This ticks me off ( school lunch related )

[jrydberg]

Originally posted by monkeyboy
We used to take tuna fish on whitebread to school
Place in in an unrefrigerated desk for hours before lunch time

And look what happened

 

[monkeyboy]

Originally posted by jrydberg
And look what happened

 

[Mskanga]

Anyways, I'll use my family of 3 kids as an example. Breakfast and lunch 5 days per week times 3 kids is $135 per month. Even excluding breakfast it is still $87 for lunches only. This is a big expense for some families. Be happy that the kids are getting a farely decent meal. And don't begrudge the children that because of what you THINK you know about the parents financial situation. A van doesn't but food. Although the cost of the vacation probably could!

I have two children, they both eat lunch only in school and full price, I pay $46 a month for both. If they had breakfast too , that would add another $30 a month, but they eat at home because they are still in elementary.
Total cost for the year: $414 for lunch only or $684 lunch and breakfast for two children full price.

This people are paying for one child , reduced which means they pay $126 for the year with breakfast and lunch , or $72 if it's only lunch.
They don't have money to pay for food in school for one child, but they have money to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of a conversion van ( which cost more than my own van in gas alone ) and can take a DCL cruise.
As I said before I am happy that the people who REALLY need it, can use reduced or free meals, but then again because the school really doesn't check into it , there are people that just abuse it.

 

[RumpleMom]

Our school district asks for anonymous information to be reported if it is known that someone is attending who does not live in the school district.

Same kind of thing- check to see if there is a system in place to verify for free and reduced lunch. Our district requires proof. The people who need the help could be given more help, if the cheaters are eliminated.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I just wanted to add that you don't always know what people are going through. When my dad was first diagnosed with cancer nobody knew (except family and close friends). My mom and dad started really watching the budget as my dad was losing work time due to doctor's appointments, chemotherapy, etc. At the time we had a Trans Am and a truck. It would have been easy to look at all we had and not realize we were struggling. If it wasn't for our friends and family who would just drop money into our mailbox, I don't know how we could have made it through that time.

I didn't get reduced or free lunches though because I thought school food was yucky. I always took my lunch. I did have to drop out of private catholic school though as the school would not help me get a scholarship.

 

[kasar]

There are always going to be people who take advantage of the "system" it's a fact of life. My DH went to college with a guy who's parents owned a "cash" business and he qualified for tons of financial aid. Turns out the "cash" business was several liquor stores that allowed them Caribbean vacations, Mercedes-Benzes and designer clothes. What can you do? You could report them but is that really what you want to do? The schools probably know anyhow and it would just look petty and nosy on your part. Be proud that you don't have to cheat or lie - they'll get their's eventually.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

On the one hand, I agree with the OP, abuse of government aide makes me mad because I see it all the time in my area.

But on the other hand, oftentimes, people with a lot of finanial problems and bad credit have no choice but to buy a new car because it's easier to get a loan on a new car.

Also, I know I financed a newer used car, rather than buying an older used one for a few thousand out of pocket because later on down the road, a cheap used car may cost more in repairs etc. I'd rather have something I know is reliable.

I don't know how much vans run, but I got a 2 year old LE PT Cruiser for what I consider to be relatively low cost for a newer car, with an 8 year almost all inlcusive warranty. I know as long as I keep up the oil changes and other minor costs, that anything major that goes wrong with the car over the next 8 years ( the car loan will be paid off long before that) , I'm covered.

I'm far from being rich and have my share of financial problems, but getting this car was a better deal for me all around.

Just some food for thought, it is possible that they got a new car because they have horrid credit and that is all they could get a loan for, or they may have been thinking long term.

As for the trip. I don't know. Maybe it was a gift, or a prize? Or maybe they saved for years and years.

Or maybe they are just living waaaaay above their means and drowning in debt. Who knows.

Either way, I'm glad the kid is getting a good meal.

 

[Mskanga]

Jasmine , I know that all very well because the same thing happened to us when I was growing up and my father was terminally ill, if it wasn't for family and friends we would have never made it. But I know this is not the case here. I bumped into them at the home depot this summer one day , and I saw them spend over $700 in garden supplies , they can pay for that , the vacations and the nice vehicles, but they can't pay for lunch in school. This man has told me and several other people at times, why pay for something when you can get it for free or real cheap?

 

[gottaluvPluto]

It makes me mad when someone abuses the system. A fellow co-worker of mine just filled out the form last week and fudged on the application to get the free lunch. She stated that she works hard and she should not have to pay for the lunch. Every one at work agreed with her, however, I did not and they made me out to be a hearless person. I would like to turn her in, but I have no idea how. It makes me sick when people abuse the system and I see it every day I work. I need a new job.

 

[phorsenuf]

This man also spends more time not working than working, drives around in a conversion van , has three other children all living at home and all having cars , and has no problem spending days going around preaching . The wife stays home also , but neither one of them have any problem finding time to go around preaching their religion. Also this family has a DCL cruise reserved for December , but they can't pay full price for lunch for the kid!!

Why does it matter he drives a conversion van? They probably don't use as much gas as some SUV's. and if its paid for then why would someone get rid of it? Perhaps he uses it to drive seniors to Drs. appointments or uses it for other reasons. Also, if he goes around "preaching" all day perhaps he is trying to plant a church in the area. As far as the cruise, do you know the specifics? Are they paying for it? Was it a gift from their family?
It amazes me sometimes how quickly people jump to conclusions about other peoples situations. One looking in from the outside cannot possibly know all the going ons in a family.
Are you friends with these people? Do you know them on a personal level or are you basing eveything on observations?

Besides, just because they may be recieveing free/reduced lunches now, doesn't mean they are always going to. Maybe they are just going thru a little rough patch right now.

One never knows!

 

[Mskanga]

Funny thing is , I work for the food service in our school , and most people think that cafeteria staff get free lunches for their kids when the truth us we don't even get a discount. They may get an extra chicken nugget every now and then but that's about it.

 

[missyc]

Wow. I can't believe the way people are trying to justify how or why these people "get" to have a van. What's the big hang up about a CONVERSION VAN? As if it's SO out of reach or something. In this country we live in you don't have to be a millionaire to have materialistic possesions.
When did we all become our neighbors keepers? Turn them in?!

I have a neighbor like this. If there is ANYTHING you want to know about someone, everyone knows to go to the neighborhood busybody Debi! She looks up property info to see how much people pay or sell houses for, who's filed for bankrupcy, who's cheating, and probably even what they buy in the store and how much they pay too!!

 

[missyc]

Funny thing is , I work for the food service in our school , and most people think that cafeteria staff get free lunches for their kids when the truth us we don't even get a discount. They may get an extra chicken nugget every now and then but that's about it.


Watch it....you might get reported.

Oh wait...........then you might get fired.....and then you too could get FREE lunches!!

 

[JayBee]

Originally posted by Mskanga

Total cost for the year: $414 for lunch only or $684 lunch and breakfast for two children full price.

This people are paying for one child , reduced which means they pay $126 for the year with breakfast and lunch , or $72 if it's only lunch.
They don't have money to pay for food in school for one child, but they have money to pay for the maintenance and upkeep of a conversion van ( which cost more than my own van in gas alone ) and can take a DCL cruise.

I say "report them"! Turn them in! You do know how to do that-right?

 

[CookieGVB]

I try not to worry so much about what other people are doing...on vacation, and at home. It would drive me nuts, so I just don't do it.

Also, could your daughter be mistaken?

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

Why worry about them? Worry about yourself, nothing positive can come out of getting in their business.

 

[airhead]

Maybe you shouldn't worry so much about other people's situations. Do you really know what their story is,or just what someone told you? Remember,things aren't always what they seem to be....
Try to just concentrate on your family,you'll be much happier!!
Life isn't fair all the time.

 

[dizneegirl]

Originally posted by CookieGVB
Also, could your daughter be mistaken?

That was my first thought, too.

 

[Toby'sFriend]

I guess I don't understand. If he is out of work a good deal of the time and his wife doesn't work, isn't it very likely that their income level is low enough to qualify for reduced lunch.
I haven't looked at the forms for several years, but the income levels for reduced lunches used to be fairly high, especially for families with multiple children. If his religion is important enough to him that he actively works Preaching, I have to doubt he is committing fraud on the forms and there most likely is nothing here to report.

As for how they afford a van, a cruise, or home improvement supplies ---- my guess is credit but it really isn't anybody else's business. Most of the big Home Improvement warehouses ran 6 month same as cash financing deals this summer. If he thinks it is "crazy" to have a car payment over $200, I doubt that Van is worth very much. All just guesses, but there are reasons Financial details are considered private information.

I'm really shocked that your daughter knows who is on Reduced lunch. That is extremely confidential information and I don't know many kids who would share that information with other students.

 

[DukeStreetKing]

Originally posted by monkeyboy
We used to take tuna fish on whitebread to school
Place in in an unrefrigerated desk for hours before lunch time

Me, too. What a nice smell it left in the hallway lockers!