Hard Times/ Hungry School Kids

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Mr. Rosenfeld Responds...":

OK Mr. Rosenfeld let me give you a direct quote from todays NEWSDAY: "Hard times, hungry schoolkids." "Survey finds surprising spike in middle-class areas". What are they referring to? Children who qualify for free lunch! POB School District had one of the highest spikes at a rise of 51% from 07/08 to 09/10 and worse, a 99.07% spike from 05/06 to 09/10. To quote directly from NEWSDAY again, "The trend has been most pronounced in the middle and upper-middle class districts over the past two years, as the recession hammered the local economy, causing job losses or reduced income." The overall rise in all school districts surveyed was 16% from 4 years ago. As you can see Mr. Rosenfeld, POB is far beyond the average in the increase. When are you going to understand that families of this school district are facing severe financial burdens right now. We are not choosing Prada bags over paying our teachers, we are choosing to feed our children instead of buckling to your tactics. You have picked the wrong battle and the worst time. I FULLY support the BOE in their reluctants to waist their time (and our money) by negotiating with you. As far as I am concerned, the proposed raise should be pulled from the table and a 0% raise should be offered for this year. You should be ashamed of what you and these teachers have brought on and you have some nerve asking for a raise for doing less.

Ed's note: Newsday article: http://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/number-of-kids-getting-free-lunch-spikes-on-li-1.1548077