Hopefully this will not backfire

Interesting dilemma. My guess is they will appreciate it, but you are right you just never know. What a generous thing to do. I fear though, if the parents are upset for you for that, they will send their son the wrong message. If somebody offers to help, in cases like this, it should be accepted. Why on earth should the boy have to suffer. I hope they'll be thankful. Keep us updated;)

There's more than a sub in you; you are very much a teacher. We all do these things, often. It's very likely your school as a way of handling this, as well. I've been doing things like this when I felt Id, for more than four decades, and nobody has ever complained in any way. A couple of years ago, an asnt principal told me there's a fund within the school for this and he or the student's couns would have handled it. Please don't be d about doing the right thing. Not enough people do that these days

Good for you!! Where would we be in this world were it not for compassionate hearts?I understand why you are worried--doing this can sometimes backfire for sure, but I doubt that it will since you are a sub. I'll tell you something I used to do that made this sort of thing a bit easier and less controversial. I used to go to Goodwill and thrift stores and garage sales during the summers and I would "stock up" on things like backpacks (actually, I would stock up on backpacks, mittens, tennis shoes, socks, sweatshirts, t-shirts, etc!). Then, when someone needed something, I would let them choose an item from my "box of extras," and I would send a note home to the parents explaining that it came from my Lost/Found/Extras box and the student was welcomed to it (that way there was never accusation that the item had been stolen). As someone in the school every day there were tons of ways to incorporate the lost/found/extra box into something of value to the kids so that when an item was needed, it never was embarrassing to a student. As a sub you don't have this option, but if you sub a lot, you could probably build your own "extras box" that just stays in the trunk of your car until you need it. The nice thing about this is that it costs very little. When you pass a garage sale that has a likely-needed school item, just stop and pick it up for a quarter or two. Over time, your box will become a literal treasure chest!!Keep teaching and keep loving. That's what makes our world work!

you should be so lucky to have lockers!! out here the kids don't have lockers period! it's been said that they make the hallways look cramped and dirty and then there's the privacy issues. if the parents want to complain to the principal, they need to have their heads examined. they should appreciate that there's a teacher out there that saw a need and helped out and isn't asking for anything in return. there's been times where a teacher has helped out my kids and i've appreciated it, i already felt bad about not being able to provide for my kids so when they helped out, it was a relief for me. people just don't do nice things for others anymore and that's a sad fact.

I feel that you were a huge blessing to that young man! He will remember this for a very long time. Who knows who he will help in the future because you helped him out! I sure hope that you do not get into trouble I hate when people do a nice gesture and then they are in trouble for it! Keep us updated on the out-come ,, I am routing for you!