Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Free or reduced lunch for children of illegal immigrants

snowy · 03-06-2008, 08:44 AM

I have actually worked in an elementary school where illegal immigrants were among the registered students.

Guess what? They're just kids. Regular kids. Regular kids whose parents work so much at low-paying jobs that it's often hard to find time or money to put food on the table.

For many of these kids, the meal they receive at school is the ONLY meal they get all day.

Regardless of how they're in this country, they should be fed and educated. If we want these people to truly improve their living situations, and get out of poverty--regardless of whether it's here or in Mexico--those children should be taken care of. Furthermore, a LOT of kids of illegals are LEGAL American citizens. So don't presume that just because you see a kid with brown skin that he must be illegal, and don't presume that because his English is shaky and his mom doesn't speak it at all he must be illegal.

Could you really say no to feeding a child if it came down to it? I don't think so.

And don't get me started on the tangled mess that is the free/reduced lunch program. It's basically an extension of the farm bill, and is meant to subsidize farmers as much as it's meant to feed kids. Parental tax money is really, really irrelevant here, as the income requirements for free lunch in particular mean that the parents typically are so poor as to not pay taxes in the first place--regardless of citizenship.

03-06-2008, 08:44 AM	#11 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	I have actually worked in an elementary school where illegal immigrants were among the registered students. Guess what? They're just kids. Regular kids. Regular kids whose parents work so much at low-paying jobs that it's often hard to find time or money to put food on the table. For many of these kids, the meal they receive at school is the ONLY meal they get all day. Regardless of how they're in this country, they should be fed and educated. If we want these people to truly improve their living situations, and get out of poverty--regardless of whether it's here or in Mexico--those children should be taken care of. Furthermore, a LOT of kids of illegals are LEGAL American citizens. So don't presume that just because you see a kid with brown skin that he must be illegal, and don't presume that because his English is shaky and his mom doesn't speak it at all he must be illegal. Could you really say no to feeding a child if it came down to it? I don't think so. And don't get me started on the tangled mess that is the free/reduced lunch program. It's basically an extension of the farm bill, and is meant to subsidize farmers as much as it's meant to feed kids. Parental tax money is really, really irrelevant here, as the income requirements for free lunch in particular mean that the parents typically are so poor as to not pay taxes in the first place--regardless of citizenship. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau Last edited by snowy; 03-06-2008 at 08:46 AM..