A third of the students at Dorchester Public School are receiving their meals courtesy of the state's taxpayers. That is according to the latest "State of the Schools Report" released by the Nebraska Dept. of Education.The report states that last school year (2008-09), about 33% of the student body in the Dorchester school district were receiving their meals free or at reduced prices.
The rules determining whether students can get their meals free or reduced are set at the federal level in Washington, DC. Those guidelines are based on family size and income or benefits such as Food Stamps or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families.
Only 18% of students in the Wilber-Clatonia school district receive free or reduced price lunches, while about 23% in the Friend school district get their meals courtesy of the taxpayer.
Nearly 40% in the Crete school district get free or reduced meals.
On average across Nebraska, about 35% of K-12 students get taxpayer subsidized or purchased meals.
i am glad that i work so hard to put food on the table for other people's kids. i shouldn't feel that negative but it gets tough when i see my neighbor not working at all drawing unemployment from uncle sam.
ReplyDeletewith this many low income people, who is going to foot the bill for paving.
ReplyDeletelet me guess
i am
you never know how the tables could turn.... that neighbor could have a relative someday that will work their tail off, and your relative could live next door to them drawing unemployment.
ReplyDeletewe do our part in life. we need to stay focused on ourselves and not draw judgement on others. we all have enough junk in our trunks to deal with than worrying about others.
in short, be thankful you have a job, cause you could lose it today
The federal government and the people who vote for liberal politicians need to learn to live within their MEANS.
ReplyDeleteI suggest capping the free and reduced lunch at 15%. Reduced lunches for only the most needy. NOT free. Even if they are paying 25 cents a meal, make them pay something.
ever been to walmart and stand behind the "forenigers' who are using wic or food stamps
ReplyDeletesame old stuff
get something for nothing and let the others pay
Just a thought from a "leftie."
ReplyDeleteI'd like to know just how much tax money is used for the subsidized lunches. Hundreds, thousands? Hard to believe it could be very much. If kids are well-fed, they make better students and ultimately, better tax-paying citizens. To my way of thinking, I don't mind some of my money going to feed kids. I'm much more concerned about the wasteful Pentagon. There, you're talking some big, big bucks.
This has nothing to do with paving because these people are probably renting. If they do own their own house the will be paying just like you. Know the facts before you make comments about lower income families anonymous 7:27. Without paving this is what it could turn into, a bunch of rental houses with lower income families that do not have to pay taxes and land lords who just fix up the place just enough so they can rent it to anyone. If the paving, sewer, and new well go to the ballot then vote yes on a better future.
ReplyDeleteTo David,
ReplyDeleteU.S. defense spending only comprises about 20% of the U.S. budget -- and it is one of the few things constitutionally specified that Congress must spend money on. Save your rants for your peace rallies. End social welfare spending now.
SO RENTERS DO NOT PAY TAXES? IF RENTAL PROCEEDS DON'T FIND THEIR WAY TO THE COUNTY COFFER I GUESS THE LANDLORD WOULDN'T MIND LEAVING THE PLACE EMPTY!! I MEAN ALL THEIR GOING TO DO IS TEAR THE PLACE UP. AND OF COURSE THEY CAN'T INCREASE THE RENT...
ReplyDeleteIT SURE MAKES SENSE TO SPEND MILLIONS ON EDUCATING STUDENTS AND QUIP ABOUT THE THOUSANDS THAT ARE SPENT ON A LUNCH. IT MAKES MORE SENSE TO DELIVER THAT MILLION DOLLAR EDUCATION TO HUNGRY KIDS. AND DON'T FORGET HOW CHEAP IT IS TO PAY FOR THOSE THAT DON'T LEARN AND END UP IN THE STATE PEN.
PITIFUL!
I bet it would surprise many if it was known how many of our local "poor" farmers have also used this.
ReplyDeleteTea Party Promoter:
ReplyDelete20% of the budget? You are very misinformed but I'm not surprised.
Remember the jet that Congress kept spending money on that the Pentagon did not even want, the Joint Chiefs of Staff did not want? It finally got axed thanks to Robert Gates.
Show me in the Constitution where
$100 toilet seats are mandated.
Pie charts are readily available as to how much the Pentagon sucks out of our tax dollars. It's a lot more than 20%. Check it out yourself.
You need to stay away from the tea. It's effecting your brain. I'm being careful and dumping my Lipton tea bags in the trash.
Regards,
David.
Free lunches is not any different than farmers who get a subsidy checks.
ReplyDeleteTo the non-thinker above:
ReplyDeleteSure there are differences. One goes to a producer, a job maker, a worker. The other goes to a non-producer, a taker, a beneficiary of the state.
END SOCIAL WELFARE.
Bob,
ReplyDeleteHow about the US shelling out millions of dollars to Brazilian cotton farmers? Why are we doing this? Because the world trade organization (WTO) declared the subsidation of US cotton by the government a violation of free trade. Now we have to shell out millions of dollars and open our borders to Brazilian beef again until 2012 all because our farmers can't make it without handouts. End social welfare my eye. I say end the hypocrisy of CONSERVATIVE farmers who take hand outs and cuss welfare. The same farmers that spend hours with their tax people trying to figure out how their farm can lose money. I personally have friend who wrote off his snow mobile as a farm expense to lower his taxes. I don’t mind people taking full advantage of their resources even if it includes free or reduced lunch!
Come on, people! These are KIDS we are talking about!! For some of these kids, this may be the only "real" meal they get during the day. Should they be punished because their parents are on a lower income? I don't think so. I'm more than happy to use my tax money to feed children, even if they're not mine. And, if I'm not mistaken, the school highly encourages folks to take advantage of the lunch program, because it increases government dollars coming into the school. Don't punish the kids of our future for something they have no control over!!
ReplyDeleteIn an editorial posted at WSJ.com, the paper asserts that "government assistance programs contribute to long-term unemployment ... by providing an incentive, and the means, not to work." The editorial notes that "the Cato Institute has found that the average unemployment episode rose from 10 weeks before the recession to 19 weeks after Congress twice previously extended jobless benefits — to 79 from 26 weeks." It also notes that "the share of unemployed workers who don't have a job for more than 26 weeks has steadily increased, reaching a record 44.1% in March" -- and that the "average spell of unemployment is now 31 weeks, even though the economy is once again creating more new jobs than it is losing." Some in Congress, the Journal opines, "are slowly converting unemployment insurance into a welfare program."
ReplyDeleteAfter looking at the actual report and looking at the definitions of income used, this really doesn't surprise me.
ReplyDeleteOne of the definitions it uses is the "net income from farm self-employment".
For a family of 4: (2008-2009) the income qualifications were:
Reduced: Under $39,220
Free: Under $27,560
According to census.gov/ Nebraska Quick Facts the 2008 median household income was $49,731.
govt dollars coming in to the school??
ReplyDeletethis comes from tax dollars which come out of my pocket.
everyone should have to step up to the plate and get a job. there are plenty out there, just have to have the ambition to go get it
Cory,
ReplyDeleteYou make some excellent points.
In this corner the challenger, weighing in at 250lb., with a record of 72-2, from the former soviet union, I present...Joseph "The Red" Stalin.
ReplyDeleteIn this corner the champion, weighing in at 300lbs, with a record of 234-2, from the United States of America...Ebenezer Scrooge.
Much of this discussion smacks of class loathing. Middle class americans (who are dieing out) cursing the well-fare state for giving their wealth away, and cursing the poor (who are small potatoes compared to the money being stolen by those that "own the gold") while the real fat cats, who love the red white and blue when they are in the black, but are quick to jump in the sack with the reds when they offer slave labor, are shipping the jobs out of country, cost the country billions with their stock market scheming. The scheme that also includes the speculation on agriculture futures which help and hurt the farmer. Scheming that has led to the housing bubble the nation is experiencing.
So what's a guy to do? Well the answer is not in Republicans or Democrats and their faux matchup bought and paid for. No, that game is rigged. Join the commies? No, been there done that. How about a new system with a third choice, born out of the middle class, with term limits and restrictions on campaign contributions, so the Reps and Dems cannot steal the issues. PERHAPS THIS NEW SYSTEM WILL NOT FORCE THE POOR TO EXCEPT GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS AND WILL INSTEAD PAY THEM A LIVING WAGE...PERHAPS IT WILL ALSO ALLOW THE HONEST AND HARDWORKING MIDDLE CLASS OF THIS COUNTRY TO EXERCISE VIRTUE AND GENEROSITY BY ALLOWING THEM TO CHOOSE TO GIVE RATHER BEING TAXED TO DEATH. PERHAPS THIS NEW SYSTEM WILL INSPIRE EVERYONE TO RAISE FAMILIES THAT ARE CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING THIS GREAT NATION.
One things for sure...Bickering amongst the people in Dorchester or similiar communities about whose getting over on who is ridiculous and pathetic when compared to the real issues. I mean we're talking about school lunches!
Ebenezer better quit crying about Joseph The Red, unless Ebenezer wants to get right or should I say left...Anyway you get the point, they're on opposite sides of the spectrum and the answer is in the MIDDLE, who need to mobilize soon!
Did it ever occur to you that all of the children on free and reduced lunches are not from poor families? Yes, many are children who have parents that are business owners or farmers who have enough write-offs to put them in the bracket which allows them to qualify for free or reduced meals. If you don't believe it, check it out for yourself!!!!!
ReplyDelete