Monologues of Dissent: "No such thing as a free lunch:" Waterford School District sets new low in betrayal of students and taxpayers
These extremists have gotten out of hand.
Picking on children?
Is it really necessary to humiliate kids to make a point or punish their parents?
This is a sickening display of counterfeit leadership if there ever was one.
Dan Jensen hasn't learn that real leaders stand up for the weak.
Dan Jensen should be ashamed of himself. He thinks providing school lunch for kids that otherwise wouldn't have them is all about him and his 'libertarian' point of view. Who the hell is Dan Jensen?
Why should it matter if he 'didn't have a problem standing in a different line' when he was in school?
Good for you, Dan Jensen. Clearly, you are a very special person.
Well, guess what, Dan? Your'e still standing in a different line, except the line your'e now standing in is for is the one for the professional B-Teamers.
Could your 'solution' just be payback in disguise for having to stand in a different line?
Dan, if you have a problem with free lunch for needy kids, take it up with the parents. Don't embarrass yourself by picking on children, if nothing else, it drastically diminishes whatever legitimate point you may have.
Dan also talks about paying for other people's healthcare...and when I first heard those words, I wondered what the one thing had to do with the other.
Ironically, they are linked. As we know, poor nutrition leads to greater health problems as well as diminished ability to assimilate lessons for those kids whose nutritional needs are unmet. That, in turn leads to lowered lifetime earnings which leads to...inability to pay for school lunches for their kids.
Penny wise, pond foolish much, Dan?
Additionally, it was stated in the video (go to 'Monologues of Dissent' for the link to the videos) that 'the kids throw the food away anyhow', or words to that effect. What Dan and the rest of the Board missed, was that this is a key driver to their displeasure with the free lunch program and by dismissing it out of hand, are abrogating their responsibility to their constituents to be problem solvers.
Instead, they chose to sweep the problem under the rug, throw their hands up and accept defeat.
They missed an opportunity to be true leaders, recognize an opportunity for improvement, and formulate a plan of action to realize greater organizational performance and achieve substantially improved customer service.
The better course of action (there's still time) would be to acknowledge their own internal shortcomings and understand they have the ability to pursue excellence. Here's how:
Ask the 5 Whys.
Perform Root Analysis.
Find out why the kids are throwing the food away.
Does it taste bad?
Why does it taste bad?
Is it prepared correctly?
Does the staff that prepares have the resources required (training, equipment, ingredients, etc.)?
Solve that problem, and paying for thrown-away food disappears.
But, Dan, whatever you do, don't blame the kids for the adults' shortcomings, like providing strong leadership.
Or do you blame the kids for that too?
