On The Topic Of School Lunch Shaming

[Vetalia]

The poverty line is not all-encompassing as a measurement of being poor, and doesn't take into account certain things necessary for maintaining work in the current era. Internet service, for example, is treated as a luxury, despite most companies using online benefits/pay/training/form/leave management these days (all three of my last jobs used some form of it). Libraries aren't always open when the parents are able to go, and aren't secure anyway. Transportation is also not considered when determining eligibility, and, depending on location, housing, even cheap housing, may not weigh heavily enough.

I'm not talking about the relative level of comfort, nature or poverty internet access or anything else you're rambling about, I'm talking about the ability of people earning over the poverty line to pay for their kids' lunches. I have no doubt families above the poverty line can find time to make and afford lunch for their kids or pay for their lunch debt at school.

And seriously, unless you're truly, utterly impoverished none of these things apply in which case free lunches would apply anyways.

[Bear Stearns]

This where some of my upbringing shows. My high school's kitchen had a professional chef. Dang.

how?

Prep school

[Bombadil]

The poverty line is not all-encompassing as a measurement of being poor, and doesn't take into account certain things necessary for maintaining work in the current era. Internet service, for example, is treated as a luxury, despite most companies using online benefits/pay/training/form/leave management these days (all three of my last jobs used some form of it). Libraries aren't always open when the parents are able to go, and aren't secure anyway. Transportation is also not considered when determining eligibility, and, depending on location, housing, even cheap housing, may not weigh heavily enough.

I'm not talking about the relative level of comfort,nature or poverty or anything else I'm talking about time. I have no doubt families above the poverty line can find time to make and afford lunch for their kids or pay for their lunch debt at school.

Maybe they're those people who have to take a two hour bus to get to their second low paying job.

[Vetalia]

I'm not talking about the relative level of comfort,nature or poverty or anything else I'm talking about time. I have no doubt families above the poverty line can find time to make and afford lunch for their kids or pay for their lunch debt at school.

Maybe they're those people who have to take a two hour bus to get to their second low paying job.

How often does that happen, seriously? I want to see statistics and I want to see why people making over the poverty line can't afford to drive to work even though used cars are more abundant and cheaper than ever even considering the damage done by Obama's "Cash For Clunkers". I wonder if most of those sad parents taking the bus to work had multiple DUIs or suspended licenses due to lack of insurance?

[Rojava Free State]

how?

Prep school

I too went to a prep school. Unlike your college prep school though, my school was a prep school for prison or the graveyard

[Kowani]

Maybe they're those people who have to take a two hour bus to get to their second low paying job.

How often does that happen, seriously? I want to see statistics.

No clue on the travel time, but about 13 Million people have multiple jobs.

[Gormwood]

This where some of my upbringing shows. My high school's kitchen had a professional chef. Dang.

how?

Posh private prep school probably.

[Bear Stearns]

Prep school

I too went to a prep school. Unlike your college prep school though, my school was a prep school for prison or the graveyard

I actually got free lunch my entire senior year of high school on account of the school psychiatrists deeming my family life was miserable after losing a parent to alcoholism.

[Bombadil]

Maybe they're those people who have to take a two hour bus to get to their second low paying job.

How often does that happen, seriously? I want to see statistics and I want to see why people making over the poverty line can't afford to drive to work even though used cars are more abundant and cheaper than ever even considering the damage done by Obama's "Cash For Clunkers".

I'm hardly going to do this research to the level you require but look at the US rate of working poor.

From the same Wiki article..

Transportation
Given the fact that many working poor people do not own a car or cannot afford to drive their car, where they live can significantly limit where they are able to work, and vice versa.[21] Given the fact that public transportation in many US cities is sparse, expensive, or non-existent, this is a particularly salient obstacle. Some working poor people are able to use their social networks—if they have them—to meet their transportation needs. In a study on low-income single mothers, Edin and Lein found that single mothers who had someone to drive them to and from work were much more likely to be able to support themselves without relying on government aid.[22]

Regardless, I don't think it's always a case of 'they're just too lazy to make kids a sandwich..'

[Stellar Colonies]

Back in ye darke elementary school days when I still got a school lunch, I don't really remember ever hating it.

But then again, I still like Little Caesar's, so my standards are probably a bit low.

---

On the actual topic, yes.

Shaming the students for something they have no control over is certainly screwed up.

[Bear Stearns]

how?

Posh private prep school probably.

Not really posh. It was a West Coast school, where posh isn't a thing.

But quite a few children of big tech executives went to my school.

[Vetalia]

No clue on the travel time, but about 13 Million people have multiple jobs.

And how many of them are getting government benefits? Really, there is no excuse for a parent or two-parent family with a child with an income above the poverty line to be unable to pay that nominal debt for student lunches other than personal irresponsibility.

[Bear Stearns]

Maybe they're those people who have to take a two hour bus to get to their second low paying job.

How often does that happen, seriously? I want to see statistics and I want to see why people making over the poverty line can't afford to drive to work even though used cars are more abundant and cheaper than ever even considering the damage done by Obama's "Cash For Clunkers". I wonder if most of those sad parents taking the bus to work had multiple DUIs or suspended licenses due to lack of insurance?

lol i remember cash for clunkers

[Jebslund]

The poverty line is not all-encompassing as a measurement of being poor, and doesn't take into account certain things necessary for maintaining work in the current era. Internet service, for example, is treated as a luxury, despite most companies using online benefits/pay/training/form/leave management these days (all three of my last jobs used some form of it). Libraries aren't always open when the parents are able to go, and aren't secure anyway. Transportation is also not considered when determining eligibility, and, depending on location, housing, even cheap housing, may not weigh heavily enough.

I'm not talking about the relative level of comfort, nature or poverty internet access or anything else you're rambling about, I'm talking about the ability of people earning over the poverty line to pay for their kids' lunches. I have no doubt families above the poverty line can find time to make and afford lunch for their kids or pay for their lunch debt at school.

And seriously, unless you're truly, utterly impoverished none of these things apply in which case free lunches would apply anyways.

And I'm telling you that people above the poverty line have bills to pay, many more necessary than you think, that may prevent them from being able to afford school lunches, and multiple jobs that preclude having time to do so. Depending on where you live, the cost of living can get high enough that both parents have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. The poverty line, and govt benefits along with it (which free/reduced lunch is) do not always account for that. Especially when certain types of debt and necessary expenses are not accounted for.

[Gormwood]

Posh private prep school probably.

Not really posh. It was a West Coast school, where posh isn't a thing.

But quite a few children of big tech executives went to my school.

Prep schools are inherently posh. Otherwise it would be a public school.

[Bear Stearns]

Not really posh. It was a West Coast school, where posh isn't a thing.

But quite a few children of big tech executives went to my school.

Prep schools are inherently posh. Otherwise it would be a public school.

Not in America - there are tons of prep schools that are for middle and lower class people. They are funded through scholarships or middle class parents forking out their entire savings to put their kid through.

[Rojava Free State]

I'm not talking about the relative level of comfort, nature or poverty internet access or anything else you're rambling about, I'm talking about the ability of people earning over the poverty line to pay for their kids' lunches. I have no doubt families above the poverty line can find time to make and afford lunch for their kids or pay for their lunch debt at school.

And seriously, unless you're truly, utterly impoverished none of these things apply in which case free lunches would apply anyways.

And I'm telling you that people above the poverty line have bills to pay, many more necessary than you think, that may prevent them from being able to afford school lunches, and multiple jobs that preclude having time to do so. Depending on where you live, the cost of living can get high enough that both parents have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet. The poverty line, and govt benefits along with it (which free/reduced lunch is) do not always account for that. Especially when certain types of debt and necessary expenses are not accounted for.

I personally think the poverty line is too low. I know ppl whose families make like 30000 a year which is 5000 above the line, and they're living in dumps and can barely pay the bills

[Rojava Free State]

Prep schools are inherently posh. Otherwise it would be a public school.

Not in America - there are tons of prep schools that are for middle and lower class people. They are funded through scholarships or middle class parents forking out their entire savings to put their kid through.

Aren't those charter schools?

[Bear Stearns]

Not in America - there are tons of prep schools that are for middle and lower class people. They are funded through scholarships or middle class parents forking out their entire savings to put their kid through.

Aren't those charter schools?

No - they are usually Catholic schools

[Gormwood]

Prep schools are inherently posh. Otherwise it would be a public school.

Not in America - there are tons of prep schools that are for middle and lower class people. They are funded through scholarships or middle class parents forking out their entire savings to put their kid through.

Got to wonder if a prep that requires taking out a second mortgage is really worth it. Especially since there's no real standard body to measure educational standards.

[Vetalia]

Given the fact that many working poor people do not own a car or cannot afford to drive their car, where they live can significantly limit where they are able to work, and vice versa.[21] Given the fact that public transportation in many US cities is sparse, expensive, or non-existent, this is a particularly salient obstacle. Some working poor people are able to use their social networks—if they have them—to meet their transportation needs. In a study on low-income single mothers, Edin and Lein found that single mothers who had someone to drive them to and from work were much more likely to be able to support themselves without relying on government aid.[22][/i]

Regardless, I don't think it's always a case of 'they're just too lazy to make kids a sandwich..'

The working poor described by this article aren't the subject of this issue. What you describe is a whole other matter in which I would hope nobody in these circumstances would be shamed. Some people are truly poor.

[Rojava Free State]

I too went to a prep school. Unlike your college prep school though, my school was a prep school for prison or the graveyard

I actually got free lunch my entire senior year of high school on account of the school psychiatrists deeming my family life was miserable after losing a parent to alcoholism.

My mom grew up in an abusive household (her mom was the abuser) and the stress and smoking took a toll on her father and he died at only 44

[Rojava Free State]

Aren't those charter schools?

No - they are usually Catholic schools

We've been waiting for you my child WAKATA!

[Jebslund]

Maybe they're those people who have to take a two hour bus to get to their second low paying job.

How often does that happen, seriously? I want to see statistics and I want to see why people making over the poverty line can't afford to drive to work even though used cars are more abundant and cheaper than ever even considering the damage done by Obama's "Cash For Clunkers". I wonder if most of those sad parents taking the bus to work had multiple DUIs or suspended licenses due to lack of insurance?

Used cars need more maintenance, a lot of cash up front or years of payments, insurance, gas, registration, emissions testing, and cleaning. Cars are expensive, and what you save on price with a hooptie, you pay in keeping the damned thing running. Insurance, too, can be expensive even with a clean record, especially when your rent, in the fucking ghetto mind you, accounts for almost half your budget.

[Bombadil]

Given the fact that many working poor people do not own a car or cannot afford to drive their car, where they live can significantly limit where they are able to work, and vice versa.[21] Given the fact that public transportation in many US cities is sparse, expensive, or non-existent, this is a particularly salient obstacle. Some working poor people are able to use their social networks—if they have them—to meet their transportation needs. In a study on low-income single mothers, Edin and Lein found that single mothers who had someone to drive them to and from work were much more likely to be able to support themselves without relying on government aid.[22][/i]

Regardless, I don't think it's always a case of 'they're just too lazy to make kids a sandwich..'

The working poor described by this article aren't the subject of this issue. What you describe is a whole other matter in which I would hope nobody in these circumstances would be shamed. Some people are truly poor.

Aren't they, I don't know the threshold of each state.. I doubt we're talking about comfortable suburban families just skipping on bills. It's likely people who can't afford the time or money for one reason or another.