Schools in my home town no longer provide toilet paper

[Bandit]

Kids have to bring their own along with kleenex and all school supplies including paste and construction paper for the elementary school kids..Schools no longer provide anything at all other than a location and a teacher for every thirty five kids..Talk about a tax increase. This hits every family with children...Hard...

[OneGrassRoot]

1. Good grief...what state are you in?

:cry:

[Bandit]

7. Surprisingly enough a state with a sizable surplus....Alaska

Also a very Red state and the governor wants to give two hundred billion to the oil companies so they will drill for oil... as if record profits were not incentive enough for them to drill for oil, something their entire existence depends upon....

[OneGrassRoot]

9. Wow. :( n/t

[4_TN_TITANS]

58. Save your yearly Alaska oil commission check for the expenses...

I wish TVA gave us rebate checks...

[femmocrat]

2. That is ridiculous.

Are the kids supposed to take a roll of toilet paper with them when they go to the restroom? What if a child doesn't bring any or runs out? Is he/she denied the opportunity to use the restroom?

That is just insane. What will happen is that the teachers will start to supply it, along with everything else they now purchase from their own meager paychecks.

[ensho]

8. kick

nt

[madinmaryland]

50. huh??? I thought teachers were overpaid aristocrats just trying to brainwash our children.

So say the Repukes nationwide.

[abelenkpe]

53. +1000 nt :)

[MsPithy]

92. No, no, no.

Teachers are "union thugs."

[Horse with no Name]

87. The actually socialize the supplies

Our school has different lists for boys and girls.

So, the package of toilet paper is taken on the first day and put with all of the others and used accordingly. Kids don't have to keep up with their own roll.

[bhikkhu]

100. ...and they probably get something much better than "institutional TP"

I hadn't ever thought about it -though my kids have always had to show up at school the first day with boxes of Kleenex - but I think its not a bad idea at all.

The TP at my kids school is a joke - institutional-grade junk, and that's probably the same everywhere.

[SwampG8r]

96. yup

been my experience that every time they cut supplies the teachers end up buying them
i had 3 kids in school at the same time and we would get the class supply list and then buy enough for 3 kids in each of our kids classes
it wasnt much but we were at least cutting the teacher out of pocket
teachers liked that idea way better than an apple

[Brickbat]

3. That is so sad.

[Reader Rabbit]

4. Our schools haven't provided Kleenex for years.

Kids are expected to bring a box for their homeroom. Otherwise, teachers have to supply it.

[WinkyDink]

14. Kleenex should be the students' responsibility. TP, no.

[CreekDog]

15. you sound pretty sure of that --why?

i'm always amazed when people say such definitive things with no supporting information nor any reasoning why one thing is by definition different than another.

[denverbill]

23. I'm surprised you can't see the glaring differences.

Every place I've ever worked at or visited has supplied toilet paper, but Kleenex has been my responsibility at most places. I might occasionally get Kleenex at a doctor's office, but no job I've ever worked has supplied it.

I think that has to do with the fact that people expect toilet paper to be available in a bathroom. If a kid forgets to take his TP to the bathroom, what's he supposed to do? Use his hand? Leave it dirty? Walk back to class and ask for a loaner?

People borrow Kleenex from me all the time. I've never loaned someone toilet paper.

[CreekDog]

27. and you're a schoolage child right?

:eyes:

thank you for not *ever* missing the glaring differences that I too often miss!

:rofl:

[WinkyDink]

38. Do public facilities other than schools provide both? No. Next question?

And yes, I WAS a teacher. Seventeen-year-olds asking for kleenex was absurd.

[CreekDog]

47. so they need to use the bathroom to blow their noses?

:shrug:

[WinkyDink]

48. Let's try this again: BYO Tissues. Clear? Just like in the REAL WORLD.

[CreekDog]

54. I didn't

:shrug:

[Lorien]

60. In the real world tissues can be found in every place that people are employed

they are in the office supply room with the pens and copier paper. People DON'T have to lug them around. Schools should provide them just like any other REAL WORLD business. It's a matter of safety through hygiene.

[indurancevile]

68. it's not a given; it's just our custom. in much of asia people DO bring their own,

because schools & public facilities don't routinely provide it.

they don't carry rolls of tp, they carry little packets in purse or backpack.

in yugoslavia (pre-break-up) you had to buy TP from the unsmiling black-garbed crones that seemed to have the toilet racket cornered.

in greece you had to bring your own -- and put it in a basket next to the toilet -- which leads to all sorts of creepy outcomes for tourists who don't understand the custom.

and of course in lots of ME countries they don't use it at all.

but obviously, this move is part of the budget cuts hitting all levels of government. so don't blame schools.

[bertman]

83. Sorry, Lorien, but we must have worked in entirely different sectors of the job market.

I have NEVER worked anywhere that provided me with tissues and never expected to be supplied with them. Toilet paper was a different story.

[CRK7376]

95. This high school teacher

never supplied kleenex, but i always kept a roll of TP on the desk for any and all to use as needed. Mostly for noses and minor scraps or booboo that leaked blood, pulled of scabs etc...

[raccoon]

5. What city are you in? nt

[durablend]

6. Are pay toilets next?

SHEESH!

[RaleighNCDUer]

25. Only in the 'for profit' schools. nt

[Raine]

72. School bullies can have two sources to exhort money, they will demand a kid's toilet money

along with their lunch money.

[awoke_in_2003]

84. the pay every time you go...

is a bit too blatant. But I could see schools adding a bathroom use fee at registration.

[maddezmom]

10. ours supplies TP but that's about it....everything else needs to be purchased

[catabryna]

11. So, where's your hometown? nt

[Bandit]

34. Alaska's Capital City....Juneau

:shrug: It is probably the most Progressive city in the state as well....

[KittyWampus]

37. Do the state Representatives have toilet paper in the State House?

[Frustratedlady]

12. Well, the toilet paper is getting to be so narrow (at least in public restrooms)

that soon they'll get a two-fer...use it for toilet paper and to lace up their sneakers.

My granddaughter just supplied her two elementary students at $55 each.

[woodsprite]

17. Not strong enough for sneaker laces

It starts to biodegrade before you even stop using it :)

I've seen that 'width' issue here at work. You just end up ripping more off. I think it causes more chance for clogging and definitely runs the paper roll out sooner.

[formercia]

32. Republican Toilet Tissue

for tight-assed anal retentive Assh0les.

Another thing to thank the GOP for.

When I worked in DC, the Staff had to take a class on how to wipe their asses with 3 sheets or less.

[Bandit]

13. School begins tomorrow and parents are just discovering this, so don't know how long it will last.

There was no debate or anything made public about this decision and the few parents I have talked to are quite pissed....If enough make a big enough stink over it things will probably change... but for right now this is how it is..

[Xithras]

51. Maybe, but probably not.

My wifes school here in California has done the same thing for years. They do provide paper, but other required essentials like crayons, pencils, pens, rulers, etc., are all the parents responsibility. Every year, parents complain. Every year, nothing changes. They don't have the budget, and can't just print money to buy the stuff.

Instead, they rely largely on charity. Every kid gets a printout with the things the classroom "needs" on the first day, including crayons, rulers, tissues, etc. The parents who can afford them are asked to pick a few items and buy a couple "extra" for the class. Those go into a pool, and can be borrowed by the kids who couldn't afford to buy them.

[Selatius]

75. And this happens in "the richest country in the world." It's Dickensian. nt

[Wednesdays]

79. In Oklahoma, parents buy all school supplies, including paper

I'm surprised they don't charge parents for textbooks.

[susanr516]

98. Same here in "miracle" state of TX

We buy it all--I've sent Kleenex, paper towels, soap, hand sanitizer, reams of typing paper so the teachers could print handouts, construction paper, glue, tape, index cards, markers, calculators, and highlighters. I've also sent soft drinks, packages of cheese crackers, fruit rolls, granola bars, juice packs, and pickles for the teachers to sell to kids after school to raise enough money to buy classroom supplies. I haven't asked recently, but six or seven years ago, each teacher had a $24 annual allowance for classroom use. Everything else came out of the teacher's pocket.

Frankly, the only reason they haven't asked us for toilet paper is because our school district uses that nasty napkin-like tp instead of the roll stuff.

[awoke_in_2003]

85. the elite want worker drones....

they are trying to break the public education system, and after 30 or so year of attacking it they are damn close. We are going back to the middle ages, where only the elite get educated. An educated work for expects too much money.

[woodsprite]

16. We haven't had to do toilet paper (yet), but

tennis balls (for all the chairs - apparently they make too much noise sliding on the floors), tissues, hand sanitizer, paper towels, classroom consumables (writing paper, construction paper, crayons, markers, glue sticks, etc).

In my daughter's "Arts" based public high school, the art room didn't have any paper towels and her photography room had no photography paper or chemicals, and they weren't allowed to do digital photography. The teacher was awesome and we were in the financial position that we could buy her a case of the photog paper she needed. Although we didn't put any stipulation on how she used it, she only let my daughter's class use that particular paper. She said we were the only parents to donate anything like that, though she thought several could have afforded it. Not that she knew the other families situations for a fact, but I do know that all but 2 of the class went to Italy for a photog trip - $1800 per kid. Our daughter did not go on that, which other parents complained that not everyone going made it more expensive for them. Tough toodles! We told her she had to earn half the money herself AND keep her grades up. She did neither, so she didn't go.

My son, going into 6th grade, was required to get a specific brand of 4" binder this year. That sucker was $16 and humongous! That, along with his text books, is what he'll be carrying from class to class. They don't allow bookbags. This ought to be a fun year. This is the first year we have uniforms in our public schools, and parents were asked when we were out buying articles of clothing, to buy extra for their clothes closet.

[KittyWampus]

40. You sound like a fantastic parent! Good going.

[onehandle]

18. How long before kids in African are taking up collections for our kids?

Hyperbolic?

Sure, but this is the world that teabaggers are driving us towards.

[Codeine]

19. Who shits at school?

There's no way I would have ever taken a dump at school.

[LeftyMom]

22. Females need TP either way.

Can't exactly shake it off.

[Codeine]

44. I'm so dim.

Didn't even occur to me. :dunce:

[Gormy Cuss]

26. Kids who need to go, that's who.

Most kids aren't willing to ignore the urge for six to eight hours.

[WinkyDink]

39. Um, narrow focus a bit there.

[Marrah_G]

41. Ummm you must be a guy,,,,,,

[Codeine]

43. Oh shit!

Hadn't even considered the other issue. Male privilege at work, I suppose. :dunce:

[Marrah_G]

45. LOLOL

:rofl:

[Erose999]

42. I had to drop a deuce at school once and I held it for at least 6 hours until I got home. The

shitters in the mens rooms there were covered in crap and didn't even have toilet seats on them. No TP either. And there was no soap or paper towels at the sinks.

I once got in trouble for ducking into the handicapped restroom. It was clean, had a nice toilet and was stocked with a surplus of TP. After that they started locking it. The handicapped kids had to ask for a key.

[indurancevile]

71. shit happens. especially to younger kids.

[denverbill]

20. And yet the state cuts citizens checks every year from the oil revenue.

Hard to believe. That really unbelievable.

[Bandit]

24. Except it doesn't..

Granted, twenty five years ago when the State established it's "Permenent Fund" (A huge bank account), it was started with oil revenues.. However since that "Permenent Fund" was created it draws interest and that interest is divided up among the residents of Alaska..So far this year the fund of over forty billion dollars has earned over twenty percent from it's investments..Half of that money gets invested right back into the fund and the other half is divided up...

[LeftyMom]

21. A foster agency I once worked for had no kleenex. People crying all over the damned place, snotty

kids everywhere, kids with the flu being sent in to visit and comingle with healthy people, and supposedly they couldn't afford to provide Kleenex. But my boss had a $45,000 car. I've never met a school administrator who seemed to be hurting for money either, so I'm guessing it's the same situation. Shared sacrifice, my ass.

[indurancevile]

69. i guess you hadn't heard: schools are laying off people. budget cuts.

schools are closing, classes are getting bigger, they're hiring people who have a 5-week training, and private corporations are getting a cut of the public money for on-line "schools" that are just rackets. i have no problem with kids supplying their own toilet paper in contrast to all that. it's the normal situation in a lot of countries.

[Wednesdays]

80. I think we can do better than "At least we're not (name of country)."

[Gormy Cuss]

28. That really ought to be a health code violation.

Since I don't know the laws where you are, I'm not saying that it is, just that I'd be surprised if providing toilet paper wasn't part of the code.

Even without that, letting kids fend for themselves is going to cost the school more in the long run because kids will use Kleenex and paper napkins instead and neither is good for the plumbing system.

[catabryna]

29. I recall someone else posted this same thing months ago...

and, since the OP won't tell us the name of the hometown, I'm not buying it... or toilet paper.

And, yes, in any state, this would be a health code violation. Unless, of course, your school is of the "home" variety.

eta: Can you imagine the first day the students run out of TP?

[proud2BlibKansan]

63. Yes the poster DOES tell us where this is

You have to read the thread to find out.

[indurancevile]

70. kids routinely bring their own toilet paper to school in plenty of countries. it's just

a matter of getting into the habit.

the comments on this thread are like it's the most horrible thing that could happen -- have you noticed that the feds & states are at war with public schooling?

[Wednesdays]

81. See my response #80, above.

[Raine]

74. The poster said it is in Juneau Alaska, maybe you should READ the thread or AT LEAST skim it. nt

[davsand]

30. Sounds like funding for all educational non-essentials has been wiped out.

Sorry. I am REALLY sorry...




Laura

[Liberal_in_LA]

31. omg. Do you live in the USA?

[eShirl]

33. That raises the possibility of an alternative to the "dog ate my homework" excuse.

[Shandris]

35. "Sorry teach, it was either my hand or my book report.

Mark Twain loses that contest every time." :silly:

That's despicable, though, all kidding aside. Although the Kleenex thing sort of surprises me, how many people seem shocked about it. We never had Kleenexes in the schools I went to, and that was 20 years ago. If you were a guy and needed a Kleenex, you asked the closest girl - they all had them.

I wonder now if they provide that pink softsoap stuff.

[Wednesdays]

82. Schools of the future: students must provide their own books, chairs, desks, heat sources...

Hold that laughter until after it all comes true. :scared:

[eleny]

36. At least back in the 1950s my Catholic school supplied tp and bathroom soap to wash hands

But they supplied nothing else. Not even kleenex. We had to bring everything. That was usually just pencils, pens, writing tablets and loose leaf paper. Those were all we needed for class back then.

I remember once we painted with tempura paints. I don't recall having to bring the paints to school. Maybe that's why I remember it being so much fun that day. Mom didn't have to worry about affording them. :)

[glowing]

46. A lot of the newer elementary schools have the bathroom inside the classroom

So that little kids aren't running around the school unsupervised. And depending on one's zip code, the amt of supplies provided by parents varies. TP, tissues, paper towels, extra paper, pencils, hand sanitizer are stored in the room in a closer or supply closet. When supplies run down, a note goes out. Not surprisingly, the wealthier a neighborhood is (property tax), the better funded the school will be. Obviously poor children have another disadvantage for being born into a poor family.

I just dont understand why schools aret fully funded by the Federal Govt; similar to the military. Teachers and support staff would be federal employees, be paid as a professional Govt agent, and have the same insurance options as other Federal Govt agencies (shoot maybe even a perk like congress has with their plans). The schools themselves would be built, maintained, and appropriately equipped for technologies. There should be no need for a Charter school since the Federal Govt is in charge of setting standards and maintaining educational needs including lap tops or IPads. If the Govt wants corporate sponsoring ornate work with companies to generate money, they can tax and set up regulations allowing technologies to come into a classroom... Like college AP associated classes or internecine with various mechanical garages, electricians, police, ROTC, nursing, business, public policy... (Basically, GE can't bribe the Govt for a bunch of freebie menial labor). Not only would this allow poor neighborhoods the same school as a wealthy neighborhood with all the advantages of learning and participating in extracurricular activities, but it would also allow for counties to rid themselves of their partisan. Schoolboards are often more worried about playing politics, giving themselves perks, and positioning themselves for higher political offices, than they are about the actual academics or the quality of the education. The national standards would be set by a panel of teachers, principles, and collegiate professionals that can not be influenced by changing Presidential parties or administrators of their set standards.

It just doesn't make sense to me that propery taxes influence most of a school's funding and a bit of state aid here and Fed aid there. We all see what happens during a Main St depression. Property values sinking like a rock, foreclosed homes riddling neighborhoods, state budgets balancing off the backs of students, and federal Govt creating insane loopholes for money resources because they are bought by corporations who are trying to profit off of charter scams, testing materials, in classroom technology, and text books decided mainly by TX schoolboards. So, if the federal Govt were to take over all funding of the schools, the professionals deciding the standards, materials, teaching methods, classroom sizes, and support staff needs within the school would need to be 100% insulated from the political spectrum. Similar to the military. The generals and such donwhat they need to do to train and prepare their needs for battle; likewise, with educating children, the professionals need to do what they need to do to create the best system of educating children. After all, education is just as intrinsic as National Defense. The children of today are the innovators of tomorrow. I think we can all agree that hiring non-intellectual, ego-tistical braggarts with a mean, petty streak has demoralized us on the international level, took a thriving economy and drove it into the ditch, decided theocracy is more practical than democracy (but only on a Domionist ideology where God has ordained the rich to be the Masters of the Universe), turned Citizens into Consumers, decided Grandma, Grandpa, disabled, and Veterans are disposable useless eaters, and refuse to embrace technology and science because they don't understand it and somehow believe Al Gore master minded a global warming conspiracy theory to make it more expensive to fill up their gas guzzlers. We can all agree education needs smart reform. And Citizens need to be addressed as Citizens and not a dollar sign to steal from when they have money or worthless drains on the populace when they need financial help.

[lindysalsagal]

59. Your subject line made me see an outhouse with 38 kids in line holding their

:rofl:

[Pisces]

49. We paid a $35 supply fee and did not need to purchase all supplies.

[ThoughtCriminal]

52. Sometimes I bring my own to our school

rather than use the "Orphanage Grade (tm)" TP that the district buys.

[Politicalboi]

55. This is a health issue

How can they do this? Maybe the schools can buy copies of Sarah's books and leave them in the stalls.

[sammytko]

56. Some of us had friends who would take huge wet wads of toilet paper, and throw them on the

ceilings. The bathroom was covered with these globs. I've heard the latest is to just jam as much paper in the toilets as as possible and clog the whole thing up.

I was completing observation hours in my small town jr. high couple of years ago and they had to shut down the bathrooms. If one needed to go, had to go to the office to get permission - not just teacher permission. They were tearing the place apart. They had to take out the mirrors, and this was at a academically recognized jr. high!

This will probably just be til things are under control - Alaska has dinero!

[proud2BlibKansan]

64. Not TP, paper towels

They shove paper towels in the toilets and clog them. Haven't seen them throw the wet ones at the ceilings for about 10 years. A past fad I suppose LOL

And yes, restrooms are locked in most of our high schools and middle schools to try to control the vandalism.

[eppur_se_muova]

57. Welcome to the Warsaw Pact.

First, you could see it from your house ... now you can live it.

[lonestarnot]

61. They stole and sent all the money to charter schools.

[proud2BlibKansan]

65. Ding! We have a winner, folks!

[Solly Mack]

62. Speechless

WTF?!?!?!

[DesertFlower]

66. K&R. nt

[indurancevile]

67. much of asia is like that. people routinely carry TP; it's expected. in those little square

tissue-type packets.

[Selatius]

76. There's a difference between cultural habits and chronic underfunding of public schools.

The two shouldn't be mixed. Besides, requiring the purchase of toilet paper would still weigh more heavily on poor families than wealthier ones, the same as with the other school supplies parents' must buy because the school itself can't cover the cost. It's not fair to the poorest among us.

[indurancevile]

77. i agree. what i'm responding to is the outrage, as though this were some kind of

unthinkable humiliation imposed on people without cause. it's actually quite manageable, & the amount of TP a kid uses at school is not going to break most people's banks, even "the poor". At max it's a poop & a couple of pees a day, & for boys the pees are TP-less.

And as some posters noted, maybe having to supply one's own TP would stop certain kids from using it to plug toilets & deface the facilities -- which is a problem even in "good" schools. I don't care about the TP.

Meanwhile, many posters seem to be missing the deliberate defunding of public institutions by the PTB. THAT'S the outrage, not the TP.

[Raine]

73. What next, the soap in the despensers? Then the kids can spread disease

to each other and everyone else. It will be just like in the "good old days" where people died off early, that should make those who hate "entitlements" like SS/Medicare real happy. x(

[indurancevile]

78. What's next is your kids go to private charter schools where they will bill you

for each individual item so you can "pay your fair share". You will get an allotment of TP & if you use more you will get the bill.

[LWolf]

102. Our school budget keeps soap in the dispensers.

Our teachers provide hand sanitizers in the rooms.

[Horse with no Name]

86. I don't mind helping out

BUT, we had to send baggies, Kleenex, diaper wipes and then snacks on occasion.

If that helps to save someone's job, then I am cool with it. BUT, I remember as a kid all those things were provided for us.:(

[sufrommich]

88. Toilet paper is a health issue. I find it hard to believe that

the Health Department would be OK with paperless bathrooms.

[Capitalocracy]

91. This isn't the first time I've heard about this sort of thing

but you raise an interesting question... how long would a restaurant last that never had toilet paper, for example? I wonder what's at play here... are there no rules about toilet paper? are the rules different for schools? did they change the rules?

[sufrommich]

89. Dupe. nt

[Stumbler]

90. Look in the mirror, you greedy Sucubus

35 kids per class is a luxury, didn't you know?? It could (and will be soon) 60 kids per teacher, who's restricted to only teaching the answers to multiple-choice questions... How dare you consider the high treason of considering children's well-being, with regards to education... Absolutely shameful...
:spank: :shrug: :sarcasm: (for those not 'into' the obvious)

[madmom]

93. My grand daughters school list also included...

dry erase makers for the teachers use..one black and one any other color, tissues..3 large boxes,...paper plates..boys bring large, girls bring small desert size,a large box of sandwich bags, these are the only ones I can think of right now, but I remember saying that half the list has NOTHING to do with learning. This was for elementary school.

[Turbineguy]

94. Good idea!

That way they won't have to spend so much effort on education! These fucking repubs are geniuses! Maybe they can get kids to quit going to school all together. Then they will really save.

[deaniac21]

97. The school board should be required to watch this movie.

[Hubert Flottz]

99. Maybe because they are no longer knocking the shit out of kids...

like they did when I was a wee lad!

[LWolf]

101. We haven't asked for tp. Yet.

Our supply lists are huge, though. Families are encouraged to provide what they can, rather than tackle the whole thing.

I make sure every kid is supplied with whatever is needed regardless of whether or not they bring in supplies. Parents donate about 1/4 of the supplies we use in a school year. I can cover another 1/4 with my allotted budget. The rest? FAN and I fill the gaps. I am grateful to have FAN as a resource.