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Why You Should Donate Leftover Materials to Public School Art Departments, and How the New Tax Plan May Affect You

By Rain Noe - November 9, 2017

in design.edu

Years ago, I was stunned to learn that NYC schoolteachers, facing budget cuts, were purchasing art supplies for students out of their own already meager salaries. I myself would never have become involved with industrial design if my own public school education didn't involve art classes.

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Upon learning of the lack of art supplies provided to students, I began donating the unused ends of my photography studio's seamless paper to nearby P.S. 130. These are large 9-foot-wide, 10-foot-long rolls of paper, in a variety of colors, that the students then cut into manageable sizes and use for their projects. It doesn't cost me anything extra to donate these rather than recycle them, yet every time I drop them off, the art teacher thanks me like I'm bringing her some priceless gift.

If teachers are purchasing supplies for students because public schools cannot provide them, they at least ought be able to deduct those expenses from their taxes. But under the revamped tax plan that's currently in the works, they won't be able to. Here are some ways in which the current proposal would affect not only those teachers, but you, versus a corporation that might employ you:

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Surely, folks, we can do better than this. Corporations are an important part of our economy and, incentivized properly, a potential engine for growth. But if individuals struggle financially to purchase their products and services, where will we be?

Lastly, if you are lucky enough to work in a creative field that produces an abundance of leftover materials--fabric scraps, paper, foamcore, wood cut-offs, et cetera--please consider gathering these materials up and donating them to your local public school's art department. Chances are you'll find a grateful teacher who's all too happy to accept them.

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8 D

7 years ago

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Thank you for encouraging others to donate surplus materials to schools. When a local design company were about to move premises, they had the foresight to offer the school where I work, boxes of headed stationery (which could be trimmed to provide scrap paper) and an enormous stack of A1 paper and card that kept us going for over 10 years. The money saved from not having to purchase these ourselves meant that we were able to replenish other dwindling resources and invest in new equipment which we would not have been able to afford otherwise.
We were also offered 'large rolls of coloured paper' from another source (now a regular 'supplier') to which I eagerly said "Yes please!" It took our premises manager several minutes to stop laughing when he showed me the delivery. Our 'source' (like yourself) had donated several rolls of photography studio paper. Fortunately, we were able to saw them in half so that we could squeeze them into the store cupboard!

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Tom McClaughry

7 years ago

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Public schools are always crying poor but they spend more per student than private schools with far poorer results. They never have enough money, but my taxes go up the max every year to pay for teachers and all the administrators between them and the superintendent - none of which are on performance-based reward systems (unions don't like good performers, it would put them out of business).
I think teaching as a profession should not be extended to anyone who is under the age of 40 who has not worked in the private sector for at least 10 years. Schools are almost totally devoid of teachers with experiences outside of the shelter of academia.

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