Let's get comfortable w/handouts.

[Johns]

I know that this is not going to be well received, but I just have to vent. Because this issue involves children, it will be even less popular to talk against it, just as it would be taboo to mention race during the administration of an Aftrican Hawaiian president.


This article tells about a program an Ohio senator is introducing. I think that if the program is truly targeting children that are hungry (those who's parents won't give up their cell phones, cable tv, nor painted nails), then it's a great program. However, it's the last paragraph of this article that really gets me.


I grew up in a family of 7 children, and we were eligible for $.20 lunches. Was there a stigma attached? There sure was. Was it a bad thing? I don't think so at all. My brothers and I packed our own lunches, or, if we wanted to, we'd pay full price with money we made selling eggs, beans, minnows, newspapers, and/or any other way we could figure out how to make a buck.


This program wants to remove the stigma by offering free government lunches to ALL children. What a great way to make the kids feel at ease with taking a handout...even if they don't need it. What a great way to take away the "stigma", and make the kids aware that even if bad times haven't befallen you, you can get something for free. Whatever happened to the idea that assistance was there to help you get on your feet until things got better. This is just another way our government is turning assistance into dependence.


Go ahead, blast me with both barrels...I'm ready.:o







Brown proposes expanded meals program to cover all students at schools in low-income areas

by June Q. Wu/Plain Dealer Reporter Wednesday June 24, 2009, 6:05 PM


Senator Sherrod Brown introduced legislation today that would expand access to free and reduced school meal programs nationwide to fight child hunger.
More than 700,000 children in Ohio currently participate in free and reduced meal programs. Still, the U.S.Department of Agriculture estimates that 14 percent of eligible students are not enrolled - likely as a result of the complicated application process.
Brown's bill proposes to reduce paperwork and administration costs by having school districts use data from Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program to directly enroll students in the meal programs.
The Ohio Democrat estimates that the $2 billion legislation could feed an additional 150,000 children in Ohio and 3.5 million nationwide.
Ohio ranks 15th for the state's rate of food insecurity, which measures the number of individuals who report experiencing difficulties in providing for their families.
In order to reduce the stigma children eligible for free and reduced meals may feel, Brown is pushing for school districts that serve a high proportion of low-income families to offer all students free lunches.

[braheem24]

I dont think they're trying to reduce the stigma, moreso the lengthy application which is causing children in need to recieve the help they deserve.

Either way offering it to everyone for free to alleviate paperwork or stigma is s-t-u-p-i-d.

Dont worry johns, You're not on a conservative high horse. There's empathy and there's stupidity, this falls in the latter.

[gemstone]

There is no free lunch.

[bob_f_aboc]

If its going to be offered to all students, then it needs to be offered to all students. Not just the ones "that serve a high proportion of low-income families."

The school district here offers free breakfast to all students K-12 every day in the classroom. Its pretty basic, but its breakfast. There is also breakfast available for purchase in the cafeteria for those that don't want the free breakfast.

As far as lunch, I don't think my daughter has eaten school lunch more than 3 or 4 times per year. That is usually when they have the holiday meals where parents are invited or the spring and fall cookouts.

I think the lunch that we pack is healthier than what is served at school. Plus I know that she will eat what she has.

[Johns]

If its going to be offered to all students, then it needs to be offered to all students. Not just the ones "that serve a high proportion of low-income families."

I almost see it as another way of buying votes. I can see it now..."If I am not reelected, my opponent has threatened to discontinue this program. They want to STARVE your children!!"

[Dave Nelson]

Cell phones cable, and painted nails...you left out SMOKING. Very little irritates me more than someone lining up at the food bank with kids in tow, while smoking.:angry:

[Johns]

Cell phones cable, and painted nails...you left out SMOKING. Very little irritates me more than someone lining up at the food bank with kids in tow, while smoking.:angry:

I know.

I have an urban office that is geared towards programs that help those in need because there really are a lot of unfortunate souls out there that are truly down on their luck, and have been for most of their life. Many have mental and/or physical disabilities that restrict them from making a living on their own. My dilemma is that I grow tired of dealing with the (IMO) 70% of the people that work extremely vigorously at exploiting the system, and are very capable of working, but they'd rather not.

For now, I'm going to keep the office open for the sake of the minority that need the services, but I can see it reaching a point where I won't be able to stomach it anymore, and will move on to where it's needed.

[Leo Hadley Jr]

Hey wait a minute...... I thought it was cool to get a free lunch.


Seriously though, this makes no sense to me. In my sons school they have a student ID card. This card is scanned for their lunch. I pay for the lunch online and they have a lunch account. For the students who qualify for a free lunch, they just scan the card like they do for anyone else. Nobody knows who is paying or getting it free.

[Johns]

Nobody knows who is paying or getting it free.

I think that's the point. This is just a ruse to get more kids involved w/the system.

Just another excuse to put more folks in boandage (whether they know it or not...).

[Dave Nelson]

Thats a good idea. One of the most embarrassing moments of my life was being about 13 years old, and having a charity deliver a Christmas hamper to our door in broad daylight for all friends and neighbors to see.

[Johns]

Thats a good idea. One of the most embarrassing moments of my life was being about 13 years old, and having a charity deliver a Christmas hamper to our door in broad daylight for all friends and neighbors to see.

I've found embarrassment, whether it be my social status, the car I drive, or even my weight, to be a powerful motivator.

[misty4afe]

I would like to know his name...I have connections in Cincinnati and would like to talk to them about this. This is not something I would very happy about. Call me conservative.:angry:

[Johns]

I would like to know his name...I have connections in Cincinnati and would like to talk to them about this. This is not something I would very happy about. Call me conservative.:angry:

Sherrod Brown.

[k12311997]

The effectiveness of welfare is not measured by the good it can do but by the number of people on it. government programs exist to propogate government programs.

I may have told this story before. When my (now ex) wife was pregnant we went to some baby fair. there were representatives of a welfare program called WIC Women, Infants, Children. They suggested we sign up, I pointed out there was no need we made enough money to be self sufficent and together we made well over the income guidelines. The response have my wife sign up as a single parent. They weren't interested is spending our money wisely or even in helping those truly in need, they just wanted more people on the roles.