even worse for elementary teachers because they have to buy all the books for kids to read and all the manipulatives and play materials for their lessons. Most everyone I know has an Amazon wishlist that they ask people to buy them things from for their birthday and Christmas so that they can have more supplies. It would be a dream to have the school supply me with supplies for my kids, but the most I got was a T-shirt and lanyard last year and today we were given a mask with the school logo on it for this year. 

I know this is the reality - I just think it's SO sad. Here - go teach our MOST precious (and I'm not being Michelle snarky) resource and here is $10 to do it. I wish we all valued teachers more. (I've not heard Canadian teachers - where I live - asking for supplies like that)
When my son was in kindy - I regularly watched the sales for some of the supplies I knew they used a lot of when I heard the teacher was paying for it out of her own pocket. So I would drop off of a bucket of perler beads when ever there was a sale or whatever else they needed.
But I will never understand why we don't support teachers better. Hats off you teachers - you guys - ESPECIALLY this year - are doing the hard work. 
 

[JanasTattooParlor]

51 minutes ago, Meggo said:

I know this is the reality - I just think it's SO sad. Here - go teach our MOST precious (and I'm not being Michelle snarky) resource and here is $10 to do it. I wish we all valued teachers more. (I've not heard Canadian teachers - where I live - asking for supplies like that)
When my son was in kindy - I regularly watched the sales for some of the supplies I knew they used a lot of when I heard the teacher was paying for it out of her own pocket. So I would drop off of a bucket of perler beads when ever there was a sale or whatever else they needed.
But I will never understand why we don't support teachers better. Hats off you teachers - you guys - ESPECIALLY this year - are doing the hard work. 
 

Thank you! It sucks going into a professions where you’re shit on no matter where you turn. If I say that I need more money for supplies, I’m greedy, but if I don’t have an inviting classroom, I don’t care about my kids. When I consider that most of my kids are high poverty, I need to remember to hold them to the same standard as all other kids (which I do academically), but then get told that I can’t expect much from them because they get no support at home. I’ve been told during the pandemic that parents need to get stipends for teaching their kids, and we actually had one mom try to sue our school district for one, but all the parents are doing is helping us facilitate the lesson. They didn’t learn the standards, connect them to an engaging lesson, make all the materials for said lesson, learn to put them online while in the middle of crisis management, and then still teach. I’ve been told I’m selfish for not wanting to go back to school if there’s kids when all I’m thinking about is their and their family’s safety. It’s a really rough profession some days and I can totally see why we have a teacher shortage. I don’t mind buying supplies out of pocket if need be, but it’s also be nice if we had more money to do it. My state was in the middle of approving a bump to $425 for school supplies per teacher before corona, and now some places are going to furlough teachers instead. 

[HereticHick]

6 hours ago, Idlewild said:

According to his twitter, Derick has joined the PTO.  I hope he is going to be sensible and work for the good of all the students and the school and not try and impose his dogma on others. 

I'm going to hope for the best. I'm pleased that not only are Jill and Derick sending their child to a public secular school, they are going to try to be supporters of that school (by joining the PTO--Parent Teacher Organization).

It is especially pleasing that a fundy FATHER is announcing that he's joined the PTO--since educating the brood is traditionally thought by fundies to be the job of women.

[Audrey2]

I do think that Derick did go through the public schools so he already has some scaffolding as to what you do as a student and as a parent in the public schools. For many parents, enrolling your kid in school also means joining the PTO. While Jill may not have known this, I would guess that Derek's mom, Kathy, also was a member of the PTO.

(For people in other countries, this is a parent-teacher organization run at each individual school. Most of the time parents choose how involved they want to be. I would really like to see Jill have the opportunity to volunteer on parents nights when they need parent volunteers for big school functions. I hope Derek encourages Jill to become active in the PTO. It would be another great way to expand Jill's horizons.)

[SassyPants]

8 hours ago, medimus said:

I understand most of the school supply things, but why do children have to supply tissues for the class? Surely if your child needs tissues, they bring a pocket packet of tissues or a hankie and just use it for themselves as they need? 

 

I’m in the US, and my kids are grown, but I don’t think most kids here carry their own tissues, and even fewer would have a hankie. The boxes of tissues are for the classroom. Even if some kids did carry their own tissues, the class box would be for everyone who did not. I’m assuming this practice is for convenience, so kids aren’t running to the restroom every 20 seconds. Buying tissues for the classroom has been going on here for at least 30 years.

Edited August 28, 2020 by SassyPants

[Four is Enough]

17 hours ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

Just out of curiosity aren't uniforms so much cheaper than having to keep them in regular school clothes?

Hell, I wish I had a uniform now, if only to take away my daily dilemma of figuring out what to wear.

No, in our case. We needed specific uniforms, from a specific supplier, and we needed enough to last for the week, and with three boys and one girl, growing like weeds, and stinking sweating as children do, not to mention the knee socks/suede buck shoes of certain style, and gym uniforms, available from specific supplier.. we had to supply all of that besides them having play clothes... and believe me.. the uniforms went off the second they got home, to spare wear and tear..

Boys: blue or white polo, blue shorts or long pants, till 5th grade. 6-8: white or blue dress shirt, tie, and khaki shorts or long pants. Suede buck shoes.. High school: add a blazer to that ensemble. And the band equipment: shoes, gloves.. specific  undershirt, long johns....

Girls: jumper with white blouse with peter pan collar, blue knee socks, after 5th grade, different pattern skirt with white/blue oxford dress blouse.  High school: specific blazer, sweater, blouse, skirt, knee socks, 

Gym uniform: specific labeled, specific color T shirt, shorts, or long pants. 

I was lucky. I could buy the Peter Pan collar blouse anywhere I could find them. Other schools had the blouses embroidered and had to be bought from the supplier or at a used uniform sale. The gym uniforms all had heat press logos on them.. and everything that did was three times the price of the same item from Wal Mart..

16 hours ago, FrumperedCat said:

. At my school you'd even get in trouble if you didn't wear a regulation skirt, so pretty strict.

And every school in the Archdiocese had its own specific skirt.. The shade of the sweater/knee socks had to be exact as well, and the sweater embroidered

Yup. I have to say the girl's uniforms had some leeway. Generous hems, could be let out a bit.. get more than one year.

9 hours ago, medimus said:

I understand most of the school supply things, but why do children have to supply tissues for the class? Surely if your child needs tissues, they bring a pocket packet of tissues or a hankie and just use it for themselves as they need? 

Believe it or not, many of our kids were brought to school not by parents, but by sitters or grandparents who just dropped them off.. some, of course, DID come prepared for sneezes, etc.. but most did not.. and then you'd be amazed at how often a kid would get a nosebleed in the middle of the day.. I think tissues were the most valuable thing in the classroom.

 

And I forgot about the BOOKS! We'd buy as many books as we could from the teacher's wishlist every year! When the Scholastic Book fair came around, I always tried to work there.. many kids got a specific allowance for it, and we had to help them buy their choices. My note always read, "Child may buy BOOKS or KITS (they had science kit or put it together kit type stuff.) Child may NOT buy erasers, posters, or other trinkets..." Ah, memories..

[IsmeWeatherwax]

Im buying school uniform for my boys at the mo. Its secondary school, so its from a specialist supplier, and its a new one so they have jacked the prices up. They have to wear; blazer, jumper, tie, trousers, all school logo branded. Then they also need the full PE kit which is; polo shirt, hoodie, black shorts, football boots and trainers. Also they need white collar shirts, black socks and proper school shoes, not trainers. Also they need to have the usual calculator, pens, pencils, ruler etc.

The full cost for a uniform is (these are the basic prices, the price goes up the bigger the uniform)

Blazer £29,95. Jumper £14.95 Trousers £19.95 Tie £6.95 

PE hoodie £12.95 PE polo shirt £8.95 shorts £7.95.

I got them 2x2 pack of white shirts. They were £7 each so £28.

I havent got the school shoes just yet, thats nexts week job. Last september the 2 pairs cost me £105.00, Im still crying lol

Trainers will probably be £20ish pounds.

The size trousers my elder boy needs are £25 per pair, They can jog on with that. I bought a pair of mens dress black trousers for £9, and if the school dont like it they can quite frankly pay the £25 themselves, 

This particular secondary is one of 5 in my town. Its in one the most deprived ares of the town, the majority of students are in social housing and parents are on government benefits. So making them pay such a stupid amount for a uniform makes me angry. Primary schools you can get a full uniform for £20!

Shoes are a personal choice and I do spend a decent amount on them as we have foot problems and need to wear orthopaedic insoles.

So thats a standard secondary in South East England ?

[Meggo]

2 hours ago, JanasTattooParlor said:

Thank you! It sucks going into a professions where you’re shit on no matter where you turn. If I say that I need more money for supplies, I’m greedy, but if I don’t have an inviting classroom, I don’t care about my kids. When I consider that most of my kids are high poverty, I need to remember to hold them to the same standard as all other kids (which I do academically), but then get told that I can’t expect much from them because they get no support at home. I’ve been told during the pandemic that parents need to get stipends for teaching their kids, and we actually had one mom try to sue our school district for one, but all the parents are doing is helping us facilitate the lesson. They didn’t learn the standards, connect them to an engaging lesson, make all the materials for said lesson, learn to put them online while in the middle of crisis management, and then still teach. I’ve been told I’m selfish for not wanting to go back to school if there’s kids when all I’m thinking about is their and their family’s safety. It’s a really rough profession some days and I can totally see why we have a teacher shortage. I don’t mind buying supplies out of pocket if need be, but it’s also be nice if we had more money to do it. My state was in the middle of approving a bump to $425 for school supplies per teacher before corona, and now some places are going to furlough teachers instead. 

I had really hoped this year of everyone having to do the hard work of teaching small children would have made people MORE appreciative of teachers. Our teachers turned on a DIME. She had been using an app to do extra school stuff through the year - so we were all at least familiar with it but then about a week after our March break - boom - on line learning started in earnest. And our teacher was amazing. She had different curriculums for different kids based on their abilities. She would respond to EVERY assignment my son did, sometimes she would read him a story JUST for him, sometimes she'd put assignments out JUST for him and his interests. She was amazing. 

I did what I could - but... I'm not a teacher and I can't get him to want to learn to read. 

I would HAPPILY pitch in towards school supplies for teachers. Happily. Just please teach my kid to read because I tried alllll summer and he is stubborn! (so looking forward to him being back in school so I can be fun mom again who just enforces homework and not pushes him to read, write, do math every single day -including weekends - but if he comes home expecting me to do that? I'm sooooo gonna do it.)

 

[Snarkasarus Rex]

7 hours ago, Daisy0322 said:

I’ve been pricing out uniforms since my oldest will be starting private school next year or the year after. The school requires you to but from Landsend and have it embroidered. 
polo- 20

button down- 25

vest it cardigan- 25

pull over- 30

fleece jacket- 40

shorts- 20

pants- 25

 

not sure but the little girls clothes seems comparable but the jumpers are 30$

this is pk-8 

the dang embroidery costs 8$ ?

I shop at LE a lot, and while my kids don't wear unis to school, I've bought several of the uniform items for my girls.  If you sign up for LE emails, you can usually get a coupon for 30% off uniforms when it's back to school time.  

[HerNameIsBuffy]

I now understand how uniforms can be a pain in the ass!

I was just thinking even if they are expensive you wouldn't need as many outfits as you would when you have to wear something different every day...but apparently it's not as easy as I'd thought.  

I just really hate having to decide what to wear every day...first world problem I know.

[Kailash]

1 minute ago, HerNameIsBuffy said:

I now understand how uniforms can be a pain in the ass!

I was just thinking even if they are expensive you wouldn't need as many outfits as you would when you have to wear something different every day...but apparently it's not as easy as I'd thought.  

I just really hate having to decide what to wear every day...first world problem I know.

I wear what I call my uniform when I’m not at work. I have 2 favorite T-shirts and 2 favorite jean shorts and I alternate them until they are so worn out I have to replace them. If I find something that I like and that fits well, I often buy 2 or more. I’m boring like that. I do have other clothes but rarely wear them. As it gets colder I’ll switch to capris and then jeans. I try to look clean and be comfortable. People notice and I just shrug. I like what I like, and I have a washing machine and dryer and use them as needed.  (I even try to wear only one color/brand of underwear.)

[Markie]

My friend went to a Catholic school with uniforms. She kept her kilt in her locker and would wear jeans to and from school. She’d arrive, put the skirt on over her jeans, drop the jeans and stuff them in her locker. She said she had one skirt for all of high school. She wore school shirts and sweaters.