jvc wrote on Dec 2, 2008 6:32 PM:What happen to the adage of there is no free lunch in America that the Conservatives talk about?

when is dinner free wrote on Dec 2, 2008 6:47 PM:I worked for San Marcos school nutrition in 2005/2006 and the numbers were HIGH. Did not matter of the economy then. Yes, the kids got both breakfast and lunch every day. Can't help but wonder how these kids will be raised when their parent(s) can't feed them meals....oh wait, yeah I know how. Suggestion = PEANUT BUTTER & JELLY

repeal the 14th wrote on Dec 2, 2008 8:01 PM:amendment now

Skip wrote on Dec 2, 2008 8:34 PM:My wife and I pay $600 a month for our daughter to attend private school, and she is only in the 4th grade. So how do you think we feel knowing our tax dollars are going into the bottomless pit of public education. There are so many kids getting free meals and we know a lot of them are Foreign Nationals, or kids who will not graduate, or kids of parents who just take advantage of a free meal subsidy.

And then I have to listen to the California teachers union constantly saying how California does not spend enough on students. The same teachers union who donated 1.3 Million dollars to proomote gay marriage on NO on 8.

My wife and I are not rich. I am enlisted in the military, and she works for the public school system as a special ed teacher.

Scooter wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:00 PM:Maybe I didn't see it in the article, but can someone let me know what qualifies a child for free or reduced price breakfast/lunch?

Doesn't seem real fair to me to let just some of the kids get this perk. Even without the knowledge of what qualifies for this, it is starting to sound racist to me, as I am sure it singles out a certain group more than others (low income, single parent, too many kids, etc.).

I'm just guessing though. I'm sure someone will set me straight......

Karl wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:00 PM:jvc
[-] wrote on Dec 2, 2008 6:32 PM:

Conservatives have no voice in California silly rabbit!

Peace

Syl wrote on Dec 2, 2008 9:42 PM:California public schools which just a few decades ago were considered the
nation's finest now degraded into little more than free babysitting --
free breakfast and lunch included -- for millions of illegal aliens'
offspring. (Meanwhile, the children of U.S. citizens are regularly denied the same benefit because their parents can't lie on the free lunch applications.)

RESEARCH IT YOURSELF!

Title 1 Schools wrote on Dec 2, 2008 10:00 PM:A Title 1 school, meaning that its students average lower socioeconomic and income levels.

Title 1 schools are on the free breakfast and free lunch program. When I say free breakfast, I’m not talking a glass of milk and roll — but a full breakfast and cereal bar with fruits and juices that would make a Marriott (hotel) proud. The waste of this food is monumental, with trays and trays of it being dumped in the trash uneaten. (OUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK).

MVet wrote on Dec 2, 2008 10:42 PM:Therer is only one set of numbers that matter to me.

What is the per centage of Free lunches and breakfasts, that are given to Foreign Nationals and the offspring of Foreign Nationals.

Will someone please answer that question? California has more Illegal Aliens then any other State, and as a Californian Taxpayer I would like an honest answer to that one question.

INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES wrote on Dec 2, 2008 11:02 PM:SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER- The application must have the Social Security number of the adult who signs it. If the adult does not have a Social Security number, write "none" or something else to show that the adult does not have a Social Security number.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability.

CONFIDENTIALITY - The information you give to the school will not be given to anyone who is not part of the school's food program. The information will be used only to decide if your children receive free or reduced price meals and to verify eligibility.

Free Lunch is great wrote on Dec 2, 2008 11:19 PM:My kids all love the free lunches - especially the burritos. Stopping these lunches as some above suggest would be a racist action against our most needy children. ALL children deserve decent amounts of nutritious food, and those who disagree are anti-child!

Gogo wrote on Dec 3, 2008 12:06 AM:This misnomer that education is free is absolutely ridiculous. It's time that county supervisors and state supervisors start putting out the cost per student in their areas so the TAXPAYER knows how much they are spending. If it was truly free the teachers would be volunteers not paid employees. Let's start turning the language around to the truth and get out of the spin on education.

Escobob wrote on Dec 3, 2008 12:09 AM:Isn't it extremely inconsistent to both tolerate and condone illegal immigration and bill the US taxpayers for the consequences in the same breath?

Think of the implications: the liberal party in your state seizes control of government through decitful tactics, puts out the welcome mat for illegal aliens in the name of "justice," resists the federal policy on immigration by enacting Sanctuary policies, raises taxes on their own citizens to cover the added burden and then bills the federal government to rescue them from their folly. Thanks "Blue States" (like Maryland) for showing us the way!

Its wrong wrote on Dec 3, 2008 5:44 AM:Just think how these kids don't eat on weekends and holidays. How many kids do we loose from starvarion after not eating for the 3 month summer break. Its a scam put together from a few bleeding hearts, give me a break. If you really think these kids don't have food at home you are a fool. They eat a school because of the convienence of not having to make breakfast or lunch.

Gil wrote on Dec 3, 2008 7:06 AM:As someone who has worked in a public school, most of those who get free lunches are hispanic. The kids who get free lunches have Ipods and new clothes. Just another example how people always take advantage if you let them.
Not to mention, the school lunches are very unhealthy....what loving parent would allow their child to eat that slop?

2nd poster here again wrote on Dec 3, 2008 7:10 AM:It's true that LOTS of this food is thrown out after the kids take a bite or two. That's why I don't work in school nutrition any longer- whatta joke ! Pay to throw MOST of the food away...AND the comments above are right on. When the school year starts, so does the flood of applications, which are all approved.This system needs a TRUE overall. It is a total rip off to taxpayers who do pay for their OWN children .Bottom line, if you can't afford to raise a child- please don't have one !! If you are so lazy you can't make a sack lunch, you should not even BE a parent.

To Free Lunch is Great wrote on Dec 3, 2008 7:14 AM:I hope you are being sarcastic. I agree all children deserve decent amounts of nutritious food. Did I miss something that you and I had a kid together, so why should I have to pay for your kids burrito. Pay for your own food, if you can't supply your chilren with the basic necessecity of food, stop having kids, be responsible you free loader. Silly me, what the heck, what is a couple of burritos when you probably get all kinds of other freebees.

PS

Do you classify a burrito as "Nutritional Food".

Scooter wrote on Dec 3, 2008 7:18 AM:Gil nailed it; Thank you, Gil. That was exactly the point that I was trying to make earlier, while still trying to get printed. This is a totally abused freebie that a certain group has been taught to take advantage of, and, as Gil said, there is no lack of Ipods or current bling (including being dropped off by the parent in the big Exhibition) in the rest the scene.

Followed a WIC couple at the grocery store the other day. She was buying steak and shellfish, while he was chatting on his cell phone! I'll bet if these "downtrodden" folks have kids they are taking advantage of the free lunch program as well.

Lunches only help wrote on Dec 3, 2008 7:40 AM:Everyone should feel proud that they get to help children eat lunch. Most of you seem so self-absorped with your own greed and wealth that you can't fathom helping children eat.

People need to think more "community" and how they can help their fellow citizens. We have way too much "I" in this society and we should be sharing what we have rather than always trying to figure out ways to get more. Free lunches should just be the start!

Karl wrote on Dec 3, 2008 7:40 AM:Something has got to be done about the food that is thrown away. If they don't eat it, take the meals away from them.

Peace

Rediculous wrote on Dec 3, 2008 8:10 AM:Too INCOME ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES, where do you think the social security number comes from. The minute the illegal alien has a child born in a USA hospital, that child is given a social security number. The parents then use that child's social as thier own. There should be no free meals period. Lazy parents take advandage. Too lazy to fix thier kids breakfast and make a lunch to take to school. As a kid, my family had very little money, I took my lunch to school. It is all the bleeding heart socialist who create these entilements that allow lazy opportunist to take advandage.

To to free lunch is great wrote on Dec 3, 2008 8:22 AM:You are a selfish, heartless person that doesn't want to help children eat. Do you care so little that sharing funding for food with hungry children is beyond you?

We should all pitch-in, help-out, and contribute to help those in need. We are all in the same society and should be thinking about one-another. I for one am happy that we feed children.

For all I care, you can shut-down 99% of the Government projects and scams and give more to the needy.

JD wrote on Dec 3, 2008 8:31 AM:I don't care to defend the free lunch program, but some of the comments here warrant a response.

To those of you whining about minorities and immigrants taking advantage of this program: you can't blame them for taking advantage of a broken system. When you make complaints like this, you are being racist. Plain and simple. This would be like you leaving a piece of furniture on the curb labeled "Free", then complaining that some "Foreign national" took off with it. You just look like an ignorant fool when you do things like that.

And to the comments saying if you can't raise a child, then don't have one... We have this thing called abortion that is used to prevent children from being born into situations like this. But oh yeah... the conservatives don't like it.

DR Oceanside wrote on Dec 3, 2008 8:33 AM:The system is always going to be worked by those that feel entitled or are lazy. The system breeds that attitude.

The politicians will pass laws under the guise of funding less fortunate when it's only for votes and to funnel these huge contracts to their cronies running "non-profit" scams. Reference our next president Obama and the public housing scam in Chicago he was a part of for years. Big $$ to his friends to build, big management fee's to "run" (into the ground) and now most can't pass health inpsection. On to the "church" that has been getting these same grants to gain support for next bleeding heart project.

As for illegals, if you break the law once, it seems logical that breaking it a second time, and/or being able to justify to continue to break laws, work the system would be more likely. What are you suddenly gonna grow a conscious and turn yourself in? Not the nicest role model's for their kids. Sad. These kids on the free lunch are not the problem. It's the parents and system that has allowed it to come to this...and the wheel goes round and round...

Scooter wrote on Dec 3, 2008 8:56 AM:To "Lunches only help"; It would be nice to feel great about helping our "fellow citizens", if only it wasn't the same group always out on the dole! This has very little (if anything) to do with kids who have no food to eat, and everything to do taking advantage of the system! Do you think for one minute that if Mervyn's offered free clothes this same group would not also be there when the doors open? Where does it stop?

Remember hurricane Katrina? Remember all the poor folks who waited for help, then waited for assistance, then waited for the government to keep taking care of them? These people have been used to being taken care of for so long that they can no longer take care of themselves! No difference here.

Take responsibility for your own family and don't expect the rest of us to feed/clothe/bathe/raise your kids. I do what it takes to raise mine, and I don't expect you to do it. That is called being a responsible parent (and citizen).

Single mom wrote on Dec 3, 2008 9:27 AM:How is it fair for my three children and me? My sole income fluctuates from 2200. to 2500. a month and for this my children get reduce lunch. This just adds to my expenses. Yeah its true many people cheat the system and others have to pay the consequences. That’s just the way it is. Too much disorganization, hatred, lack- of moral and pain in this crisis my prayers go out to those who are blinded by all this. Bless the children.

Key word is need wrote on Dec 3, 2008 9:38 AM:For those of you using the word "need", (Free lunch is great),is exactly the problem. Who determines what "need" is. 55% of Oceanside students meet this criteria, give me a break. These kids are soooooo hungry they leave a large portion of the food and it gets thrown away. Why don't you visit some of these schools and see for yourself, get real before you make foolish statements about someone being heartless and selfish. If there were more controls and restrictions on gov programs, like this one,the real "NEEDY" would get more help, not your give everyone everything because it sound good.

to JD wrote on Dec 3, 2008 9:51 AM:my point exactly- abortion is legal. Like it or not, it can be an option .

Karl wrote on Dec 3, 2008 9:58 AM:Aren't the kids that take 2 bites and throw the rest away contributing to global warming? Bring in Big Al.

Peace

TO FREE LUNCH IS GREAT wrote on Dec 3, 2008 10:05 AM:Fifty years ago my father and mother paid for all of my and my sistes meals. father worked 7 days a week and met his opligations. I did the same for my kids.(I to worked six to seven days a week) My son the same. If you are unable to feed and suport your family you are a poor example of a parent.