Free School Meals

[stoop]

Problem is Nichola, if you raise the wages and get rid of zero hours, etc how are you going to make those parents give the kids money for their school meals?

I understand where you are coming from but giving those on low wages enough to be able to pay for school meals doesn't mean it will happen. This way it's guaranteed every child gets a meal no matter what their parents do with their income.

In an ideal world everyone would have enough money to provide for their kids but it still wouldn't mean they all would.

[nichola]

I should have said that I'm in favour of non means tested state funded healthy and nutritional school meals and indeed breakfast clubs for children of it means ensuring our children eat at least one decent meal a day.

Because the majority of people do actually work (in spite of what we led to believe) the problems facing both parents and children are compound by the nature of the working environment we have come to accept as normal when in fact it is not normal but exploitative and increasingly advantageous for the employer at the expense of the employee.

In order to 'get on' there is an expectation that people should work longer hours and those extra hours put in can often be unpaid. People often commute long distances adding hours to the working day and in an increasingly 'open 24 hours' society the demand for people to work unsocial hours also increases.

Poorer people are more likely to end up in low incomes jobs working unsocial hours and if they are on zero hour contracts expected to be on call at the drop of a hat and those in better paid jobs will often have to travel or work longer hours.

The victims in all of this are the children and the very least we can do is provide them with a decent meal.

[Scunner]

The victims in all of this are the children and the very least we can do is provide them with a decent meal.

Yes that is exactly the point and by far the most important one. But raising minimum wage levels won't ensure this. Sadly in too many cases it is fags and Sky Sports that are the priority.

[nichola]

I think we should do both   

[stoop]

"Sadly in too many cases it is fags and Sky Sports that are the priority"

I was going to say exactly that Scunner but didn't fancy the flak last night  

[Anne]

I think 'fags and Sky sports' is a wee bit on the harsh side.  Not every parent puts themselves and their enjoyment before that of their kids.

[Scunner]

No I agree and that is why I said "in too many cases" rather than "always". The point is that often people with not much money are not always the best to decide on how to prioritise their spending. If you give people free school meals for their kids, the kids will get free school meals. If you give them the equivalent amount as extra benefit or wages, the kids *might* get school meals - and therefore it is not as effective a way of doing things.

[johntaylor49]

I just wish that poor little chap who was killed by the scum he had the misfortune to live with had free school dinners. It really breaks my heart to think of him searching through bins. I don't know how those that failed him can sleep at night. (apologies for going off topic slightly!)

Actually its worse, his mother asked them not feed him and stop other children giving him food as he head a rare eating disorder, I await her execution in Prison with some excitement!

[johntaylor49]

Been an interesting debate and given me and the lads in "The Worsley Popular Front" (Well its popular with us all in the saloon bar of the Old Boat House) some thought to our manifesto! Also reminded me of some less happy times and however tough it is now it cant come close to how tough it was for my Parents in the 1940's and early 1950's but as has been said, its our sick society where new Flat screen TV's  and New Cars take priority over caring for their children for some people. I agree it would be great if we just provided School Meals to all anyway, but if we cant how on earth can you decide who should and should not get them??

Change -- but no MP wants change, might stop their perks --- like smoking in the Bar, isn't that sick, I don't smoke any more, but why should the entire Country not be able to smoke in the bar -- except MP's! ?Aha another Debate!!!!!  

[bewva]

I think we should do both   

So Free school meals and free fags n sky sports.  

I have to agree in all seriousness that the free meals option is better than means tested or extra benefits as all children can have a decent meal rather than their parents taking the money for themselves.
I hear so many stories from my wife who works in an infant/primary school about selfish and seemingly uncaring parents.