So, I live in a city that is roughly 95% LDS, but only about 45% live under the poverty line. The school district participates in the summer feeding program where they serve free lunches to children 1-18 5 days a week over the summer. The intended purpose is to provide safe and healthy food for children whose families can't afford it otherwise.

My vent is that it seems that most of the people who are getting lunch for their kids are doing it because they think it would be fun to get free food and "picnic." The kids end up throwing most of the food away anyhow because they don't like it. I don't know if this is part of the Mormon entitlement, "oh, it's free food!" or if perhaps maybe they can't actually afford to feed their kids despite their incomes, or... either way, the whole "hey, this'll be fun, and it's free, so go do it even if you don't need it!" approach bothers me.

My opinion: What SHOULD bother you is "ONLY" 45% living under the poverty line. It really, really does not bother you that poverty is so widespread in this country that nearly half of your local school system lives below the poverty line?

It bothers the hell out of me.

I also wonder if you have gone from person to person and questioned every single participant of the free lunch program to determine each individual's motivations. Because otherwise, it seems like you're doing an awful lot of mindreading here.

I really, really do not begrudge my tax dollars going to feed poor children. In fact, that is exactly what I think my tax dollars should be used for, regardless of parental motivations.

That is all.

have children they can't afford to support, because they assume they will not be expected to support them.

I teach urban chidren. My opinion is that if your local school district is participating in a summer feeding program, there is need. Generally speaking, you are most likely looking at schools that are Title 1 and therefore have a high percentage of families living in poverty.

Yes, the families really do need the food help. There are a suprisingly high number of kids who do not get enough food when school is out, whether it's for a weekend, a spring vacation, or summer break.

And kids will always be picky about food. They will eat some of it and throw some of it away, but at least they are getting enough.

Yes. It's the families that _can_ feed their children quite well that puzzle me.

What you describe sounds like south Provo to me, where my kids attended a Title 1 elementary school. I volunteered enough in the classroom, worked on the PTA school board long enough and hard enough to know there were kids--Mormon, non-Mormon, white, Hispanic, etc., coming to school where they'd get the main meal of the day--that free lunch. THey depended on the summer lunch program as well.

One can make judgments about the parents all they want--how they shouldn't be here if they are immigrants, how and why they are on welfare, etc.--but don't judge the kids who need to be educated and fed.

One year at this particular elementary school I helped head up the PTA Reflections arts contests. Just for entering the contest and depending on which division they entered, kids received a disposable camera, a simple art kit, cool pens, etc. -- a few teachers came up and told us, with tears in their eyes, that these kids were so grateful to get these simple entry prizes (donated by local merchants or purchased from the dollar store) because they came from homes where there wasn't money for crayons, scissors, paper and so forth.

I say feed them.

So, that did sound really jerkish of me. I'm talking about the people that I know personally who take their kids just because they can, not because they need the food. I'm all for feeding poor children, yes please, which is why when I see people who I do know don't fit in that category use it, I knee-jerk to judging them and being a jerk about it.

I know someone who years ago worked in the summer school lunch program in Utah (Salt Lake Valley). I asked her if she minded kids coming through who obviously looked as though they weren't in need - like teenagers showing up in a gang and wanting lunch. She said "No, because if a lot of kids show up, the program stays. If we don't get a big enough turnout in the summer, the government funds will be cut off because there isn't enough need and then those who really have a need will have nothing. So I don't mind giving out a few lunches to people who are taking advantage of the system, if it keeps the program in place for those who really need it."

Now personally, I don't think Mormons think it through to that extent - I think they just see a free lunch and go for it. But maybe that insight will make them less annoying to you.

That is a really good point!

What are they, livestock?