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Okay, this might be a bit off-topic but mostly it is on topic... food and all. I see all these school age children struggling to carry back-packs the size that I used to take to Europe for the summer. Just what are they packing in them?

Yes, I know they have books and notebooks (I did go to school once myself and carried those home myself in my arms) but what the heck else are they carrying in them? I also used to take my own lunch - way lighter walking home than going to school but quit around 7th grade when I realized that "no one" brought their own lunch to school!

I also played team sports and had athletic gear in my locker that I drudged home to wash every Friday - but, truth? I didn't need a back pack to either bring my books or my sports clothes home - SO what are these kids packing?

I didn't have a cell phone but don't think they weigh that much so exactly WHAT are these kids hauling back and forth to school? Call me clueless...

PS. And I am not talking about the kids who are accommodating their selfish parents desire for alternate weekends - that I understand. Just the ones who look like they are packing 20 pounds or more each and every day - what are they packing on their back and why?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Idaho Resident,

IR, I too remember my Elem classrooms - a designated desk in which to safely store my books, and in HS, a locker!
Today, public schools struggle to provide basics; students are not only responsible for the safekeeping of their books, basic supplies are out-of-pocket expense...that is a heavy load!





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In another topic, someone suggested that the backpack type carriers with wheels might be a solution to students for ease of transporting their books, computers, etc.

A few years ago a few students in my school attempted to use these rolling bags and they were quickly banned by the administration. They were a tripping hazard to the other students, both in the hallways, steps and the bus.

I assume, as technology progresses to all schools, textbooks will be replaced with ipads and the problem of toting heavy, bulky packs will ease up a bit.

ETA: What are they carrying? Possibly a laptop, science book, math book, history book, geography book, literature book, jacket, trapper, other notebooks, pencil pack, etc.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MyLifeVacation1,

I heard a doctor on TV comment that those backpacks will make orthopedic doctors rich as they will damage the kids immature back!

They are dangeous to the kids health and parents should make sure backpacks don't weigh so much that their kids use!

Most schools have banned lockers so the children have to carry all of their books all of the time. It's ridiculous.

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Originally posted by marcydaisy:
I heard a doctor on TV comment that those backpacks will make orthopedic doctors rich as they will damage the kids immature back!

They are dangeous to the kids health and parents should make sure backpacks don't weigh so much that their kids use!

I saw a dr on a show a while ago saying another big problem the kids wear the backpack too low on their back. They like the cool look instead of the healthy look.

What age group are you asking about? In high school they could be carrying 20 pounds! Financial cut backs have eliminated a lot of the classroom sets of books which allowed the student to leave their copy at home and use the books in each room they went to. Textbook costs are ridiculous!!! so I hear some schools ARE going to try some sort of ipad device, but, seriously, whether it is third grade or 9th grade, how long do you think it will take to break or loose one of these??? I was so glad when my kids no longer had to carry the load of books...

ETA - Textbook adoptions come around about every 4 years meaning the current books will be replaced by supposedly "up-to-date" editions. Buy stock in a textbook publishing company!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KG in CA,

Our local school district has been buying double sets of books for years - so kids don't have to tote them back & forth.
For the past 5 years or so publishers send free DVDs of their textbooks to schools. School libraries also have textbooks available to check out.
That should eliminate some weight, but my husband was just commenting last week about how textbooks are much bigger than when we were in high school. Inches thicker & inches wider/taller.

In our school district the kids have a big heavy book for each class, and they have to have it in class and then at home for homework, so they carry them back and forth each day. They don't have doubles for the classroom. When my kids were in Jr high and high school I could barely lift their packs, and sometimes they could barely lift hem either.

I hear from my nieces and nephews that they can access their textbooks online now which means that as long as they have a computer at home they can use, that they can leave the books at school. Much better, of course until the computer crashes or the power goes out or something. Nothing replaces a hard copy of a book in your hands, in my opinion.

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Today, public schools struggle to provide basics;

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as long as they have a computer at home they can use

In our town the school budget is 64% of the entire town budget and each child is given a computer. Actually that is the entire state, not just our school district.

Also as I said in the food thread, about schools in nearby Portland all grade school children are given breakfast.

Also I hear a lot about how teachers have to buy basic supplies for their students so last time we were in our discount store (famous in Maine for its terrific buys) I asked how many teachers came there to buy supplies and they said none.

Either Maine has exceptionally well funded schools and there is great disparity throughout the country, or maybe things are not so bad?

My grandkids do carry back packs, but they are driven to school a/c their school district does not have school buses (it is a village)

I think as a society we are very short sighted about the damage done to these growing bodies. Just like when I was young and we wore high heels with pointy toes and permanently damaged our feet.

Teachers I know regularly go to Wal Mart, Target, meijers, etc when they have their August preseason sales and load up their classrooms for the year. They shop the ads for stuff that is heavily discounted. Remember one year I was with my sister and she bought 50 folders, notebooks, packs of colored pencils, when they were .05 or .10cents each for her classroom. I even do the same, but not in that quantity for my personal use. My sister and some of my friends estimate they spend $300+ a year on classroom supplies out of their own pockets.

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Originally posted by Idaho Resident:
I see all these school age children struggling to carry back-packs the size that I used to take to Europe for the summer. Just what are they packing in them?
I didn't have a cell phone but don't think they weigh that much so exactly WHAT are these kids hauling back and forth to school? Call me clueless...

They are carrying BOOKS in their backpacks. Looseleaf Binders, notebooks and textbooks. They don't have to carry the same books every day, but they did have to bring textbooks to school and home again to do the homework. Textbooks are very heavy, especially if you are carrying a couple of them. Then you have the big, fat pencil cases and the rulers, protractors, calculators, etc. (when I went to school, you weren't allowed to use a calculator to do math, my daughter was allowed, even for tests!!!) In high school my daughter's load was less. For some classes she didn't have to bring the text books home, you can access the homework assignment on the computer, so she did that. That's good for the kids that had computers. I even wrote a letter to the Principal once complaining about the weight of the backpacks. (My DD was always very skinny)
So....the answer to your question is they are not carrying deceased oppossums to school, they are indeed carrying BOOKS!!! Cell phones go in the pockets and so does the lipgloss! :-)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Wavy,

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Wal Mart, Target,

That is why I was surprised at what I was told at the discount store. WalMart and Target are upscale from them. In fact Walmart is within easy walking distance of the discount store but I only buy groceries there, or something that is absolutely not carried at the discount store.

Surely, LOS, you're not calling WalMart upscale??

It's been fun and enlightening to read all of the responses here!

Biggest surprise was to learn that some school districts are eliminating lockers ~ whose idea was that, anyway, and for what purpose? Doubt that it really saves a lot of money in the long run as lockers are pretty indestructible and require little maintenance. And as for space? Traditionally they have simply lined hallways, an area which are a necessity to get from classroom to classroom in any school. So where is the cost savings?

So, for the most part, they are carrying books? Well, I carried my books in my arms ~ and, yes, they were heavy ~ but I certainly never needed a back-pack to do so.... Okay, no more, or I will be talking about walking 5 miles in heavy snow UPHILL ~ it was really only 1.1 miles each way each day as the bus route cut-off was 1.2 miles for where I lived back in the old days!

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Originally posted by mamaspoon:
Teachers I know regularly go to Wal Mart, Target, meijers, etc when they have their August preseason sales and load up their classrooms for the year. They shop the ads for stuff that is heavily discounted. Remember one year I was with my sister and she bought 50 folders, notebooks, packs of colored pencils, when they were .05 or .10cents each for her classroom. I even do the same, but not in that quantity for my personal use....

I do that to get stuff to donate. Last week I bought 4 cases of notebook paper for $40. They were worth over $140. They are in my family room now, will be given to the Salva+ion Arrmy school supply drive about August 1, 2013.

I'm also buying summer clothing and toys for the homeless shelter. In the spring I'll buy winter stuff. Anything like that, I store it in my family room until it in season.

Spoke with a student who was whiining about the weight of his back pack just this afternoon. Asked what he had in it... said EVERYTHING?? When I suggested he take his AM stuff along at the beginning of the day and swap out for PM stuff at lunch... he was dumbfounded??

District niece goes to in SE PA has gone to (or contemplated) no books leaving classroom... accessible online. Don't know how they deal with kids who might not have computer... but worked in the POOREST district in PA a few years, and didn't encounter a single kid who didn't have a computer and internet access.

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Surely, LOS, you're not calling WalMart upscale??

No, just in comparison to the discount store. Prices there are much less than at Walmart or Target. As I said I would only buy a needed item at Walmart (don't go to Target) if it is not available at the discount store.

I think I understand now about the teachers. I thought teachers were buying stuff because the school districts did not make it available. I did not realize they were buying supplies that normally the parents of the students buy.

My sister said that she took her 7 year old grandson out for such shopping and I remember when our Mom took my sisters youngest child out every year.

When I was young we bought pencil boxes and those wonderful note books with the famous painting on them. Oh I loved the smell of those.

We were a very struggling family of 6 children but we always got those two things. (and walked home for lunch, rain, sleet, snow etc)

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Originally posted by lady of shallot:

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Surely, LOS, you're not calling WalMart upscale??

No, just in comparison to the discount store. Prices there are much less than at Walmart or Target. As I said I would only buy a needed item at Walmart (don't go to Target) if it is not available at the discount store.

If WalMart isn't a discount store, which store is?

I shop regularly at the dollar store, Dollar General, Big Lots, and Aldi. Every one of those stores has good deals and bad ones. VO5 shampoo is available it the dollar store, but it costs 89 cents at WalMart. Dollar General and Aldi have great products but limited selection. Big Lots is great, but their selection is erratic. You can't go in there with a list and expect to find everything you need.

I buy more at WalMart than at those other 4 stores combined.

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If WalMart isn't a discount store, which store is?

It is all a matter of degree and don't forget I am speaking only of one specific chain store (it is only in Maine)


Walmart and other such stores have lower prices but not as low as the Maine discount store. However the stock is spotty because it is bought from other stores. In other words they do not manufacture the products they sell, they buy them at discounted prices from stores that have gone out of business, or have had some kind of damage. The items they sell can range from LLardro figurines to tarps, from Birkenstock clogs (not knockoffs, the real thing) to stained tee shirts. You can get a quart of excellent paint one week for 2.99 and the next week they will have no paint. It is unlike any other store I have ever shopped at.

This summer we bought a couple hundred dollars worth of plants that had come from a local nursery and were excellent, and much less than would have been charged at the Walmart with in walking distance! We have bought whole watermelons for 1.99 and Moravian cookies for 1.00. I once bought a 2 piece dress there for under $30 that originally cost $400.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: lady of shallot,

When I taught elementary school, I had the students estimate the weight of their backpacks before emptying their items into their desks. We were shocked how much came to school on that first day. They were also thankful they didn't take home the entire weight when they went home in the evenings. There was one grocery store willing to collect said teacher lists and bring the bag to the classroom for the child. Name of student and teacher on the bag. But...that was years ago and I can't imagine stores providing this service any longer.

Backpacks for the middle & high school students are always an issue. My kids would tell me they didn't have time to get to their lockers and to their class on the otherside of the building in the time alloted. EVERYTHING went in the bags to accommodate for this. Having taught at this level...and moving through the halls, students really DID have to do this. Textbooks do weigh a lot. Kids ARE carrying quite a load. Wheels aren't going to work in the hallways with the number of kids going through them.

This topic has come up in various media. We just recollect it at the beginning of school. Chiropractors, doctors, specialists have all had their viewpoints expressed.

One student told me in another country....the kids remain in the classroom and the teachers move through the hallways to get to their next class. lol I think the teachers would probably have to use carts to get their materials from point a to point b. Teachers....put on your running shoes, get set, GO!

If lockers are available..not enough to go around. Packpacks cause back and shoulder damage. Use pull cart only. One look at a teenager and you can see curved spine and rounded slumped shoulders, and know this is a kid possibly with future back problems.