No food stamps for students!!!

Trauma Columnist · Jun 8, 2005

I think we all agree that as Americans we value independence and separation from the government. However, if governmental assistance is needed for a brief time (less than two years IMHO), than so be it, in order to obtain an education. In Illinois, we are a welfare-to-work state - the max you can be on TANF (Temp Aid to Needy Families) is five years - plenty long enough to go to school. If we educate the population, then we as a country gain so much. I have lived 12 years overseas in three different countries and am so proud to be an American.

TifRN2B · Jun 8, 2005

I live in Ohio, and here you can take out additional student loans (just walk into the financial aid office to apply). The loans are generally more than tuition, and you may use the extra cash as you please. Me? I pay bills since I only work part time. This has gotten me through college without struggling. It has averaged out to be an extra 1500 to 2000 dollars extra a semester. Now I have about 20,000 in student loans to pay off when I graduate, but it is how I was able to go to college and have a comfortable lifestyle. I'm not talking extravagant, but I didn't have to worry about how I was going to eat that day. I also work PT. I got married last year, and my dh works full time. That did not disqualify me from getting the max amount of student loans. I guess maybe this differs from state to state, because I never had to worry about how I was going to afford paying for tuition or books.

Before I was 24, I was also eligible for financial aid d/t the fact that my father was a disabled veteran. So I found myself very lucky in that aspect. And I was STILL eligible to take out student loans on top of that.

Maybe everyone should move to ohio?

For those of you out there struggling through school, I admire you. I don't have any children, but I know it's got to be tough. And I know that's an understatement. I wish all of you the best in getting through nursing school.

Tif

Graduate 12/16/05 :balloons:

Plagueis · Jun 8, 2005

So yes, it's true. If you have a kid, and simply don't get married ... you can get thousands in financial aid, welfare, etc. It's unbelieveable.

The same thing happens here. I tried to find health insurance for myself until the benefits kick in at my new job, but I found out that I had to earn less than $400 PER MONTH to qualify. However, if I were to become pregnant, I would be entitled to free medical benefits and food stamps. I though one of the points of welfare reform was to encourage marriage and prevent out-of-wedlock births. However, many of us don't qualify for any medical benefits or food stamps, unless we have children outside of marriage, as being married often disqualifies someone from getting government help. That seems odd to me.

LydiaNN · Jun 8, 2005

The same thing happens here. I tried to find health insurance for myself until the benefits kick in at my new job, but I found out that I had to earn less than $400 PER MONTH to qualify. However, if I were to become pregnant, I would be entitled to free medical benefits and food stamps. I though one of the points of welfare reform was to encourage marriage and prevent out-of-wedlock births. However, many of us don't qualify for any medical benefits or food stamps, unless we have children outside of marriage, as being married often disqualifies someone from getting government help. That seems odd to me.

I think that the welfare system encourages people not to be married, rather than the other way around. I also think that welfare should be about helping people get back on their feet. My big problem with a lot of the job training programs I see is that the govt will only pay for them if you are one of those people in the very lowest income reaches. A great many times, the reason you earn that little is because for one reason or another, you are unemployable. Wouldn't it make much more sense to use those dollars training low wage earners for better jobs, so they're not trapped? As it is now, you can't qualify for job training and child care unless you make next to nothing. And yet, if you make next to nothing, how are you supposed to be able survive for the length of time it takes to go through the job training? And once the training programs are over, a lot of those people (though by no means all) end up losing their jobs, because the root problems of what qualified them for the programs in the first place haven't really been addressed. It isn't a good system, IMO.

BRANDY LPN · Jun 8, 2005

When I started LPN school I had a son who was 2 and was pregnant with my second child, I had no child support and the office of child support enforcement was a joke, I did recieve medicaid, for myself and for my son, I did not qualify for cash benefits UNLESS I looked for work for 20+ hours a week and if I were to get a job my benefits would have stopped, cash benefits in my state would have been a whooping 163.00 a month. I went to school 40+ hours a week and had a two year old, was pregnant (or had a newborn), NOW the thing that absolutely kills me about this is that I recieved food stamps for me, a two year old, and a newborn (who got formula on WIC) I recieved 361.00 a month in food stamps, I could have fed us for less than half of that, it isn't like a two year old eats much and it isn't like I had time to eat. They could give help to so many more ppl if they used common sense on how much it would actually take to feed a household.

I know SO many ppl who "pretend" to look for a job to qualify for benefits they fill out the applications but they put on there stuff that basically makes them unhireable so that they don't actually get a job!! And they continue to sponge off the system getting cash benefits and doing NOTHING to help themselves. And yet if you are TRYING to better your life so that you WILL be able to support your children then you do not qualify our system needs to be overhauled.

To all of those saying I did it without my government ect...... Great good for you, but you are paying taxes......Is this REALLY who you want your tax dollars to go to? Do you want your tax dollars to go to the welfare mom whose baby's daddy is making meth? Who cannot be bothered to get her children to school on time who doesn't get involved in their school lives and who absolutely is not going to do anything that might mean she has to work toward something? (not saying all welfare moms are like this , but MANY are)

OR do you want to see your tax dollars going to the single mom who is struggling to better herself so that she can take care of herself and her children? OR to the young couple who accidently had kids before they were ready where daddy is working hard at the factory so that mom can study and work towards a time where she will be able to support HIM while he goes back to school? The choice doesn't seem that hard to me.......

scuba4321 · Jun 8, 2005

I am 34 married w 3 kids. Was in the military and with my GI bill , working in the day time, school at night and security guard at the college was able to get my first degree while on a 6.00 hr primary job. Know am in paramedic school at night. Work during the day. My wife of 15 yrs works on my days off. Is it hard ? yes! worth it? hope so! If I could have benefited from Government help Would not be a Nurse wanabe at 34, I would have gone to school along time ago! Best of luck to you , but school is second to work!

scuba4321 · Jun 8, 2005

God Bless you! You rule!!!!

lna2rn · Jun 8, 2005

I am 34 married w 3 kids. Was in the military and with my GI bill , working in the day time, school at night and security guard at the college was able to get my first degree while on a 6.00 hr primary job. Know am in paramedic school at night. Work during the day. My wife of 15 yrs works on my days off. Is it hard ? yes! worth it? hope so! If I could have benefited from Government help Would not be a Nurse wanabe at 34, I would have gone to school along time ago! Best of luck to you , but school is second to work!

I am married with 2 children ages 8 and 1 1/2. I have been on assistance when i was single with the now 8 yr old. I recieved assistance BUT i still could not afford school and had to drop out. (no book money). Now it is twice as expensive and I will do whatever it takes to get my degree. I recieve no financial aid or scholarships, only loans. My husband works nights at Home Depot, obviosly not alot of money in that, and I work as an aide at the hospital. But because my husband works nights we do not pay for childcare. I try not to think about how hard it is because it only gets me down. I would suggest people with similar circumstances not dwell on how hard it is but on how great it is going to be when you are done. Good Luck To All!

Fiona59 · Jun 8, 2005

The earlier post about Canada isn't really correct. Went back to school when my youngest was in first grade. I got a student loan (federal gov.) and a bank line of credit. My husband's income ruled us out of subsidized childcare, so we had to pay the full rate hence the requirement of a bank line of credit. There was no extra money.

The systems aren't set up for full time, married, stay at home mums to return to higher education. Out of work to raise children doesn't get you much credit when it comes to applying for loans. No EI back to school education allowances, just apply for loans....

But I managed to repay my loans in 13 months.

marylyric · Jun 9, 2005

I am 34 married w 3 kids. Was in the military and with my GI bill , working in the day time, school at night and security guard at the college was able to get my first degree while on a 6.00 hr primary job. Know am in paramedic school at night. Work during the day. My wife of 15 yrs works on my days off. Is it hard ? yes! worth it? hope so! If I could have benefited from Government help Would not be a Nurse wanabe at 34, I would have gone to school along time ago! Best of luck to you , but school is second to work!

I was reading your message. I just want to say that I totally understand where you are coming from. I hope you continue to pursue your dreams. I too wanted to be a nurse for a long time and could not get the loans or grants. But I Stuck with it and I graduated from nursing school. I hope you pursue your dreams. Try pell grants and loans if you havent look into them yet. GOOD LUCK

caroladybelle, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2005

To all of those saying I did it without my government ect...... Great good for you, but you are paying taxes......Is this REALLY who you want your tax dollars to go to? Do you want your tax dollars to go to the welfare mom whose baby's daddy is making meth? Who cannot be bothered to get her children to school on time who doesn't get involved in their school lives and who absolutely is not going to do anything that might mean she has to work toward something? (not saying all welfare moms are like this , but MANY are)
OR do you want to see your tax dollars going to the single mom who is struggling to better herself so that she can take care of herself and her children? OR to the young couple who accidently had kids before they were ready where daddy is working hard at the factory so that mom can study and work towards a time where she will be able to support HIM while he goes back to school? The choice doesn't seem that hard to me.......

Actually, my choice would be to pay for neither.

"Accidently" had kids? While some people use birth control PROPERLY and still have a pregnancy happen, many people do not use birth control properly nor safely. What is wrong with having a good life plan with fall back plans, and a couple using two forms of birth control until they have a firm educational foundation? Yes, it is not glamourous but it is responsible.

Why is the mother "single"? Was the biodad abusive? Before or after she conceived children with him? Did she make bad choices in life partners? Did she choose to sleep with someone that was a poor partner or refused to make a commitment to her. Barring rape or incest, these are choices that one makes and even in the cases of rape or incest, the woman chooses either to keep the child/put up the child for adoption/abortion.

These are choices that one makes based on one's values. And one person should not have to pay for another's poor choices.

I took care of my niece, because I made the choice to sacrifice for her....I accepted that I would do so with any help...and that there would be difficult sacrifices to make...I was willing to make them. I only wish that others would do the same with their children.

LydiaNN · Jun 9, 2005

Actually, my choice would be to pay for neither.
"Accidently" had kids? While some people use birth control PROPERLY and still have a pregnancy happen, many people do not use birth control properly nor safely. What is wrong with having a good life plan with fall back plans, and a couple using two forms of birth control until they have a firm educational foundation? Yes, it is not glamourous but it is responsible.
Why is the mother "single"? Was the biodad abusive? Before or after she conceived children with him? Did she make bad choices in life partners? Did she choose to sleep with someone that was a poor partner or refused to make a commitment to her. Barring rape or incest, these are choices that one makes and even in the cases of rape or incest, the woman chooses either to keep the child/put up the child for adoption/abortion.
These are choices that one makes based on one's values. And one person should not have to pay for another's poor choices.
I took care of my niece, because I made the choice to sacrifice for her....I accepted that I would do so with any help...and that there would be difficult sacrifices to make...I was willing to make them. I only wish that others would do the same with their children.

I am also not crazy about supporting the bad choices of others with tax dollars. After all, I have chosen to have only one child, despite the fact that I would have loved to have another, because my husband and I both grew up in large families that were, shall we say, financially challenged. OTOH, if we want people to become self sufficient, it does make sense to assist them temporarily. Their increased tax contributions will more than pay the government back. And I would never support cutting programs that provide assistance to children. I don't care how bad the choices their parents make are, I want every kid in this country to have a safe place to live and enough food to eat.