I started this thread, and after reading all the posts, I got to thinking: our employers furnish everything we need in order for us to do our jobs. So why aren't our taxes paying for the supplies our teachers need to do their jobs? We should be complaining to our politicians. My hat's off to all our teachers. They have a hard enough job teaching without having to spend their own money to furnish the classroom or ask parents to help with the cost. (getting off my soap box now.)