Tennessee Clergy Speak Out Against Bill To Cut Welfare For Children Who Get Poor Grades

[SpartanDem]

Source: Think Progress.

As Tennessee prepares to consider two bills to reduce welfare assistance for needy families whose children are not doing well in school, a Change.org petition has popped up to fight the measure. The petition was started by Clergy for Justice, a Tennesse-based organization of clergy that has previously advocated for causes including immigration reform, health care, and anti-bullying laws. Within 36 hours, their petition garnered over 2,000 supporters from at least 145 cities and towns in Tennessee.

HB 0261 and SB 0132 would make family benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program conditional on a child’s educational performance. While Tennessee already ties welfare assistance to students’ attendance, this new proposal would essentially make poor children responsible for keeping their families afloat.

In an email to ThinkProgress, Clergy For Justice co-organizer Kathy Chambers highlighted one petition comment by Melissa Jennings, a former TANF recipient who pointed out that the bill penalizes children who are already being left behind by schools:

The public school system fails our kids time and time again, not reaching out to the children that need it, not being available to tutor, and leaving behind the children that may need just a little more time to catch on to something. The children’s grades are just as much a responsibility of the teachers and the school system – thus the government – as it is the parents and the children themselves. [...]

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2013/04/05/1828611/tennessee-clergy-speak-out-against-bill-to-cut-welfare-for-children-who-get-poor-grades/

[BeyondGeography]

1. Grind these kids into dust...What an awful and monstrous idea

Where do they come up with this evil shit? I hope these protests help.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

7. These people believe the rich are blessed by God....

Therefore the poor are Evil.

[Gregorian]

9. Emotionally damaged children who turned into damaged adults being irresponsible.

Instead of working out their troubles, they are irresponsibly passing it on to others.

This issue is so underrated. It's under the radar. And it is so because people are afraid of blaming their parents for sucking. Well it has to stop somewhere. We might as well address the truth and start talking about raising kids so they don't turn into Republicans and George Bushes.

[Judi Lynn]

2. Probably one of the most vicious ideas from the fascist right yet. Hope the clergy will help. n/t

[limpyhobbler]

5. +1

[azurnoir]

3. food for grades how low can they go

measure up or go hungry wow

[awoke_in_2003]

25. Every time I ask that question...

the answer just keeps getting worse.

[Ash_F]

4. Here is the pug who sponsored the law.

Representative Vance Dennis

Address: 202 War Memorial Building #202, Nashville, TN 37243
Phone: [phone]

[indepat]

6. Surely Governor Haslam will not sign this into law for that would seemingly make him

a mindless unthinking servile tool of the right-wing ALEC jerk-off-types.

[CrispyQ]

8. And what kind of punishment do we dole out to the well-to-do children who get bad grades?

These assholes are mean. Just plain mean. Fuck them all.

More & more I'm having great difficulty being acquaintances with republicans. How can someone still support this party?

[Occulus]

10. Saying what I want to happen to this bill's sponsor will get me banned,

and probably get someone knocking at my door asking me to explain myself.

Then I'd go to jail, because what I said wouldn't be a joke.

[PA Democrat]

11. What is WRONG with these monsters?

God help the poor family whose children aren't performing well due to learning disabilities, poor nutrition, stress, poor living conditions, lack od access to health care, etc.

The people who make such proposals should be publicly shamed at every opportunity. They should be protested, booed and followed by screaming protesters everywhere they go.

[Hekate]

12. Signed the petition. My comment...

Shame on the Tennessee General Assembly. Jesus weeps at such cold-heartedness.

This of course is aimed at the so-called Christians in the Bible Belt. I could have added: "It were better that a millstone be hung around (their) necks and they be cast into the sea than that they harm one of these little ones," but I figure a simple reminder of Scripture to these alleged Christians would be enough.

[asjr]

17. No, it would not be enough. These people (nuts) make up the rules as they go along. This is the same

that that put DeJarlais in the legislature well knowing he, as a doctor had affairs with his women patients and told one to have an abortion because the child was his.

[midnight]

13. Of course they would target poor children dealing with food insecurity....

[demwing]

14. No, No...this is just GOP 3D chess

They know it will be defeated, but they do it so they can say that they tried ... uhm.. something...to ahhh...tie poverty...to public schools!

Yeah...that's the ticket! AMERICA, FUCK YEAH!

[GeoWilliam750]

15. There is a slow but steady

Creep back towards slavery in so many ways.

A constant drumbeat of dehumanization.

I am no longer surprised at how some people can take pleasure at making the lives of the weak yet more difficult.

[valerief]

16. Only rich kids get to be stupid, I guess. nt

[Yo_Mama]

18. It's nice that somebody is still sane. n/t

[shenmue]

19. Grrrrr

Now I'm mad.

[Rex]

20. MEGAFUCKINGSIGH.

If the have low grades, because of malnutrition and you cut their welfare...nevermind. THIS is easier and less painful --->

[snappyturtle]

21. Signed the petition in an effort to halt this outrageous legislation.

In the first paragraph of the article, Clergy for Justice is underlined. Click there to go to the petition. It says all are welcome to sign from anywhere.

[pangaia]

22. Sick..like holding a gun to a kids head..

and threatening him...bad grades? No money for your family.. WTF is with these' basturds?'

[Rebl]

23. How about this

Aren't the state legislators paid with tax payer money? How about their children be subject to the same thing. If they make bad grades at school, then their parent that is a state rep. Loses some of their pay the tax payer provides them.

[musical_soul]

24. Welfare is about helping people who aren't able to work right now get help.

It's not about encouraging children to make good grades.

"Johnny, you can have something to eat if you make good grades." What?

This also doesn't take into consideration those who have learning and intellectual disabilities. In a way, those who can go to school and just easily learn from the teacher are the rich. They have resources of knowledge and some of them look down on those who don't have it.

[d_r]

26. thanks for posting this

It needs attention