Community Chat

[wildcat fan]

There are districts here that provide free breakfast and lunch to every student, regardless of socioeconomic status, because they have a majority who would qualify for free/reduced lunch.  There are kids in these districts whose parents make much more than we do, but because they go to school in these districts they get free meals.  At this time, there is an added expense to load these meals on buses to deliver the meals while schools are closed.  

What's interesting to me is how much of the free food goes in the garbage on a regular school day.  Apples, oranges, bananas, unopened cartons of milk, etc., go straight to the trash.  The fruit can't be collected and redistributed because of health codes.  A teacher put out a box to collect the apples for her horses, but was told to stop, so now the uneaten apples go out with the rest of the trash.

Then there are the closets of free clothes in the counselor's office.  One day a student came in wearing a super short skirt, so I was asked to take her to the storage room since it was my planning.  It wasn't enough to just give her something in her size.  She had to go through the entire inventory until she found something that met her fashion taste.  That's the policy. . .find something that fits, meets dress code, and makes them happy. . .while they are missing class for this little shopping trip.  (Interesting how this little adventure to get new clothes always seems to take place on the day of a test, so the policy is that the student is now exempt from taking the test.) The counselor has a group of students who meet with her each month to help her order fashionable clothes for the clothes closet.  She has quite a sizeable budget for this.  Remember when we used to get hand-me-downs?  No used clothes allowed here!  And what about Christmas?  Each year I'm asked to donate hundreds for kids so they can get new TVs and video games.  

What really gets me is not how much free food or clothes that's being given away but how much free healthcare is provided.  How many kids in one district have gotten free braces?  free cleanings every month?  free health screenings?  free physicals to play sports?  free medicine?  I have to pay for all of that for my kids, and I have to schedule those appointments outside of school hours or take off from work.  Here the doctors and nurses come to school for all the students on the list.  It's another free pass to get out of class and an exemption from any missed assignments.

Apparently, kids today just can't do without, unless their parents don't qualify for the freebies.  

[KKJ]

ITA with you Wildcat fan on all of this as I work in the school and see it as well. Free healthcare, free dental and one other thing is eyeglasses. What irks me is when people don't have to pay for it themselves they have NO regard for it. Example of this is the kids are always losing or breaking their glasses and the parents don't care. Library books are lost all the time and parents or guardians are supposed to pay for them but they don't and they don't care.

[wildcat fan]

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@KKJ wrote:

ITA with you Wildcat fan on all of this as I work in the school and see it as well. Free healthcare, free dental and one other thing is eyeglasses. What irks me is when people don't have to pay for it themselves they have NO regard for it. Example of this is the kids are always losing or breaking their glasses and the parents don't care. Library books are lost all the time and parents or guardians are supposed to pay for them but they don't and they don't care.

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I forgot about the free eye exams and glasses @KKJ I see the broken glasses (and free replacements) all the time.  And I see the forgiven lost book fines--everybody else gets numerous reminders about how they can't go on the field trip until they pay for the lost books, but if the student's name is on the list of free/reduced lunch, the fine is forgiven.  

When will it stop?  The majority I've observed don't appreciate it.  They expect it.  They demand it. . .while all the rest of us are paying for it it, and we're labeled "insensitive" (or worse) if we question it.

[KKJ]

Exactly!  I couldn't agree more!

[RetRN]

So many thousands of people struggling to meet their own needs. And then they are expected to take care of others, I don't get it. People are scrimping to get by with their food and medications, they are really struggling. Then they are supposed to help out people who are lazy and greedy and abuse the system, living for anything they can get free. There is no reason that so many people can not take care of themselves. Of course there are people who have fallen on hard times that many of us are more than willing to help. but jeez.

[novamc1]

One sure way to perpetuate the poverty cycle would be to send kids to school hungry and let them leave hungry in the afternoon.

I remember how hungry I used to be when I'd get home from school.  Would go through the kitchen like a locust, even though I'd had a full lunch. 

Kids can't focus on school lessons with empty stomachs and no energy.  Reportedly, this is one reason many students  feel compelled to drop out and  go to work to get food on the table at home.   Or worse, they turn to gangs and crime, after which we can expect to feed them three times a day in jails and prisons.

[LindaSal]

No one wants to see children go hungry but there is too much fraud and abuse in the system.   Too many are getting these subsidies that don't need them costing the rest of society a great deal.  I worked with another dental assistant years ago, yes she was a single mom but was making good money and drove a brand new car.   Every week she would stop at the food kitchen and fill a grocery bag over capacity.  I was mortified and asked her why she did that.  Her response was "because I can"  .  Just sayin.

[FiddleDeeDee]

I reside in one of the wealthiest counties in the US. The number of hot lunches AND breakfasts AND snacks (open to all children upon entering school in the morning and served during first period or homeroom once in middle and high school) is in the THOUSANDS. For JUST my county. I am involved in community outreach and am asked "who" is getting these meals....there are no POOR people in our county. 

Oh really? You have no idea how many households are struggling. They may be living in a huge house on the hill but are in debt because of layoffs, medical bills, divorce....who knows. The image is of wealth but the reality is....they have nothing. The "unseen" are just that....tucked away in areas that the majority don't see (and often don't want to). They shop out of the county because they can't afford to shop at any of the stores IN the county. Their food comes from the county food bank ("we have one of those?!" I am asked all the time) and often their only care comes from the ER. Many are proud and refuse assistant (especially the elderly) and yet, what anyone receives is NOT ENOUGH TO SURVIVE ON. I stress that because it's such a small amount.

These children did NOTHING other than to be born into a situation that can't provide them basic nourishment to grow, stay healthy and be educated. Often their parents are no capable of basic care and grandparents are doing the best they can with what little they have. Children make up the highest number of those homeless and malnourished; feeding them a hot lunch is the LEAST we as a society can do.

Currently my county is making hot lunches possible via drop off points (assigned HS's in the county). This also provides school nurses to check on the health of these children especially if there are issues at home (issues that are magnified in a situation such as we are experiencing now). The county is also able to pass out educational aides to them that they normally would only have access to in a classroom (since school is closed for the year).

Though I don't believe in any way that what we serve for "hot" meals is all that nutritious, It is for many, the ONLY food they will get that day.  Those of us who can afford to feed, clothe, house and buy things without it being a MAJOR concern are very, very fortunate. 

[Greeneyedlady21]

I think some people here would be shocked at how much of their money goes to breaks and perks and handouts for rich people. And how many of those rich people don't pay their fair share in taxes, thus increasing the tax burden on the middle class.

That will only increase with this pandemic situation. Most of those rich people don't turn around and help others with that money or create jobs with it, it goes into their own pockets. That has been the case for a very long time too. Perhaps outrage should be more evenly spread around.

[KKJ]

I have no issue with feeding the kids as yes, they can't learn w/o proper nutrition. I do have a problem with lazy so-called parents doing NOTHING to help their kids at home. I can't tell you the number of parents or guardians that complain we aren't doing enough to help their kids at school all the while they won't even read a 2-page book to them at home.or help at all with any schoolwork. There's only so much teachers can do during the course of the schoolday, and for many that is ALL the learning a kid gets.  Parents take NO responsibility for their kids anymore.