Thoughts on the SNP’s proposed P1 school bag scheme

[FunnyOrca]

What do you think about the SNP’s P1 bag idea?

I think the prototypes look ugly! My nephew down south got a school branded one from his local primary. It’s satchel style and looks smart. It’s not huge, fits his homework jotter, reading folder and water bottle.

I also think it’s pretty pointless! I’d rather have funded childcare from 9 months or strategies for teacher retention! 😭

a lot of kids won’t want to use these. They’ll look at their older sibling’s bag and want one like that then other kids in the class won’t want theirs either. Why aren’t they just plain black?

I bought the school book bag and never once was it needed.

Waste of money not what people were ever asking for from a government. It’s all about SNP snd their gimmicks. Start asking people what they need i bet school bag is way down the list

A cloth bag is reusable and to be quite precise it is no longer cloth or canvas but is made from recycled plastic (I believe) so is more water resistant than the previous versions.

I've spent a significant chunk of my career ensuring that children do receive 4 Bookbug bags to which they are entitled to between birth and 5. The school bags are a waste of money and may well impact on the provision of Bookbug bags which there is strong evidence indicating that these do make a difference. Don't tell me that school bags are a sensible way to spend money. I'd bet that every teacher you'd ask would prefer the money for supplies to support learning.

School bags are not even the most expensive part of the uniform I could understand school shoes a winter coat branded jumper cardigan or polo shirt but a school bag?

Absolute nonsense. Maybe the baby box is useful to some people, but it should be means tested and they should stock it with items made in Scotland!

And with the SGP a majority of the votes so get to do the choosing 🤦‍♀️

Where i live the thought of kids getting dropped off to school in a BMW with a free bag they dont need makes my blood boil.
Meanwhile people are sleeping rough 5 miles away.

Aye, between three SNP and a Lib Dem. Plus they don’t have the majority of votes. They have 15. Both Labour and Reform have 17.

Oh and BTW, the Bute House Agreement was created AFTER the PO was appointed in 2021. Both parties asked their members to vote yes or no it. So it took some time.

SNP and SGP do have a majority

They aren’t in a coalition!!!!

A voucher for school shoes would be much more beneficial. Even a pair of black plimsolls for PE!

And?

I'm a fan of the baby boxes, free lunches and bus passes. But this is utterly ridiculous, wasteful and nobody needs it.

The people that really do need it should get uniform grants to go and buy a school bag of their choice, not a government issue one.

My children are older,.does this replace book bug packs? Those were great, and I loved that every child got good quality books to enjoy. We used those a lot!

DS primary school was rationing prit sticks fgs! Just give the school the money to spend on supplies they desperately need. Our DC had an assembly about how the school can't afford toilet paper so not to waste it 😤.

This year at our school we’ve been given 7 pritt sticks per class at the start of term. We are in a deprived area but around 99% of dc have a bag and most have water bottles. We have cups for the fountain for those who don’t so it’s not a big deal. The 1% who don’t have a bag probably just don’t want one as it’s not really needed

They get a uniform grant already. One that seems massively generous. This is just more SNP virtue signalling stupidity that wastes taxpayers money. I’d love to meet the idiots that vote for these morons. Does anyone think this is a good idea?

Where’s the subsidised food John? Realised that was a mindblowingly stupid idea too? Or did you know how stupid it was already and just didn’t care?

No it’s not a good idea. You wouldn’t say all that to anyone’s face.

Disgraceful.

When my dc were going through primary school they seemed to be constantly acquiring various branded water bottles - branded as in have a corporate brand printed on them, including council branded ones. I would throw them out because we would have too many.

I presume you will be checking those pritt sticks have their lids on properly twice a day…

Another fucking waste of money like the baby boxes. A freebie for not-struggling parents which they don't need, given that the supermarkets sell basic school bags for about £6. Other parents will want their little angel to have the fancy Smiggle or North Face bag anyway and will chuck the freebie one in the bin.

Wouldn't it be nice if they took the money they intend to spend on this gimmicky shite and actually invested in teachers and education?

We got a plastic sealable book bag for the biff and chip which was a good use of money as it stopped the books getting wet from leaky waterbottles but these probably cost the school no more than 10p each.

They will not be compulsory? Surely kids that want to pick their own will. Then only the kids not allowed to or can't afford one will use the ones provided so will still stick out and be a potential bullying target.

Also everyone having the same bag will cause chaos in P1. Loads of kids will put stuff in wrong bags or go home with the wrong ones.

Typical SNP - the difficult stuff like 'how the hell do we improve our educational standards' gets put to one side in favour of 'let's give everyone a bag and bits to put in it, even though we don't know how much it'll cost'. They are completely incompetent and the worst thing about it is they just don't fucking care.

Also agree on the plastic waterbottles - it was the default freebie/gift for a good while and we had several branded with logos for a huge range of businesses/organisations, none of which we paid for.

Agree too that if you stopped 50 people in the street and asked what the Scottish government should be spending money on or subsidising they would say things like energy bills, public transport, healthcare, green energy projects, potholes, upgrading the A9, teachers' salaries, classroom resources, police etc etc not fecking free schoolbags.

Agree, do we really need to provide every kid with a schoolbag. Undoubtedly there'll be some parents who can't afford to blow their own noses but for every child?