I don't even know what to say.

[mhsjax]

While I think it was wrong that nobody at the school offered her something, I agree with this. She had the "breakfast" sticker on her bag, so like someone else said... obviously the mom cares.

I don't think I've eaten breakfast in thirty years! I know my mom used to try anything and everything to get me to eat, but I would have none of it.

I don't know that the sticker indicates that the mom cares, At our school, they school itself places stickers on all sorts of things< I bet the school did it as a way of flagging the child, not the mother

 

[JLKennedy]

You can't blame the school...it's the parent's responsibilty to make sure their child is fed. I understand that they are on some type of subsidy in order to get the free meal, but come on, 1/2 dozen frozen bagels are 99 cents.

And before anyone gets too zealous, yes, the school should have items readily dispensable for the child who shows up late, ex. breakfast bars, piece of fruit or a bagel.

 

[shortbun]

Our school district feeds more than half breakfast and lunch daily because they would not eat otherwise. This is according to the economic status of these families who do not have food in their homes. Have you seen the price of milk and cereal? Late children are always fed here. 1/2 dozen frozen bagels may be $.99 but many people in the inner city have no grocery nearby nor free transportation. I don't mean to be snarky but some of you guys just don't get it. These people have NOTHING and if you are starting with NOTHING, 6 frozen bagels don't go very far. That just may be dinner.

 

[JLKennedy]

Not to argue with you, but "those" people get something. It may only be the 1st of the month, but you make it last. I've seen the food stamps abused way too much in my life, former grocery store checker in HS. I think if you are on a subsidy, you should be forced to purchase certain things, like on WIC...which "those" people likely qualify for too, so the milk argument is moot, assuming naturally that they are on WIC, if they're not, yes, milk can be expensive. I am able to purchase 2 gallons for $4.98 retail grocery store in NJ, but can cut it in 1/2 with my warehouse club (which I understand not everyone has or can afford).

I'm just saying, there's a lot of fault pointing to the schools, but no one is ready to blame the parent? I will do without food before my kids will, it is that simple for me.

 

[4greatboys]

Why in the world do they give PreK tardy slips??/

Since they were already late it would have taken 5 more minutes to grab something to eat

Our school (prek - 3rd) gives out tardy slips to any kid who is late, any age. Once they get so many they have lunch time detention.

 

[Cindy B]

Our school district feeds more than half breakfast and lunch daily because they would not eat otherwise. This is according to the economic status of these families who do not have food in their homes. Have you seen the price of milk and cereal? Late children are always fed here. 1/2 dozen frozen bagels may be $.99 but many people in the inner city have no grocery nearby nor free transportation. I don't mean to be snarky but some of you guys just don't get it. These people have NOTHING and if you are starting with NOTHING, 6 frozen bagels don't go very far. That just may be dinner.

MTE! None of my parents drive, they all walk. The parents (and the kids) are at the mercy of the city bus schedule. All of my kids and parents are on assistance so after the 15th or so, it gets rough.

My students have nothing and start with nothing. They have uniform (public school) subsidies, free backpack, free school supplies, free breakfast, free lunch, free afterschool tutoring (two different programs) and other free services.

Even with all the handouts (and yes there are may handouts), they still have nothing. I have kids with no coats or gloves.

The homes are rough - think of old twin homes with no windows-- they were busted out ages ago, and there is plastic film or a gaping hole. Kinds crawl through a boarded up door to get inside their house.

Don't even talk about electricity or even running water. Sure you can buy the bagels for 99 cents, but what if the family doesn't have electricity or running water in thier homes? I had a kid tell me the other day he woke up with no electricity. He then told me that his family had to wait for the 15th to get the light s back on. Until the lights came back on, the student was staying at a family members house.

It isn't that simple. These people are so horribly poor it is hard to understand and or comprehend.

But for the most part they are the most polite boys and girls you have ever seen -.

 

[NewCrew42]

I taught about 20 years ago, high school. I had students who didn't have any breakfast. It seems like at the high school, we didn't have the free breakfast program. I used to buy the generic brand pop tarts for my students. This was on a starting teachers salary. Many of my students came from extremely poor home like you mentioned. One of my students was in trouble with the police. I was talking to him about it, and telling him if he got into trouble one more time that he would probably spend time in jail. He then informed me that he would be glad to go to jail. He would have electricity, running water - hot & cold, color TV, heat & air, and 3 meals a day. That his life would be greatly improved by going to jail. Well, I decided to drive by where he lived that day after school, and to be honest jail would be a HUGE improvement to where he lived.

 

[Cindy B]

I taught about 20 years ago, high school. I had students who didn't have any breakfast. It seems like at the high school, we didn't have the free breakfast program. I used to buy the generic brand pop tarts for my students. This was on a starting teachers salary. Many of my students came from extremely poor home like you mentioned. One of my students was in trouble with the police. I was talking to him about it, and telling him if he got into trouble one more time that he would probably spend time in jail. He then informed me that he would be glad to go to jail. He would have electricity, running water - hot & cold, color TV, heat & air, and 3 meals a day. That his life would be greatly improved by going to jail. Well, I decided to drive by where he lived that day after school, and to be honest jail would be a HUGE improvement to where he lived.

I've heard other people saying that as well-- that jail is 3 squares and a cot. (well, there are other things but that is the most polite).

For some kids, (my students are included in this) jail would be an improvement.

 

[Kathi OD]

I taught about 20 years ago, high school. I had students who didn't have any breakfast. It seems like at the high school, we didn't have the free breakfast program. I used to buy the generic brand pop tarts for my students. This was on a starting teachers salary. Many of my students came from extremely poor home like you mentioned. One of my students was in trouble with the police. I was talking to him about it, and telling him if he got into trouble one more time that he would probably spend time in jail. He then informed me that he would be glad to go to jail. He would have electricity, running water - hot & cold, color TV, heat & air, and 3 meals a day. That his life would be greatly improved by going to jail. Well, I decided to drive by where he lived that day after school, and to be honest jail would be a HUGE improvement to where he lived.

I've heard other people saying that as well-- that jail is 3 squares and a cot. (well, there are other things but that is the most polite).

For some kids, (my students are included in this) jail would be an improvement.

Take it from someone who teaches in the county detention center....there are a lot more negatives than positives when you're "locked up" (technically, kids are not in jail unless they are waived to the adult system).

Most kids are more than willing to go back to their former accommodations, no matter how horrid they are, less than 2 days after entering detention. Even those kids who make it through the first week or 10 days with a positive attitude (well, it's better here than where I was), change their tune before 30 days are up.

It really isn't all that great a place to be.

 

[spaceacewannabe]

why is the world SO FOCUSED ON RULES??? if there is a hungry child FEED THEM! I don't care what your "RULES" say.



Sorry, had to get that out.

Haven't read the whole thread...but I think the PP's point was that if they don't follow the rules, they'll no longer be able to feed ANY of the children because school breakfast is a federally funded program. Don't follow the rules, don't get funding, nobody eats.

I would bet (hope) that the teacher probably had food for the child. I know I keep food in my office for hungry kids, and I'm with an older age group. I also know that our early childhood room has its own kitchen with food.

Certainly the aide could have handled it with more sensitivity, but I would hope/suspect that it was dealt with in other ways.

 

[spaceacewannabe]

I'm a teacher, too. The research talks about chronic hunger, children who rarely or never get breakfast, not a child missing breakfast once or once in awhile. I stand by what I said. This is an over-reaction, and an attempt to cast a child as a victim when there is absolutely no evidence to suggest she is one. She missed breakfast that day. She'll survive, and so will her education.

I agree with this as well. If she caused the tardiness, missing breakfast is a logical consequence. That said, if she were really hungry later on, I'd feed her in the classroom.

 

[Cindy B]

Take it from someone who teaches in the county detention center....there are a lot more negatives than positives when you're "locked up" (technically, kids are not in jail unless they are waived to the adult system).

Most kids are more than willing to go back to their former accommodations, no matter how horrid they are, less than 2 days after entering detention. Even those kids who make it through the first week or 10 days with a positive attitude (well, it's better here than where I was), change their tune before 30 days are up.

It really isn't all that great a place to be.

Interesting perspective. I hear some of the older kids in my school say that the jail is "better than home". I wonder if it is the grass is greener syndrome -- or if they think jail is more appealing --if jail or "locked up" can be appealing-- because peers are there. I know some of the older kids just want to be "tough" to others as well.

I wouldn't think that jail or "locked up" would be more hopeful than their homelife. I see challenging home life situations all the time -- all 500+ kids have challenges in thier lives- so unfortunately its all different degrees of bad to worse.

Some of these students would really thrive in a different environment.

 

[Kathi OD]

Interesting perspective. I hear some of the older kids in my school say that the jail is "better than home". I wonder if it is the grass is greener syndrome -- or if they think jail is more appealing --if jail or "locked up" can be appealing-- because peers are there. I know some of the older kids just want to be "tough" to others as well.

I wouldn't think that jail or "locked up" would be more hopeful than their homelife. I see challenging home life situations all the time -- all 500+ kids have challenges in thier lives- so unfortunately its all different degrees of bad to worse.

Some of these students would really thrive in a different environment.

I'd say if 99% of my students had the luxury of a different environment growing up, I would be out of a job. One of the biggest surprises of my life came when I started to realize that the kids who were the most polite, most respectful, and hardest workers in class were the ones who had the most serious charges. Go figure?