“They always had pencils? Locker cleanup reveals students had supplies all along” by Adam, The Honest School Times, May 16, 2025

In a satirical and revealing article from The Honest School Times, author Adam explores a humorous but all-too-familiar scenario for educators: the end-of-year locker cleanout that unveils a treasure trove of long-lost school supplies. Titled “They always had pencils?”, the piece sheds light on a deeper truth about student preparedness, responsibility, and classroom dynamics.

The article follows Ryder, a 14-year-old student who, throughout the school year, consistently arrived to class without basic supplies like pencils and paper. However, as lockers were cleaned in the final days of school, Ryder discovered that he had possessed these very supplies all along—buried beneath layers of forgotten assignments and snack wrappers. His incredulous reaction, “I had pencils the entire time?” captures the ironic tone that threads through the article.

Silas, a first-year teacher, voices the exasperation many educators feel in response to such revelations. He reflects on the absurdity of a student who can repeatedly lose high-value electronics and expensive sneakers but never manages to bring a pencil to class. His frustration is not just about missing supplies—it speaks to the broader challenge of teaching in an environment where personal accountability is often lacking.

Ryder's tongue-in-cheek generosity also adds a humorous twist: he offers to distribute supplies to classmates—on the very last day of school—since he no longer has a backpack to carry them home. This mock-philanthropy highlights a common end-of-year ritual where students discard perfectly usable materials, unintentionally contributing to a cycle of informal resource redistribution.

Science teacher Mrs. Greene offers a more philosophical, and pragmatic, interpretation of the event. She discreetly collects the discarded supplies for next year’s students, referring to the tradition as the “Circle of Life.” Her commentary underscores how educators often bear the responsibility of managing classroom resources and ensuring continuity across school years, even in the face of student indifference.

The article uses humor to address a recurring issue in classrooms: the gap between what students say they need and what they actually have. It’s a call for educators to continue balancing empathy with high expectations—and perhaps to keep a close eye on the lockers next year.

Original Article

Source: https://thehonestschool.substack.com/p/they-always-had-pencils

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Prepared with the assistance of AI software

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT (4) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com