Parents should pay for exercise books

[DorothyL]

I know in the US and Germany, and probably other countries, parents are handed a stationery list before the beginning of the academic year - nobody has a problem with it. It would make such a difference to school budgets, and when students leave page after page blank etc (which they do!) they would not be wasting school money.

[Nothavingfunrightnow]

So WTF is your question?

[ShouldIworryornothelp]

No issue with it. As you say it's expected in other countries. Might make kids value their books a bit more.

[Trills]

I disagree.

Not every child's parents have money.

Not every child's parents are organised.

Not every child's parents think school is important.

Not every child's parents care if their child is embarrassed by having to admit that ther parent didn't give them the money.

Tax me a little more if necessary, but don't disadvantage or embarrass the chidren whose parents cannot or will not pay for school books.

[thecatfromjapan]

I don't mind being taxed so that poorer children aren't disadvantaged either.

[Sirzy]

It's easy enough to check back in a book and fill in any gaps!

It's a pretty sad stare of affairs if we have to charge children for basics of an education

[thecatfromjapan]

It's a teeny tiny amount if my taxes - and it would make Abigail difference to be THAT child who doesn't have parent-bought exercise books. Why would I begrudge that tiny amount of money?

[thecatfromjapan]

Bloody autocorrect: a big difference. No idea who Abigail is.

[ChunkyPickle]

We were made to use up blank pages.

I can't see it's efficient in any way, shape, or form for every parent to muck about buying exercise books in different shapes and sizes rather than have each child given an identical one by the school. I know other countries do it, but I just don't understand why. It would be like arriving at the hospital and having to provide your own dressings.

[Trills]

I suspect that charging parents for boooks would involve more cost in terms of admin than just giving the books out free.

[Patchworkpatty]

This makes me fume with anger . state school means our taxes pay for schooling . if you choose to opt out and go private then that is a choice you can make. meanwhile a STATE school should be providing Everything it takes to educate its students or it is not fulfilling its duties. End of.

[Theknacktoflying]

Buy a school pack from the school at the beg of the year of all the kit needed for the year.

Scrap the stupid free school dinners ro infant school children - colossal waste of money

[Theknacktoflying]

Why should the childless by choice taxpayer have to fork out for school books?

[Maycausesideeffects]

It is now increasingly common for Sixth Formers to buy own textbooks. School budgets are squeaky tight.

[Trills]

I did the Live Below The Line challenge this year, and having felt how much that affected my ability to concentrate I now support free school meals for ALL primary school children (not just under KS1).

(I am childless by choce right now, btw)

[Volvox]

Completely agree and don't mind paying. Presumably it'll be funded for those on low income.
People are more likely to take care of books they have invested in.

[HermioneGrangerHair]

I'm child free by choice. I'm happy to pay a bit more in taxes so that schools provide children with stationery.

[BeaufortBelle]

I wouldn't have a problem paying. I think if every child got a "pack" paid for by those who can and provided free for those on FSM it might be quite helpful in demonstrating the cost of education and helping some parents to attach a realistic value to it. Too often in the UK it's either taken for granted or dismissed as something "not for the likes of us" or ridiculed. Getting rid of that culture would help more children than providing free for all books.

[Lioncubnotbabycherub]

thrknack
Why should these school children pay taxes that pay for your health care when when they are adults?

[MrsGentlyBenevolent]

Awful idea, as pointed out by others, some families cannot provide these things. Those who are child free are already paying for schools through taxes, you would have them pay more. Kids who live below the poverty line probably have enough to deal with, being on free meals and possibly second hand clothing, I don't think pointing out they can't even afford a book to write in for their education will help a bit.

[chickenfuckingpox]

children on free school meals net the school a pupil premium extra finance for having a poor child in there school this money (in my experience) does not often go towards helping the child

if i have to pay for stationary and school books i might as well bloody home school her and work for avon

[steppemum]

In many countries there are large numbers of children who don't go to school because they don't have the money to pay for books and uniform.

We have charities who raise money to fund them, a few pennies a day to allow a child to access education.

I hope that we are a county where not one child would ever not be able to go to school because they can't afford the books.

[thecatfromjapan]

Why would anyone think it would only be people with children who can experience empathy towards disadvantaged children?
The not begrudging a tiny fraction of taxes helping to ameliorate a child's disadvantage has flap all to do with whether you have children or not.
I would also be happy to pay more tax to ease the lives of disabled people - even though I haven't experienced disability and not have my immediate family.
Sometimes people act and think beyond a narrow self-interest.
I , personally, think that it is this ability that has driven the human facility with language, culture and technology. We dismiss it, and valorise immediate self- interest, to the detriment of our humanity and our human-ness.
Just IMO.

[sanfairyanne]

offs is this what we have to look forward to now? endless 'how to save 5p and make life just a bit more shit for parents' threads? yes op yabu

[chickenfuckingpox]

they dont always have school uniform in the us and germany do they

fuck that off and i will pay for text books that would be cheaper than the crappy uniform