Posted on 01/25/2011 7:36:58 AM PST by MissTed
The debate over who should get free breakfast at school and who shouldn't is becoming the first nasty political issue of the 2011 legislative session.
Just days after lawmakers killed funding to cover the 30 cent cost per meal for some kids, there's a Democratic effort to restore that money.
It's a debate with no middle ground. State Democrats are accusing Republicans of not feeding hungry school children. Republicans are accusing Democrats and the media of distorting the facts.
At a Democratic news conference Monday, nutritionists said kids who don't eat, don't learn.
"It's been proven that money is a barrier for kids who don't eat. So they go hungry. They sit in their classroom and they chew on their pencil. Now tell me how you're going to learn if you're chewing on your pencil because you're hungry? You can't," said Leo Lesh, director of food and nutrition for Denver Public Schools.
This war of words started last week when the Joint Budget Committee voted along party lines to discontinue funding for some kids receiving free breakfasts. Those on reduced lunches who are getting breakfast free will now have to pay 30 cents a day.
"Half of the Joint Budget Committee voted to gut the funding for reduced breakfast that will affect 56,000 children in Colorado," said Representative Sal Pace, (D) House Minority Leader.
Democrats said it's a moral issue, but Republicans said 30 cents a day is appropriate.
"We're in a shortfall. We don't have money," said Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-JBC committee member.
And Republicans point out this is only impacting kids whose families can afford something. The 276,000 Colorado kids who can't afford anything will still eat free, both at breakfast and lunch.
"We are not looking to starve the children of Colorado. We care about the children," said Gerou. "Keep in mind that we represent the people of Colorado. This is your money."
"This is a choice of right and wrong," said Pace.
This week, Democrats in the house will introduce a stand alone bill that would reverse the joint budget committee's decision.
Republicans maintain to be anything but cautious with this kind of budget shortfall would be a mistake.
Cool, you can pay my share too!
The parents should feed their own spawn. Government is not the parent.
Why in the he!! do kids need breakfast at school? Aren’t these parents ALREADY getting food stamps? If they want breakfast have them pay for it. 30 cents for breakfast certainly seems reasonable and the families should be able to afford that.
I always challenge any lib that advocates policies like this (especially those who say things like “it’ll only cost you X cents a day).
So, how many strangers’ kids have you voluntarily fed,
and if it is none, then why do you advocate forcing others to do what you choose not to do?
restore the money, reduce food stamps correspondingly.
“cover the 30 cent cost per meal for some kids”
If you can pay, they charge you $5.00 for a 30 cent meal.
That seems criminal.
If the parents are paying for anything other than food with “Food Stamps” and the kids are coming to school hungry then call DSS.
Oh, I agree! It is wrong to extort money from me so that you can buy votes for re-election, you Democrat scum!
Food stamps are for mama. Let the kids eat at school.
“If the parents are paying for anything other than food with “Food Stamps” and the kids are coming to school hungry then call DSS.”
You’re a regular Mr. Judgmental, I see.
Probably a neanderthal right-winger, I’m guessing.
No Government Soup for you!
I am so annoyed. Instead of looking at Defense to make cuts, let’s cut out all food stamps, WIC, school lunches, and other things first. This is so crazy. It is no wonder that people vote for Democrats when they get all these freebies. The article slams the Republicans for trying to stop this and people are probably thinking that the Republicans want to starve children.....no we just want the parent’s to get off their butts and work. It is a very simple concept.
That seems criminal.
They have to pay for all the freebies somehow!
This little nugget is the one that most people don't get.
There is no such thing as a free lunch, if the total lunch bill for 10 kids is 10 bucks, but only 4 can afford to pay, those 4 are going to pay 2.5 bucks apiece. When only 3 kids can afford to pay, they are going to pay 3.34 apiece.
The providers WILL get paid.
Whatever happened to the parents feeding the kids breakfast at home, then giving them a brown bag lunch to take to school. That’s what my mother did for me, and what I did for my kids all through grade school.
As a responsible parent, I’ve always fed my children BEFORE they left for school.
“If you can pay, they charge you $5.00 for a 30 cent meal.”
####
See the grossly unjust US Tax Code.
This punishment of the productive and conscientious is nothing new....
Its not about the kids, its about getting more government dollars for the schools and raising more dependents that will vote democrat in the future. The food that they feed the kids in some of those schools is unfit for consumption. High in fat and low in nutrition.
I get so disgusted when I go into a restaurant and I see the sign saying “ebt accepted here”.
To me that means that I’m not only paying for MY family to eat there, but for another family that desires to eat out instead of making a meal from basics at home.
Eating out at a restaurant is a TREAT for my family.
For them, it’s a regular event paid for by others.
What we need is a government mandate forcing the pencil manufacturers to increase the nutritional value of pencils! We must create a huge government agency with massive funding!
You are so right. But this isn't about about the kids, its about creating a problem where only the government can solve. It's all about the money.
So hungry children are eating their pencils?? Thats a new one! LOL!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.