Save School Meals!

Hello everyone, I have something a little different for you today. It's a bit of a more serious topic and will probably only apply to those who live in the United Kingdom but I would appreciate it if you would just take a few seconds to read this. 

So, as we all know, Great Britain's government are horrendous and coming down hard on those in serious need. Today's topic shows this even more so. 

That is George Osborne. This complete tool is apparently scrapping free meals for infant school pupils in his November spending review, it's been reported. Free school meals for all children between four and seven was introduced in 2014 by Nick Clegg, estimating that it would cut costs to parents by £400 per year, per child. 

Despite pledging to continue the policy in the 2015 Conservative manifesto, this government is actually now considering the cut according to sources. Famous chef and healthy eating campaigner, Jamie Oliver has called this possibility a 'disaster'. And he is so right. Not all parents can afford to give their children packed lunches every day and certainly even more so with the other cuts coming in!

I remember my own school days and how we got free school meals every day. I ate a packed lunch for most of my days and sometimes ate a free school meal. But I was lucky because I had two parents who worked their arses off to provide for me and my brother. Some of my classmates ate free school dinners every day but we all felt or "looked" equal to each other because we were all eating some kind of nutritious meal together. By taking free school meals away, you are potentially damaging children because their parents can't afford to give them a packed lunch everyday!

But, this cut hasn't been enforced yet and these are only reports of it possibly happening. However, this is where you can help out. There is a petition by Ben Whitehouse going around online at the moment and it's really picking up speed. I need you to sign it and help support free school meals for infant school children.

Here is the link!

The government will respond if it gets more than 10,000 signatures.. and so far, it has just over 20,000! At 100,000 signatures, it will actually be considered for debate in Parliament. 

The signatures are rising every time I refresh the page but will it get to 100,000? I don't know. But it only takes a few seconds to help out and fill in your details. All of your details are private and will NOT be released anywhere, I promise. You will need to go to your email account and open the link that they send to you to make your signature counts. 

It ends March 2016 which isn't that far away considering we are three months away from 2016 already. Your signature could be the one that pushes it to 100,000!

So please, for your one good deed of the day, for a few seconds; help out some kids and sign it?

Thankyou for reading and even more so if you sign it.

Laura.

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Stop Cuts To Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs)!

The responsible department for this ridiculousness is the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. David Willetts (pictured above), is the Minister for Universities and Science has announced the 'modernisation' of the grant students with disabilities get from the government; the Disabled Students Allowances (DSA).

The original detail of this so called modernisation is a series of cuts in provision, placing the funding burden on Universities and individual students. There is an online petition which highlights the cuts that'll be made and what they'll do:

- Reduce the access to higher education for students with disabilities and dyslexia.
- Reduce successful outcomes with less support meaning lower degree classifications for students who require additional support.
- Reduce the employment prospects for graduates with disabilities and dyslexia.
- Increase the drop out/failure rate in universities amongst disabled and dyslexic students.

This is disgusting and this petition will hopefully gain enough signatures to stop such cuts. As the appeal has had over 10,000 signatures, the appropriate Government department have provided the following response:

"We note the concerns expressed in the e-petition. The aims of these reforms are not to reduce or limit the level of support available to disabled student, but rather to rebalance responsibility between the Government and higher education institutions which now face legal obligations under the Equality Act.

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills is working with a range of stakeholders including those from the Special Education Needs and Disability sector, in order to advise our policy and develop guidance. Meetings are ongoing to assist our effort in quantifying what reasonable adjustments an Higher Education Institutions would be expected to make, and what Disabled Students' Allowance should support.

This e-petition remains open to signatures and will be considered for debate by the Backbench Business Committee should it pass the 100,000 signature threshold."

So far this petition, created by Rob Fidler, only has 16,863 signatures and that is pitiful if we need 100,000 to even get a debate sorted out. Yes, I am thankful for those who have already signed it but we need more to make a change. There has been no media interest in this at all and it is up to people online to spread this around as much as they can.

Stephen Fry has even tweeted his thoughts about this:

"Government cuts to Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) – What next? Please sign this petition http://bit.ly/1jDQ8W5  updates at NADP_UK"

I think it is terrible that the less able are being targeted when they're the ones who need specific help in universities. To cut their funding that helps them get the support they need, the Government are not allowing them the same opportunities the other students have. This will give disabled and dyslexic students less chance to complete a degree and less of a chance of getting a job they want like anybody else. The cuts will only lead to further inequality within society and we can't have that.

Here is the petition for you (UK residents only) if you want to sign it like I have.

It will ask for you for personal details but I promise you these are kept safe and not shared with anybody else, it is only for the purpose of the petition.

It closes on the 11th of April in 2015 so we still have a fair bit of time.

To see any changes made, you can follow NADP_UK on Twitter aswell.

I constantly see posts on here, on Tumblr, on Twitter etc. about inequality in society so let's not further it, sign up and share this petition and/or this post on every social media you may have so the government can withdraw this policy statement. 

I only hope this doesn't come into effect because everyone deserves equal opportunities in this world and deserves the education they wish to receive. 

Thankyou for reading and thankyou if you sign up.
Laura.

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