Lewis County Schools in Tennessee has already applied. They’re urging teachers to refrain from sharing personal GoFundMe-like online wish lists for school supplies. Tracy McAbee, the district’s director of schools, explained this choice. It responds to worries that lists like these could give the false impression to would-be applicants that the resources offered by the school district are plentiful.
In an astonishing Facebook post over the weekend, McAbee admitted that he’d done just that. He described a scenario in which releasing wish lists would create the perception that the district isn’t already supplying the basics every classroom needs. We’ve got to change that perception, he stressed.
“I also want to be respectful of the perception created when wish lists are shared publicly. Many donors believe they are giving items that the district refuses to provide.” – Tracy McAbee
The call for such a request has set the education and advocacy worlds abuzz. Tanya Coats, president of the Tennessee Education Association (TEA), voiced her concerns regarding the underlying issues associated with teacher wish lists. She explained how these lists come about to address needs or resource gaps that districts can no longer meet.
“The real issue isn’t these lists. It’s a lack of classroom resources.” – Tanya Coats
Coats underscored the need to support teachers, rather than limiting their access to help. He advocated that instead, we should be focusing on providing more funding and resources directly to educators. She stressed that what’s going on in Lewis County isn’t the exception. It reflects a bigger, national conversation not only about support teachers need, but about the realities of today’s classrooms.
Lewis County Schools’ approach is a departure from the implementation seen in most districts across Tennessee. As a case in point, we’ll look at Memphis-Shelby County Schools, the state’s largest district. It also manages to avoid taking a position against teachers sharing Amazon wish lists. This remarkable difference has attracted the notice of the national media, including ABC News.
By restricting wish lists, Lewis County Schools helps to further the district’s greater mission. They want to address the inequity in access to materials for teaching in the classroom. Under their official policies, employees may accept small gifts or tokens. Yet, they need to be especially attuned to how the public believes resources are available.
“Rather than just stopping teachers from asking for help, let’s focus on why they’re asking for it in the first place.” – Tanya Coats
