Tennessee Republicans want to tie welfare benefits to student test scores

[Report1212]

If only this was April Fools...

But a group of Tennessee Republicans has decided to go much further. State Sens. Stacey Campbell and Vance Dennis have introduced a bill that would reduce Temporary Aid To Needy Family (TANF) benefits to families where the students fail to meet certain test scores in school.

The bill has cleared committees in the House and Senate, despite protests by many Democrats in the legislature. Although it has been amended to allow families to continue to receive benefits if they sign up for some intervention measure like a “parenting class,” what is particularly crass about the legislation is that it exclusively targets poor families that are receiving TANF benefits. It does nothing to penalize non-poor parents whose students fail to get certain test scores — such as by reducing tax benefits for richer families.

Read more: http://boldprogressives.org/tennessee-republicans-want-to-tie-welfare-benefits-to-student-test-scores/

[JustAnotherGen]

1. Sadly

I suspect it will come to fruition. The hatred of the 'other' knows no bounds in some parts of America.

[Live and Learn]

2. Disgusting. nt

[MotherPetrie]

3. EVIL FUCKERS

[southernyankeebelle]

4. As if poor people don't have enough on their plates trying to make a living. Many poor families

have 2 parents working at low wage jobs. When these parents get home they are so tired they are lucky to get their house work and dinner on the table and make sure their kids are doing their homework. Now another added problem on their backs. What the hell are they doing trying to break families? They are doing a great job of it. I hope the people open their damn eyes.

[Report1212]

5. The bill sponsor called it a "Carrot and stick approach"

Because people are bunnies apparently.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. Really? Well even a bunny will stop going after a carrot if they are tired and weak.

[EC]

15. I don't see any carrot.

Do they get more benefits than normal if they do well on the tests?

[Drale]

28. Don't you know

People who get money from the government are lazy leaches, who don't work and who hate "Merica" and all the white, red blooded "working" American's who work their butts off for a living and their failing kids are even lazier. If only those people got a job and their beat their children when they didn't do well in school everything would be better. Lets just take away every once of money to force them to get a job. Or at least that is what the Republican's would have us believe.

[southernyankeebelle]

32. Yep, and even crazier they are on the government's payroll.

[srican69]

7. Maybe a part of it ( small part) should be ...

I am not wanting to start a flame war ..


but stop and think for a moment... what if we allowed a 5% variance on all the benefits a person will receive to the test score ... imagine the societal change ..

parents will force kids to study .... and that might not be a bad thing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

8. When you start linking the social safety net to SELECTIVE behaviorable controls

you get the government deciding which members of a class of people are worth help, and which are not.

thus voiding the equality clause of the Constitution.

We used to decide who got benefits of Government based on the color of their skin
and their sex

remember those good ole days?

[Sheldon Cooper]

11. Unbelievable

That is a reprehensible and utterly simplistic response to a problem that has multiple layers.

[EC]

14. Are you even thinking of the kid?

A kid being responsible for the family's food supply? Not an adult, a kid....and if the kid comes from an abusive household? How long do you think that kid is going to last before a beating or an ulcer?

[srican69]

16. I was thinking about the benefits the kid would receive as an adult ... not the current family

[Starry Messenger]

19. School success is directly tied to socio-economic status.

You're taking a population that is already struggling with the effects of poverty and kicking them in the face. That isn't going to help.

[Buffalo Bull]

22. i stopped, thought, disagreed

How can You can possibly see this as a good thing
What do you do with the scenario where a bad student may be depriving a brother or a sister who is a good student of basic needs
I challange you to post a budget for a month on the money allowed on that program

However, a basic average guideline for the food stamp program will show that an average family of 4 can expect an amount up to $500 per month for food stamps. This figure will greatly vary based on the age of the family members and medical needs. A single person household will show an expected average of up to $200 per month. Again, these figures are averages and not state specific.

Cash allowance benefits for financial assistance will also be state regulated and allowances paid will also vary based on different criteria. However, an average expectation can be placed on a family of 4 receiving up to $900 for their TANF allowance. A single person household can expect an average of up to $300.

Lets see you feed , pay rent, car payments and utilities on about $16 k per year\ $ 1,200 a month
I'm sure it can be done but I bet you don't have $60 to spare at the end

[Marrah_G]

23. A better approach would be to require a living wage

Then parents wouldn't have to work multiple jobs and be able to spend the time helping their children learn.

[roody]

24. Have you ever seen the tests they take?

I doubt the republic scum has seen them either.

[Drale]

29. Standardized tests are the biggest waist of money and show nothing of a students true performance

All they do is make money for the test company and take desperately needed money from schools. Now you want to pin the ability of a poor child to eat on these profit tests? This is an April Fools joke right?

[upaloopa]

31. You don't understand being poor do you?

Kids of poor people don't get enough nutrition to study well. They usually are latch key kids whose parents work so much they aren't home when kids get home from school.
You should get a couple of kids a working two job spouse and get two minimum wage jobs for yourself and teach those kids to do well in school in the limited time you are with them.

[Buffalo Bull]

33. From that side of the tracks

You hit the nail on the head.
In Tennessee those with the poorest inherited parental skills, the least in family support and who work the hardest for the lowest wage to do the most parenting.

Sounds fair

[duffyduff]

35. And what about kids of rich parents? Do THEY get to slide?

This is one of the most bullshit proposals I have EVER come across.

[OldDem2012]

37. Oh, you mean those parent(s) who are already working two or three jobs to pay the major bills....

....and are faced with choosing between gas and food every week even when they get food stamps?

Oh, you mean those parent(s) who are already working two or three jobs and the only spare time they have is to grab a few hours sleep, take a shower, and change clothes? And you think they have time to force their kids to study? Really??

Maybe you should have thought for a moment before you launched this nonsense....and that might not have been a bad thing.

[Live and Learn]

38. Placing the family financial responsibility

on the backs of children sounds abusive to me.

[sinkingfeeling]

9. Sickening! These GOP idiots are destroying the country.

[LondonReign2]

10. They should link Tennessee Republican politicians' pay to IQ test scores

Then they would all be eligible for the programs for the poor they so despise.

[Drale]

30. No IQ tests because that shows your ability to learn

but maybe their pay, maybe even their jobs should be based on their score on the same Standardized Test or as I call them Profit Tests as they force these children to take.

[LiberalFighter]

12. How much will it cost to implement the legislation?

Would it violate federal law?

[EC]

13. Oh, this will be good for the health of little kids.

Let's just put the pressure of the whole family being able to eat on a kid...God, what assholes these guys are.

[rrneck]

17. Let's tie IQ to eligibility for office. That'll clear 'em out. nt

[PDJane]

26. Yes, thank you.

[MineralMan]

18. Only if we can tie Republicans' salaries to their IQs.

The surplus could go to poor families, and it would be a large surplus, indeed. Your salary will be minimum wage multiplied by your IQ as a percentage.

[Fawke Em]

20. Brought to you, once again, by State Sen. Stacey Campfield.

http://www.metropulse.com/news/2010/sep/29/what-heck-wrong-stacey-campfield/

Thankfully, few, if any, of his proposals have become law.

[Initech]

21. The Republican Party are truly evil pieces of shit.

They've done more damage to this country than Al Qaeda could ever dream of.

[Cali_Democrat]

25. Hey Molly...your brother Jeff failed his math test today so we can't eat dinner for a few days

Sorry.

[PDJane]

27. I am going to point out that food insecurity damages IQ and ability to concentrate.

This is just another way to hit people when they can't fight back.

[duffyduff]

34. And what if rich kids don't do worth a crap on tests?

Will the legislators tax their parents more?

Don't count on it.

[spanone]

36. my state is hopeless. the gerrymandering alone has fucked us totally.

the republicans are making this state hard to live in.

[quaker bill]

39. Because keeping slow kids hungry works so well

The republican options are so limited these days, they can withold food, but flogging is no longer acceptable...