Gov. Martin O’Malley listened to the local elected officials and 23 organizations he heard from last month asking him to increase state funding for a program that feeds breakfast to students at needy schools.
O’Malley announced his recommendation this week for $1.8 million to be added to the state’s budget for Maryland Meals For Achievement, which provides free breakfast for all students in their classrooms in schools that qualify.
This school year, the state is spending $3.38 million for services that provide breakfasts to 33,000 students at 271 schools.
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19 comments:
Shame on him. How dare he give food to kids
I could feed them for a lot less. Do the numbers. 3.38 million and an additional 1.8 million is 5.18 million to serve 33,000 kids. They must be getting better food than I.
I'm getting sick and tired of feeding someone elses children when I am having difficulty feeding mine. You breed em, you feed em!
So we feed them lunch at school and now breakfast. What are they doing with the food stamp money they get? Not to mention some of them getting WIC also.
"Alex said...
Shame on him. How dare he give food to kids
January 19, 2013 at 3:31 PM"
Don't you think it's a parents responsiblity to feed their own child Alex? Take it one step further and don't you think a responsible sensible person waits until they are financially able before even considering having a child?
And don't start with the "it could happen to anyone" line because that is BS. The majority of these children are the illegitimate offspring of useless "baby mommas" and even more useless sperm doner's.
They sell them 3:59. That or sometimes unscrupulous store owners will trade them for pennies on the dollar for alcohol and cigarettes. They also hit up food pantries and sell the boxes of food they get. A relative happens to teach in an elementary school in a low income area. She sees it all the time.
I was 'adopting' a student of hers for years for Christmas and purchasing presents and other items thoughout the year including haircuts, summer clothes, school supplies. The child lives with the grandmother. The items would usually disappear. The drug addict father would sell them, even such things as socks!
I gave up buying. I continue toperiodically "spy" on the family via Facebook and Md case search and they are a mess-in and out of the court system. Not so long ago one was looking to buy some food stamps because a child's birthday was coming up.
All they ever talk about is getting F-ed up and how they need a night out. Once in awhile one will get a job. Lasts about 3 days. Sometimes they can't even come up with $100 to bail someone out of jail and are asking for bail money on Facebook.
It's a cycle and until they are made to be responsible they won't be. Partying and what they perceive to be a good time is more important than buckling down and doing what is responsible.
Serving breakfast also takes away from their actual learning time. Which reminds me of my place of employment. My co-workers arrive & clock in, then microwave their breakfast & eat when they are supposed to be working. Both the kids & adults could eat before they leave home.
While I whole heartily agree with 3:49, I am proud that the school my children go to, every one eats breakfast. There are no questions, if they are hungry they eat.
While I would love to see more money being devoted to a more challenging curriculum, I will take what I can get from the state regarding our schools. Having taught for a few years (in abnother area), I have seen first hand how a hungry child learns. It is not pretty. That being said, being a staunch CONSERVATIVE, no matter their parents choices, we must provide them the basic means for learning and that is not going hungry. We must not be that 3rd world country.
Our only hope is to break the cycle of neglect and abusing the system. Can society do this??
The question is how do we break this cycle???
Can it be done in public schools? Should this be done in public schools?
I am sorry to ramble, but this conflicts me so much. While I would hate for a kid to go hungry...BUT..when is enough, enough..?
If they are school aged children they should cut their food stamp benefits and they can get their breakfast and lunch at school. If they live near a bus stop then bus them for free to a soup kitchen and let them provide dinner. The buses I see only have a few people on them anyway. You don't have to let people go hungry but you can make it a little inconvenient for them.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
So we feed them lunch at school and now breakfast. What are they doing with the food stamp money they get? Not to mention some of them getting WIC also.
January 19, 2013 at 3:59 PM
We also feed them dinner as well. I guess you didn't know about that free program.
Some after school programs are now providing dinner and some other programs provide snacks for kids to take home for the weekend. So for however many kids in a family being fed at school, food stamps should be reduced that amount. What is unfair about that?
Anonymous Alex said...
Shame on him. How dare he give food to kids
January 19, 2013 at 3:31 PM
Alex is to stupid to realize that O'Malley has his hand in Alex's pocket.
Alex if you are not that stupid then speak up and volunteer to pay my taxes.
January 19, 2013 at 4:19 PM
A kid would not go hungry is their lazy parents would get a job.
A kid would not go hungry if their stupid parents would abstain from sex.
If you can't feed them then don't breed them. These Obamaphone Thugs are smart enough to use the system to get more money for producing more kids.
If you really want to be fed up, spend a few days observing what happens to the breakfast food that is being given to many/most of the kids. It is unwrapped, played with then tossed in the garbage. Then to top this ungrateful behavior off, they will give attitude to the adults on duty that suggest they clean up their eating area, as we require all the students to do.
4:55 is absolutely right. I have done breakfast and lunch duty in an elementary school and it happens everyday. Also even if you get free or reduced meals you can get in line and spend up to $1.50 (of your own money)on chips and ice cream. After getting your free lunch, that is usually thrown away.
Oh BULL! In a previous job, I have watched UMES employees pull their cars up and load food into their trunks. Why bother bringing the kids into this?
Believe it or not quite the liberal Jon Bon Jovi has the best idea and omalley would be best served to follow Bon Jovi's model than to continue on being an enabler to these people and in reality doing a disservice to them in continuing the cycle of poverty.
Of course Bon Jovi is a genius whereas omalley's intellect level can be debated.
But anyway Jon Bon Jovi's Soul Foundation operates what they call Community Kitchens. There are no prices on the menu but you must either give a donation or volunteer to receive a meal. They do other charitable works also but it's all a "tit for tat" type of thing.
The local soup kitchens should follow his model also what they are doing now is helping no one.
People don't value what they don't have to pay for or contribute to in some way. It isn't the kids fault. The parents are irresponsible and should have to chip in either time or money.
Don't forget about school uniforms. Dr. Freddy is footin' the bill for school CLOTHES now too!
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