Free lunches at school

[Tinker 0]

Should we keep supporting this program? If so why?

Does your kid get FREE lunch?

Helloooooooooooooooo........way off topic again

[rika60607 215]

There are people out there, who's response to dwindling money is TO GO OUT AND SPEND MORE MONEY!!! Because it makes them feel better! Those are poor people who will never get rich (except may be by winning a lottery). What does it have to do with poor people treating themselves? Not everybody out there is a logical, well composed human being. It may be better to spend those $20 on feeding your child. But. If in your already bad situation (remember, poverty?) you need that straw to stay SANE and deal with the two jobs and hungry kids at home, and that straw is to get woman's nails done... well, you do that. Better that then going all depressed and start doing something far more dangerous and stupid.

And either way, it is in her power to have a hungry child at home, do you want to add to that and keep the same child hungry at school?

If there are reasons to believe that there is a lot of abuse of these aid programs - well, there is need for more thorough checks. But not to cancel the programs to aid the poor.

For your own rich behind protection.

Because you know what a GOOD mother will do to feed her child? With no other means possible, armed robbery and murder. Anything.

Maybe she doesn't make enough money at her job to pay for all of the groceries but has $20 left over to treat herself once a month.

At least I'm not the only one who thinks that this was a rather odd statement.

I know, right? Like here you are...a person who can't afford to take care of yourself and your fam....to the point that the gov't and people have to...and yet there's an 'entitlement to a treat' mentality.

I have to spell it out....what.the.fuque...

[trailmix 77]

The way I see it, some people in life are not perfect. For every person asking if they can use their foodstamps for nail art there may be 3 that have a genuine need for help.

I'm sure there are people who take advantage of systems put in place to help people who really need help (common knowledge).

There is no way to weed out these people in any effective manner (I don't mean blatant fraud), therefore you have to just kind of figure it in to the equation.

[rika60607 215]

The way I see it, some people in life are not perfect. For every person asking if they can use their foodstamps for nail art there may be 3 that have a genuine need for help.

I'm sure there are people who take advantage of systems put in place to help people who really need help (common knowledge).

There is no way to weed out these people in any effective manner (I don't mean blatant fraud), therefore you have to just kind of figure it in to the equation.

:thumbs:

[Disco 0]

Wow this is still going...

Ok going to add this...

I see two type of students on the free lunch program at my school: flashy teenagers and quite teenagers.

The flashy ones have iPods, cell phone, cool gym shoes, and latest pair of jeans. They are the ones who should not be on the program, yet they show off that they are on the program, announcing that they need special treatment because they are poor. Those are the people that the OP sees. And yes when we see people like this we want to cancel the program, hate lazy poor people and all the other negatives.

Then there are the quite ones. The one over there in the corner wearing their cousins hand-me-down Wal-mart jeans, no gadgets, nothing. They are embarrassed that they have to get free lunch and hide the fact that they are. They don't want you to know. They want to fit in and be treated like everyone else. They are the ones who work hard in class, dream of becoming a doctor and buying a house for thier mom. They are ones I work for. They are why we started this program and need this program.

Sure one of the cell phone students may come from a family where someone just lost a job, but again they hide the fact that they are on free lunch.

That's why I say this is complex and we need reform, not cancelation.

[Ban Hammer 13,334]

Nope I'm not bitter. I've just lived both sides of the economic spectrum that's all. At varying times in my life.

Good fortune can disappear overnite you know, Charles. Given that knowledge, it's best not to let ones 'opinion' turn to judgment.

i'm quite well aware that good fortune is fickle. i've had my checkbook under $1, not even owned a bed to sleep in, and so on. so i've been there and done that.

however, i didn't ask for assistance nor a handout. pride can motivate oneself.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I've just lived both sides of the economic spectrum that's all. At varying times in my life.

As have I. When times were rough, there were things that had to either wait or be dropped altogether. I might have looked for outside help if the needs couldn't be covered. I would not, however, ask for help just so I can have things I simply want. Seems to me that too many people confuse their wants with their needs.

[Disco 0]

The way I see it, some people in life are not perfect. For every person asking if they can use their foodstamps for nail art there may be 3 that have a genuine need for help.

I'm sure there are people who take advantage of systems put in place to help people who really need help (common knowledge).

There is no way to weed out these people in any effective manner (I don't mean blatant fraud), therefore you have to just kind of figure it in to the equation.

:thumbs:

from me too

But some programs are better then others...

Also...

Programs give to those who don't need it and then can't help the ones who do need help but are juuuuust little above the line. And honest.

Edited August 25, 2007 by Disco

[Fandango 1,439]

There are people out there, who's response to dwindling money is TO GO OUT AND SPEND MORE MONEY!!! Because it makes them feel better! Those are poor people who will never get rich (except may be by winning a lottery). What does it have to do with poor people treating themselves? Not everybody out there is a logical, well composed human being. It may be better to spend those $20 on feeding your child. But. If in your already bad situation (remember, poverty?) you need that straw to stay SANE and deal with the two jobs and hungry kids at home, and that straw is to get woman's nails done... well, you do that. Better that then going all depressed and start doing something far more dangerous and stupid.

And either way, it is in her power to have a hungry child at home, do you want to add to that and keep the same child hungry at school?

If there are reasons to believe that there is a lot of abuse of these aid programs - well, there is need for more thorough checks. But not to cancel the programs to aid the poor.

For your own rich behind protection.

Because you know what a GOOD mother will do to feed her child? With no other means possible, armed robbery and murder. Anything.

So, the gov't (read: people) are paying for her kids' food so she can get her nails done so she doesn't do something dangerous and stupid?

See, this is the kind of mentality...not this imaginary woman's...but YOURS rika....the 'excusing' mentality that really winds me up the most.

[rebeccajo 14]

Nope I'm not bitter. I've just lived both sides of the economic spectrum that's all. At varying times in my life.

Good fortune can disappear overnite you know, Charles. Given that knowledge, it's best not to let ones 'opinion' turn to judgment.

i'm quite well aware that good fortune is fickle. i've had my checkbook under $1, not even owned a bed to sleep in, and so on. so i've been there and done that.

however, i didn't ask for assistance nor a handout. pride can motivate oneself.

Does it also allow you to forget how close you were to the edge when you managed to claw your way back?

[rebeccajo 14]

I've just lived both sides of the economic spectrum that's all. At varying times in my life.

As have I. When times were rough, there were things that had to either wait or be dropped altogether. I might have looked for outside help if the needs couldn't be covered. I would not, however, ask for help just so I can have things I simply want. Seems to me that too many people confuse their wants with their needs.

Some. Not 'too many'.

Reinhard, it's pretty easy for people like you and I who have had bad times but managed to recover, to say what we would or wouldn't do. I didn't take hot lunch for my son when I could have - I also let things go that were unneccessary. I'd like to think most of the human race feels the same way.

I prefer to consider them over the ones who abuse the system. Paybacks, after all, usually do occur.

[Fandango 1,439]

Nope I'm not bitter. I've just lived both sides of the economic spectrum that's all. At varying times in my life.

Good fortune can disappear overnite you know, Charles. Given that knowledge, it's best not to let ones 'opinion' turn to judgment.

i'm quite well aware that good fortune is fickle. i've had my checkbook under $1, not even owned a bed to sleep in, and so on. so i've been there and done that.

however, i didn't ask for assistance nor a handout. pride can motivate oneself.

Does it also allow you to forget how close you were to the edge when you managed to claw your way back?

I'm guessing he remembers full well, and knows what 'rewards' he went without to do so.

[smoke20 0]

i'm quite well aware that good fortune is fickle. i've had my checkbook under $1, not even owned a bed to sleep in, and so on. so i've been there and done that.

however, i didn't ask for assistance nor a handout. pride can motivate oneself.

a lady i work with has 4 kids. her husband died 3 years ago. she works a delivery driver for my company, works 2 house keeping jobs (1 at night & 1 on the weekends). thats 3 jobs non of which pay much. i asked her 1 day "why don't you just get some kind of assistance" her answer, "i did i have 2 house keeping jobs".

[Nancy2015 2]

I've just lived both sides of the economic spectrum that's all. At varying times in my life.

As have I. When times were rough, there were things that had to either wait or be dropped altogether. I might have looked for outside help if the needs couldn't be covered. I would not, however, ask for help just so I can have things I simply want. Seems to me that too many people confuse their wants with their needs.

Some. Not 'too many'.

Reinhard, it's pretty easy for people like you and I who have had bad times but managed to recover, to say what we would or wouldn't do. I didn't take hot lunch for my son when I could have - I also let things go that were unneccessary. I'd like to think most of the human race feels the same way.

I prefer to consider them over the ones who abuse the system. Paybacks, after all, usually do occur.

I can't agree more...

If you want to get rid of a program just because there are people who abuse it, leaving behind those who truly need it, I find it sad.

[Sheri&Carl 0]

First.. The parent spoils themselves so the child should starve? The parent makes bad decisions so the child should starve? Some people abuse the system, so everyone should pay.. Well you know some people abuse the Visa process, so maybe we just shouldn't have one... Cancel it. No more K1, K3 visas... No? Don't like that idea? Why not? People abuse it! (SARCASM)

Second.. Your a single mom looking for a job.. You have an interview.. You go with your old not so nice clothes, in your junk car that might or might not make it, and you sit next to the good looking person with the manicured nails and the nice clothes. Oops looks like another month of welfare for you.. If only you had spent that very little extra money you had on some clothes and getting your nails done maybe you would have a job and not need help anymore.

Think before you speak.