Respect works both ways over free school meals – Yorkshire Post Letters

From: Roger Crossley, Fall View, Silkstone, Barnsley.
By YP Letters
Published 31st Oct 2020, 16:33 BST
Protestors hang up paper plates carrying slogans calling for the government to extend free school meals provision, outside the Department for Education, in Westminster, London.Protestors hang up paper plates carrying slogans calling for the government to extend free school meals provision, outside the Department for Education, in Westminster, London.
Protestors hang up paper plates carrying slogans calling for the government to extend free school meals provision, outside the Department for Education, in Westminster, London.

JAYNE Dowle (The Yorkshire Post, October 29) says what parents on low incomes/benefits really need is respect.

I agree wholeheartedly with this, but would be interested to know from her how they can earn that respect, or even if it has to be earned at all. I think that Jayne is assuming an ‘‘automatic’’ respect, one from one human being to another, no questions asked. However, I feel that respect goes both ways and should be seen to have been earned in some way.

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The problem is that some people would argue that society pays up anyway, regardless of questions of respect, worthiness etc. So we, as a society, have to decide:

Footballer Marcus Rashford has been leading a campaign on extending the provision of free school meals.Footballer Marcus Rashford has been leading a campaign on extending the provision of free school meals.
Footballer Marcus Rashford has been leading a campaign on extending the provision of free school meals.

1) Do we pay up and not ask questions?

2) Do we ask questions first, then pay up?

3) Do we not pay up at all?

The bottom line, of course, is the child. As a society, we look after our children, in the same way we should look after our elderly. But I feel she should address other issues alongside ‘‘automatic’’ respect, like responsibility, work ethic and common decency, and be prepared to accept that not everyone deserves respect, even though they know that ultimately they have the ace card. Their children.

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Related topics:Yorkshire PostBarnsleyJayne DowleYorkshire

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