Spending Spree
Sep 11th, 2008 by Cathy Jo Nelson
As I sit here pondering a very large order for replacement ink for every printer in my building, and realize how absolutely unrealistically expensive this is, I can’t help but think of things that suck money out a school budget.
Here’s my list:
- Ink cartridges – Why does every teacher think they need a desktop printer at the school’s expense? Yes, i periodically want printouts of material, and yes, I am probably not a god one to ask, especially considering in the library workroom there is a huge copier/network printer I have configured as a printer, and am but steps away from it.
- Text books – Textbooks are outrageously expensive too. School governing bodies mandate textbooks, and even go through quite a dog and pony show marketing themselves as the end all answer to educational woes during the selection process, but the publishing companies will say anything to get in the bed with schools. Library books are almost as bad.
- Paper — I suppose paper too, because far too many educators regardless of what best practice says still rely heavily on the printed word from the copying machine and the printers so readily available. I’m so glad I have not demanded my own printer–hey, I even gave the desktop oprinter off my desk when I had one who insisted work could not be done without one. Of course, let’s not forget how close in proximity I am to the big (practically industrial sized) copier/printer in the library. It was downright gluttonous of me to have a desktop printer.
So why do I worry and fret over this order? I think my displeasure may be linked to a suspicion that the need (dare I say strong demand) for the replacement ink has me quite perturbed on a whole different level? Am I doing anything to make those i work with less reliant on paper, textbooks, and ink? Based on this monumental order I’m turning in, I would have to say no. And that bugs the sin out me. More self induced guilt and stress.
Here’s the kicker. I have been provided the ability to equip some teachers with more 21st century tools, which really excites me. But I cannot even focus on it or even make a dent on something that may bring much pleasure to them (and me) for dwelling on my negative feelings over something as insignificant as an order for replacement ink.
So I need to know from my readers–do you beat your self up over similar aggravations? How can i wage war on what I consider flagrant wasting of money, while others feel that instruction cannot happen without these “classroom necessities?” My sheer unhappiness I bring on myself. It’s no one’s fault but my own. Could it be because I am that far removed from the classroom?
Attribution:
www.flickr.com/photos/81434653@N00/2396742489
From an administrative point of view these expensive and from a 21st century point of view it is painfully expensive…almost sickening. I understand your pain. So many people are not here yet. I gave two presentations this week and reminded the audience “The Future is Here and we need to live in it.” Some how they just don’t get it.
That’s too funny!
Our networked laser printer (low cost per page) died last year and they won’t replace it because we all have inkjets in our rooms. They don’t realize the cost per page for an inkjet is much higher.
I tried to convince them otherwise, and you see how well that did.
Chris
@Bill Gaskins – I think in future presos, i will begin including references to this wasteful spending. Somehow I’ll make it relevant.
@Chris
The technicians at the d.o. shared with me that they LOVE the HP Laserjet 4 and 5 series laser printers. They are the oldest machines in the district and don’t have the speed or “sleek pretty” exterior that the newer laser printers have, but by golly they are workhorses that are dependable. As the one who does the workorders for hardware in my building, I can vouch for the seven we have–very realizable. Another funny aside about these wasteful inkjet printers–>we can submit workorders for any laser printer and the d.o. will happily get them back in working order. But they will not touch the inkjets. They do not support them. (Message supposedly being sent–>laser printers are cheaper in the long run and more reliable. Message I think some are taking instead–> it’s cheaper to throw away that one on the desk that doesn’t work or has problems and get a new one–tsk, tsk, such a throw-away society contributing mightily to their carbon footprint.)
As it is now, we have 7 of the workhorses described above. Estimated 25 classrooms or offices have some other form of a laser printer. That leaves around 15 teachers who pretty much rely on desktop inkjets. Sigh.
Cathy,
We can use excel spreadsheets to prepare our classroom (and for me, Library) budgets, but they must be submitted both online and in triplicate paper copies.
There are hundreds of worksheets printed each day, some surely in violation of copyright laws. I provide information on copyright, fair use, plagiarism, etc. but individual teachers choose to ignore them and the district’s periodic budget cuts make such abuses almost mandatory. Of course, the issue of the value of such sheets is a whole other educational issue.
The whole paper full/paperless learning environment is something that does need to be a top down mandate.