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Original poster

So the Tories have voted against Marcus Rashford MBE' s proposal to extend free school meals for vulnerable children

177 replies

MagicoRomantico · 21/10/2020 21:36

I wish I could say I am shocked. But unfortunately this is the government we have, and it is expected that they will always do the cruel/stupid [insert unpleasant adjective here] thing.

www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/12040/12110562/marcus-rashfords-free-school-meals-campaign-rejected-as-mps-vote-against-labour-proposal

OP posts:
Janevaljane · 22/10/2020 08:27

They brought in the so-called “Troubled Families” programme in 2012 and it’s still going, though most local authorities have renamed it to something less judgemental interesting! Thank you.

SimonJT · 22/10/2020 08:27

@jakor

It ensures their family has enough money to feed the children, in line with government policy.

why not increase benefits then?

Because too many people in the UK think those who need the help of benefits deserve to be in poverty and throw their toys out the pram when someone is given something they can’t have.

Look at how many wealthy people complain that they can’t claim CB despite wanting for nothing.

Janevaljane · 22/10/2020 08:28

Because too many people in the UK think those who need the help of benefits deserve to be in poverty and throw their toys out the pram when someone is given something they can’t have

I really don't think most people feel like this.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

General education
FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 08:29

@jakor

It ensures their family has enough money to feed the children, in line with government policy.

why not increase benefits then?

FSM eligibility attracts Pupil Premium, which is extra funding for schools to support those children.

If you think the system should be changed to move the money around and call out something different, rather than make any tangible difference to families, you could always start your own campaign to do this?

jakor · 22/10/2020 08:29

@SimonJT surely those people feel the same about supermarket vouchers?

jakor · 22/10/2020 08:31

@FamilyOfAliens are you always so sanctimonious? Just because I don't think a system is great doesn't mean I need to start a new one. Good luck with your future campaigns though!

Fajitanita · 22/10/2020 08:32

Because too many people in the UK think those who need the help of benefits deserve to be in poverty and throw their toys out the pram when someone is given something they can’t have.

Or perhaps people with lived experience are always dismissed at people who assume they know best, whilst ignoring what the actual issues are?

FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 08:34

@jakor

She wouldn’t have had to if the government had awarded the contract to a company who had experience of designing such systems.

Had any government managed this? I don't understand what those in charge of procurement or tendering actually do.

That’s the point - there was no tendering process. It’s a mystery why Edenred were awarded the £243m annual contract when they had no previous experience.
jakor · 22/10/2020 08:35

@FamilyOfAliens have you got a campaign for that?

FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 08:36

[quote jakor]@FamilyOfAliens are you always so sanctimonious? Just because I don't think a system is great doesn't mean I need to start a new one. Good luck with your future campaigns though! [/quote]
What are you talking about, my future campaigns?

I’m answering your questions about FSM.

If you think the system is wrong, and families should be awarded extra benefits instead of being eligible for FSM and schools receiving pupil premium as a result, you need to do something about it.

FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 08:37

[quote jakor]@FamilyOfAliens have you got a campaign for that? [/quote]
What?

ChloeCrocodile · 22/10/2020 09:00

Or perhaps people with lived experience are always dismissed at people who assume they know best, whilst ignoring what the actual issues are?

I received free school meals as a small child. The campaign was started by Rashford as he was a recipient of free school meals. Yesterday in Parliament there were speeches from at least two Labour MPs who had received free school meals. Many people campaigning for this have plenty of lived experience of poverty.

Fajitanita · 22/10/2020 09:08

@ChloeCrocodile yes, and I'm all for free school meals or an iteration of, it was to the simply raising benefits that I don't agree will always make a difference.

Fajitanita · 22/10/2020 09:08

And extending and expanding on free school meals to be free meals for children who need it outside of school, again it was in response to those who say to just chuck more money at it and it'll be fine.

C130 · 22/10/2020 09:11

@alwayscrashinginthesamecar1

And still people vote for these bastards.
This.
FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 09:19

@Fajitanita

And extending and expanding on free school meals to be free meals for children who need it outside of school, again it was in response to those who say to just chuck more money at it and it'll be fine.
Did anyone on here say that? I must have missed that post.
ApplePlumPie · 22/10/2020 09:23

I grew up as a free school meals kid, parents on benefits as one was disabled and one in and out of work due to mental health problems (started by being made redundant from factory job).

I have been a school governor for 6 years (halfway through my second term now !)
and I’m the safeguarding/SEN/PP Governor so I see the data around the number of children in the school who are PP eligible, the various interventions and their effect etc etc.

Extending FSM over holidays is a good idea, however it would take a fair bit of admin and sorting out to provide meals during holidays, BUT doing it in the way this policy proposed was a terrible idea, there are many families who will receive these vouchers and not spend them on what they are intended for and there is no way to ensure that the children are getting healthy and nutritious food. The only way to do that is to have the school make the food up.

I am troubled in that it feels like Labour have presented this policy knowing it’s unworkable so they could use it to score points against the ‘evil people who voted against it’ as opposed to presenting a sensible workable policy.

IronLawOfGeometricProgression · 22/10/2020 09:26

@ApplePlumPie

I grew up as a free school meals kid, parents on benefits as one was disabled and one in and out of work due to mental health problems (started by being made redundant from factory job).

I have been a school governor for 6 years (halfway through my second term now !)
and I’m the safeguarding/SEN/PP Governor so I see the data around the number of children in the school who are PP eligible, the various interventions and their effect etc etc.

Extending FSM over holidays is a good idea, however it would take a fair bit of admin and sorting out to provide meals during holidays, BUT doing it in the way this policy proposed was a terrible idea, there are many families who will receive these vouchers and not spend them on what they are intended for and there is no way to ensure that the children are getting healthy and nutritious food. The only way to do that is to have the school make the food up.

I am troubled in that it feels like Labour have presented this policy knowing it’s unworkable so they could use it to score points against the ‘evil people who voted against it’ as opposed to presenting a sensible workable policy.

The government have brought in their own "workable plan" have they?

No.

They can't really play the victim card when they are still the ones letting children starve.

The other lot just highlighted it.

DateLoaf · 22/10/2020 09:34

Me too free school meals. Single parent family. Food poverty is shameful.

FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 09:51

there are many families who will receive these vouchers and not spend them on what they are intended for and there is no way to ensure that the children are getting healthy and nutritious food.

There are many people who receive a salary and still neglect their children. If the government is serious about ensuring people on benefits spend their money sensibly, they have to let them do that. Saying they can’t be trusted and so have to pick up a packed lunch at the school instead is the complete opposite of this, not to mention offensive.

ApplePlumPie · 22/10/2020 10:46

But there are children who are neglected by their parents. And their are families at the schools I volunteer in and have worked at who neglect their children and don’t provide them with enough food. And these vouchers haven’t changed that. That isn’t offensive- it is how it is.

Fair point that the Tories haven’t presented their own workable solution- and as the sitting government they are responsible.

FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 16:18

@ApplePlumPie

But there are children who are neglected by their parents. And their are families at the schools I volunteer in and have worked at who neglect their children and don’t provide them with enough food. And these vouchers haven’t changed that. That isn’t offensive- it is how it is.

Fair point that the Tories haven’t presented their own workable solution- and as the sitting government they are responsible.

In my 12 years as a family support worker and safeguarding lead in primary schools I saw neglect across all social classes.

And with respect, if you were a volunteer I doubt you were privy to the background of any of the families you came across, and the reasons why their parents weren’t able to look after them properly.

ApplePlumPie · 22/10/2020 16:46

Reread my post - I volunteer as a governor. I worked as a family support worker as well.

And the voucher system rarely helps the children that actually need help.

Oblomov20 · 22/10/2020 17:14

I was actually shocked. I mean I knew they were bad. But really? They've named most of the MP's in the tabloids. Hopefully it'll get into the local news and their constituents won't vote for them again.

FamilyOfAliens · 22/10/2020 17:32

@ApplePlumPie

Reread my post - I volunteer as a governor. I worked as a family support worker as well.

And the voucher system rarely helps the children that actually need help.

You didn’t mention being a governor nor a family support worker in your post, so no re-reading is necessary.

Your assertion that vouchers “rarely” help the children that need help is baseless. Unless your school was spectacularly bad at matching eligible children with the vouchers, in which case they have an even bigger problem.