Should teachers stop spending their own personal funds on classroom supplies?

[Lee-Lee]

31. Yeah, I think a lot of teachers have been lead to believe its been unique to them

I found this article that says the average teacher spends $500 out of pocket:

http://time.com/money/4392319/teachers-buying-school-supplies/

In the reality of most people doing professional jobs that isn’t unique or unusual to spend thag.

Heck, when I was a sheriffs deputy I had a cell phone that was only for work use, because using a personal phone was a real bad idea for a number of reasons. I paid 100% of that cost out of pocket, at $45 a month.

Did I have to have a cell phone for the job? No, I could have worked around it. I could have told people I encountered in the community the only way to call me was to call dispatch and have them get me to call in and patch the call. I could have delayed phone calls to citizens for only when I was in the office or a pay phone. I could have done that all but I would have just provided worse service. But it made it easier for me to do the job and gave better service to the citizens.

And that was just the cell phone expense already over $500 a year. When I looked at the ammunition I bought for more practice than what the agency provided, notebooks, better handcuffs, organizers for carrying equipment, extra uniforms, small toys I gave away to kids, and the rest I easily spent twice in a year what the average teacher did. And I made less.

Hell, as an Army Resrvist I probably spent more than $500 out of pocket on various supplies and services a year. For a part time gig.