Talking about methods, I noticed one method pop up on Twitter around the value of providing free school meals (breakfast and lunch) to all school children. There has always been provisions to feed children in poverty at schools across the state of Minnesota. So about 12% of school age children’s families were not charged and 88% were billed by the school. Or moms prepared lunchs and sent them out in backpacks.

In actions reflective of an exuberant majority, the law makers passed a bill to cover meals for all children. (We feed kids instead of banning books! was a slogan this year) On the face of things it sounds like a wonderful thing to do. In the world of constraints it shouldn’t be a surprise anyone that the cost of the program is bulging well past the initial number. Listen to little onion. 

This goes on to say that it will cost the state $80-$95 million in the coming years.

For perspective, 2019-2023, Minneapolis* has paid out over $70 million in police misconduct settlements.

Feeding kids seems like a much better use of taxpayer money. https://t.co/iIaXR1In5m

— little onion (@zola_ellen) December 21, 2023

Is it valid to compare the cost of free meals to the cost of police misconduct settlements? On the one hand government decided to pay food bill for families who could afford to buy their kids lunch. On the other hand there’s a number for mismanagement of a police force and the subsequent fallout. One is for sustenance, the other is for public security. The only thing to grab onto here is that taxpayer money settles the tab. Method Grade: F-.

Here’s another method to present whether the cost of increasing the school meal tab to cover all students is justified.

Just for perspective, the Minneapolis Police overtime budget for 2022 was 15% of the cost to feed every hungry school child in the whole god damned state. Just their overtime budget! just the city of Minneapolis. – Feeding children is not expensive.

— D.A. Bullock (@BullyCreative) December 21, 2023

We note a pattern here between those who support free lunch- they value it more than funding the police. Public safety is a concern for all. Lunches are covering less than 20 percent of the population. Lack of public safety results in a loss of some kind to all citizens. Lack of school meals, in this case, means a few more PB&J’s and carrots sticks for some families. As a method, these comparisons, well, are weak. Method Grade: F-.

The Gov thinks the program is worth it since a mom wrote to him and said she appreciated not having to pack lunchs ever morning for her three kids.

We aren’t going to split kids into “haves” and “have nots”, especially in the school lunchroom.
 
With free breakfast and lunch for every student in Minnesota, we’re keeping our children fed – and saving families money along the way. pic.twitter.com/oUJWKBmBaP

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) December 15, 2023

At least in this method a politician was listening to a constituent. Method Grade: F+.