City Council budget to fund universal free lunch for all public school kids

[hrmjustin]

ERIN DURKIN

There is such a thing as a free lunch, if the City Council has its way.

The Council’s proposed city budget, to be unveiled Wednesday, will include a universal school lunch program for all kids, regardless of how much money their families make.

The Council is asking for $24 million to fund the program.

Backers say the idea will will end the stigma that some poor kids feel for accepting free lunch.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/city-council-budget-fund-universal-free-lunch-public-school-kids-blog-entry-1.1765044#ixzz2zeG5obbb


Good!

[LoveIsNow]

1. I like this idea.

When public services exist only for the poor, it opens the door for the narrative that the poor are mooching off of the rest of society. When everyone gets them, people are more likely to accept them as beneficial and fair.

[hrmjustin]

2. I am sure the gop will complain about something.

[LoveIsNow]

5. They'll probably want vouchers

So you can take the money that would have been spent on your child's food and go spend it at McDonald's or something. Better than that they should eat of the bread of socialism.

[hrmjustin]

6. I could see that coming out of Rush's mouth.

They will just have to get over it.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

15. Speaking of,...

The line in The Lord's Prayer "give us this day, our daily bread".

In the Middle East they still do that. As in, the government hands out FREE BREAD to any and all who want it as is the custom from time immemorable.

[ChazInAz]

17. Butbutbut....

...is no one thinking of the poor, deprived bullies who steal other kid's lunch money?
What about THEIR needs?

[awoke_in_2003]

20. It also removes the stigma of eating the free lunch...

I cannot tell you how many lunches I skipped because I didn't want to be the odd one. I know, it is an irrational thing to think, but teens aren't always rational. I would gladly pay more in property taxes for this to happen here, and I don't have anymore school age children. K&R

[hrmjustin]

24. Good point.

[awoke_in_2003]

27. In a country with our wealth...

no child should go hungry.

[hrmjustin]

28. I agree. I wish the country would put it's resources to solving this problem.

[awoke_in_2003]

29. Unfortunately...

there is no profit in that

[hrmjustin]

30. And the owners of this country don't like to help people without making money off it.

[immoderate]

3. An incredibly smart idea. Can it pass?

I especially like that it removes bureaucratic impositions from teachers.

--imm

[hrmjustin]

4. I think so. There are 51 council members and I think 48 are democrats.

[mopinko]

7. the best thing about this-

now no kid has to be labeled as poor.

[hrmjustin]

9. Great point!

[mopinko]

11. and vice versa

my kids were in the small minority not getting free lunch. they had to bring their money daily, then finally weekly. teachers counting nickels is total bullshit. lunch tickets and inquisitors.
yeah, paints a target on the "rich" kids, too.

i strongly believe that making sure kids have plenty to eat, and especially feel secure in that, pays dividends we can never even measure.
and for what? a dollar a day?
please

[awoke_in_2003]

21. Yep...

I mentioned upstream that I was on the free lunch program for a bit growing up. The stigma made me skip too many lunches. To this day I never eat more than twice a day.

[mopinko]

22. yup

and my kids got bullied out of their lunch money.
no win

[awoke_in_2003]

26. This would go a long way...

to fixing both problems.

[Scuba]

8. Love it! $24 million to feed every student in NYC once a day is a super bargain.

[hrmjustin]

10. Looks like it will pass.

[Sienna86]

12. Would be great to include breakfast too.

Too many kids come to school hungry.

[hrmjustin]

13. We do have a free breakfast program but I agree it should be expanded to all kids.

[mopinko]

23. that has gotten popular.

breakfast in the classroom bag meals are getting common. cheaper to give them all breakfast, and have fewer problems.

[blue14u]

14. I LOVE this idea ...

Congrats to NYC for being so progressive

and liberal...



#VOTEBLUE2014

[hrmjustin]

16. It is great to have an overwhelmingly Democratic city council.

[blue14u]

19. How fortunate for the children....

I lived in NYC in the mid-80's. Some of my favorite lifetime memories were lived on the

streets of NYC... I <3 NY

Good for NYC for making it happen for all children...

not just for some there. I'm so happy...



#VOTEBLUE2014

[agbdf]

18. A great idea!

[hrmjustin]

25. kicking.

[niyad]

31. wow--a govt body actually thinking of the people??? what next?? universal health care?