Help me write a rebuttal to state "School Breakfast Progams"

[limequat]

Ok, sorry for the late notice...

I'm going to a school board meeting in about an hour to rebut the proposed school breakfast program.

Here's a flyer:
http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mde/school_breakfast_flyer_15_386175_7.pdf

Here's the government page:
http://www.fns.usda.gov/sbp

I'm gonna post what I have so far. Suggestions welcome.


We live in an environment where family time is increasingly scarce. Between school, work, soccer practice, or paying bills – the times when we are able to enjoy quality time with our children is precious and small.

What it is NOT needed, is yet another government funded program to undermine parental involvement and decision making. The Michigan School Breakfast Program does just that by inviting children to school breakfast. Rather than eating with parents and siblings children are encouraged to stop by –according to one promotional flyer- if parents are simply short on time.

While I appreciate the concern for my spare time, the state should not be the babysitter of last resort.
Nor is it the State’s business what our children are eating for breakfast. Anywhereville is a diverse community for which a one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition is nonsensical. A cup of fat-free milk, a serving of fruit, and whole grains may be fine for some children. But children with gluten allergies or lactose intolerance will only find their health threatened.

The School Breakfast Program reeks of state meddling. Let Anywhereville concentrate on education and keep family time at home.

Thank you.

[cjm]

This is federally funded and optional? Libertarians might find this disagreeable but it's probably not the best battle to fight, politically speaking. It would be better to fight this at the source of the funding (whatever government level that is, appears to be fedgov?) and not at the recipient level (school board). "Libertarians want kids to starve" is the expected headline. I'd let this one go.

[angelatc]

Hartland abandoned it after the first year because not enough kids were eating breakfast at school and it was a money-loser. If you must oppose it, I'd look for similarities in the school systems and make a case that it is doomed to fail in your district too.

[dannno]

not enough kids were eating breakfast at school

Ya because all kids want to go to school...earlier.....

[ObiRandKenobi]

humanity never would have survived without school breakfast programs. without them, millions of dead children would be washing up on the shores and in the streets.

[ObiRandKenobi]

Ya because all kids want to go to school...earlier.....

obvious solution is to invest in school housing.

[satchelmcqueen]

the problem i have with the program here is michelle obama saying that each kid MUST have certain things. in other words, i see these kids throw away more than they eat because if the lunch room ladies dont force the items on the plate, they get fired. you wouldnt believe the milk wasted and thrown out that isnt even opened. that could be one of your points. its like a guarantee to the companies that get involved that they WILL move so much product regardless if its needed or not.

[Barrex]

On that flyer word "free" is used so many times. When government says "FREE" grab your wallet start screaming and run as fast as you can.

[Natural Citizen]

I don't understand how my kid can just go eat breakfast at school without paying. He says that he does it all of the time.

[limequat]

Thanks for the comments guys! Just got back from the board meeting.

There was ZERO support for the State Breakfast Program, so it wasn't necessary for me to give my comments.

So, a small victory for liberty and I didn't have to do any public speaking. Double win :)

[Czolgosz]

Wow, zero support? I'm actually shocked.

[limequat]

Wow, zero support? I'm actually shocked.

Yeah, no joke.

I ran into the superintendent today and gave her my comments. She seemed to not want to commit to a personal bias, but received my remarks and thanked me for them.