Paying for school lunches

[kobe008]

This is more of a rant than anything. Our first kid will be starting kindergarten this year. We are reading through the school lunch program rules and we get to the part about applying for financial help. It gives a chart listing various income levels and whether or not you qualify for aid to help paying for the lunches. We do not qualify, which is normal for us. Then we get to a paragraph that talks about being a US citizen. It says if you or a family member are not US citizens you can qualify for the school lunch assistance. Well anyway!!! I dont qualify for any assistance myself but an illegal alien does?!?!?! Why are we catering to these people? It should say if you are not a US citizen then go home and dont come back until you are here legally.

[thekid]

Not being a citizen doesn't mean you are an illegal immigrant.

[Debt Vigilante]

Not being a citizen doesn't mean you are an illegal immigrant.

True...but you could be an illegal and still get free and reduced lunch.

[thekid]

True...but you could be an illegal and still get free and reduced lunch.

I don't have a problem with schools requesting proof of citizenship or legal immigration status to grant financial help, particularly if it's public money.

I just wanted to point out that as written, it wasn't a direct invite to illegal immigrants.

[ThriftoRama]

Even if the parent is not here legally, the child may be a U.S. citizen, if he/she was born here.

[asmom]

As it turns out, many people don't like it when US citizens get free lunches either.

[bjl584]

How much is school lunch these days? It was $1.10 when I graduated back in 96.

[snafu]

I believe this is the only meal many children in the public system get. Hunger doesn't ask parental illegal alien status; children don't make these decisions.

[MSD549876]

There's a lot more to the school lunch program

Hi. I'm a teacher at a school where most kids qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. Here are a few mistakes some previous posters stated. First off, it's not just lunch. The families in greatest poverty (according to a goverment chart) also get free breakfastc(only the poorest schools offer this).. The "free lunch" itself has two levels: free and reduced. Reduced lunch kids pay 40 cents, I believe. There are very strict rules that students are not to take extra food out with them (like an uneaten pack of cookies to feed a relative at home). The school lunch program serves a very important function that has nothing to do with hunger (though hungry kids do get a daily meal, or two). The percentage of students at a given school who qualify for the free and reduced lunch program weighs heavily in calculating federal funding for schools. The federal government does not really fund school, except special programs. A very good funding source for my school and many others is the Title I program, which allots funds for extra reading tutors, training materials, teacher aides and many other valuable needs. Money cannot be used for schoolrepairs, furniture nor for teacher salaries. My school missed the qualifying percentage by three children one year, and we lost tens and tens of thousands of dollars. A school becomes a Title I school if a high percentage of the students qualify for free and reduced lunches. That is the sole criteria. The applications are not checked against tax returns nor really verified in any way. There is a good deal of cheating and incorrect incomes are listed on the applications, but sadly, it is in the school's interest to have more kids qualify (as that is the only way to get essential programs funded). We are not in the business of verifying the applications. I believe they are sent to a government office, but they just see if the income is low enough, and if the application was filled out correctly. I am NOT sure about illegal immigrants, because I know the application asks for social security numbers. However, I know several students whom I am very sure have no papers (nor do their patents) have qualified for free lunch. At my school, most of the Hispanic kids whose families are illegal, well, the kids are often U.S. citizens, as they were born here. We strongly urge every parent to fill out the application, and to resubmit if they lose their job or have a new baby in the house. The lunches themselves also are a subsidy for U.S. agriculture, as surplus goods are used in the lunch ingredients.

[bjl584]

I believe this is the only meal many children in the public system get. Hunger doesn't ask parental illegal alien status; children don't make these decisions.

If that's the only meal that they get, then that's the parent's fault.