I think you have to get together a bunch of other parents (do you all have an active PTSA?) and go wage war on the school board meetings? It does sound insane, especially the part where they stockpile. Up here in Maryland they give you a list but the teachers make it up of what they need for their class (which makes sense :-) If nothing else, instead of stockpiling I would demand X dollars and the school could buy whatever the students needed and pass it out, not have to use all that space stockpiling.

The "uniform" thing is happening up here too and I think it does help some with kids not coveting each others stuff/stealing and helping the kids stay a bit more focused instead of everyone checking everyone out; kind of goes with the schools no longer having windows like they did when I was a kid in the 1950's I guess; don't want those students looking out the window and day dreaming! I do wish the schools would get over the whole "factory" model of education though, trying to make their production line all the same ("uniform" :-) neat and tidy?