Impact

This recession has impacted everyone I come in contact with. As a teacher I see how it affects my school.
1. The mobility rate is higher than usual
2. The percentage of students on free and reduced lunch has risen from 92% to 98%. Nearly ALL of them qualify.
3. The county had to end the after school tutoring program called ELP because of budget cuts.
4. There's more, it just won't come to mind right now.
Working in a high poverty school seems to make it all the more tragic. Folks who barely have anything have even less. Yet there is also this strange mentality on what is important. For example:
1. When I go on a home visit and see the TV set on a cable channel such as HBO or Nickelodeon, yet the children are on free and reduced lunch.
2. Parents who don't send in money for a field trip because they know the school will pay for it regardless, yet send a dollar or 2 to school with their child every day so they can buy snack with their "free" lunch.
3. Parents looking to the school to help with school uniforms, yet sends their child to school in a pair of shoes that cost $100 on up that they will outgrow in 2-3 months.
4. Parents can't come to the school for a conference concerning their child's progress because "the car isn't working" or other reasons they can't get there yet they can make sure their child is at their football game or cheerleading competition, or some local parade or festival.
Priorities. What's important. No, what is of the greatest importance. Yes there are many different ways people get what they can out of something, but as a tax payer, I resent people who 'milk' the system to the point that it's criminal. And this is why their progeny expect something (some sort of hand out) for nothing.