to be offended by a teaching assistant saying this:

[StripyPenguin]

That children who get free school meals would be going hungry if they didn't get a free school meal because their parents wouldn't be able to afford to feed them? Not a specific child, just children who have free school meals in general?

Stripey, I can see where you are coming from (I think) but I reckon I'd save my ire for the folk who start off rants with: "Blah Blah has free school meals, and free music lessons at school, and they have a better life than us: they have more holidays, and the house is always warm, and a huge t.v., and they just lounge around in p.j.s all day ..."

Actually, I think your outrage has the refreshing quality of the somewhat unexpected and unfamiliar.

And has this woman expressed her opinion in a social setting and you've pounced upon it because she's a TEACHING ASSISTANT and should not be allowed these views??
Poor form if so.

It is true for many families these days, sadly.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/summer-of-hunger-huge-rise-in-food-bank-use-as-demand-linked-to-welfare-reform-8755101.html

This link says it all.

In the summer holidays the use of food banks doubled.

I know the children of parents who could claim FSM but take just a sandwich box of leftover boiled rice for lunch, and nothing else. Heartbreaking.

That is very depressing (re. food bank use doubling in school holidays).

yabu ,that is the whole point of free school meals , what is there to be offended about .

It's bollocks. My DC's are on FSM's. I prioritise them having a decent cooked meal when they get home from school. Not all do. It's priorities.

It's impossible to judge without knowing the context.

I don't drink, or go out, or buy new clothes or shoes for myself. Even though my boots have holes in. It really IS priorities.

I'm not sure I'd be offended by that - it doesn't come across as an inflammatory statement. It doesn't sound like a judgemental or accusatory statement how you've typed it, but maybe the context offended you?

I did know a family once where the mum confessed that she couldn't manage to feed the children in the holidays when they were all home - she was doing everything she could but wasn't quite managing. In term time, those FSM her children received would frequently have been the only or main food they got.

But Couthy the purpose of FSM is so that parents don't have to go without in order for their child to have a meal.

However, without FSM's, I wouldn't be able to do that every day, as I would have to find the money to make three more packed lunches each day, which would mean that I would struggle.

For a lot of families it is true, that they are struggling to feed their children and are relying on fsm.
For some children on fsm, they are struggling academically hence the introduction of pupil premium.
For some families reliant on fsm, they are also needing additional support from food banks.

I am not saying that other households are not struggling because they are, and I really hope that I am not coming across as generalising.

More upsetting/worrying is that in this country we have children who are not eligible for FSM if the family has no recourse to public funds. They just don't get to eat much at all

I would rather my DC's had a cooked meal at night, where I know what is in it.

I don't think that comment is offensive. An exaggeration perhaps but I'm sure in some cases it would be true.

CouthyMow I think you should get yourself a nice pair of boots. It can't be very good to your Heath having cold wet feet.

I think she's right. I don't see what your problem is.

Couthy mow - not helpful! My school opened up for fsm over the holidays because the need is so great. The cooks gave to abide by strict health and well feign guidelines, so much so that I always add sake yo my school,dinners even though I don't normally use much! Another problem is that a lot if the time that the most needy children are scared of unknown food and always opt for the sandwiches - usually eating just the bread when they could gave stew, steak pie, enchiladas etc.

Makemine,

Loads of schools produce utter shite rubbish you wouldn't want to est yourself and call it a school dinner.

Fortunately I've not experienced this in 13 years. Every school I've worked has always had mostly decent options - sometimes one or other of the choices are things you wouldn't want but there has always been home made soup or a jacket potato option and I've taught in both Scotland and England. I'm dieting at the moment and actually missing school dinners! Basically the kids who qualify need these dinners - they are a lifeline to families who are struggling.

Also a lot of parents don't actually feed their children at night, or in the morning...