Is using fabric scissors on paper really that bad?
Our position, and the quilting-community consensus.
Our position
Not a purchase mistake, but the single most expensive habit in a sewing program. A good fabric scissor costs $25+ and lasts 20 years. One session with a construction-paper project on that scissor and it cuts fabric like a butter knife forever. Label every scissor, color-code the handles, and police it relentlessly.
Other voices
Reputable sources worth reading before you decide. Labels reflect our honest read of each source's general stance, not direct quotes.
Quilting community traditions
Broadly agreesEvery experienced quilter labels their fabric scissors. Ask in any quilt shop - the story is universal.
Gingher / Fiskars fabric scissor care guides
Broadly agreesThe premium fabric-scissor brands publish care guides that explicitly say 'never cut paper.' They would not include the warning if it were not a real failure mode.
Budget classroom realities
Nuanced / mixedIf the scissors cost $5 and replacement is cheap, enforcement matters less. The rule scales with scissor value.
Just-buy-new advocates
Pushes backSome teachers say it is easier to just replace the $5 scissors each year than to police the rule. In a chaotic classroom, they might be right.