This summer while taking a social work class I was posed the question, "Should the adults recieving food stamp and other welfare benefits be required to take a drug test to recieve said benefits?"
My original thought was, Of course. Of course they should. Why should someone who can't be straight and working be allowed money that other deserving families be getting?
Then the more I thought about it, I started considering the children of those families. The children of those families wouldn't wouldn't have anything to eat otherwise.
Those are my general ideas, so what do you think? Should adults who recieve benefits be tested for drugs?
6 comments:
Wow, I guess that I had never thought about the children of those families. When you put it into that prepective it makes me sad for those kids. Perhaps they still should be, and if they do test positive for substinces they should also have their children taken away from them. That's a very complicated situation. On one hand why should everyone else's tax dollars go to supplying food for people who refuse to get a job, on the other hand we don't want to punish their children becuase they are screw ups. Ugh I don't know.
I know I'm probably taking this far too personally but I am seriously offended by some of the comments left on facebook in regards to this post and the fact alone that people even want to impose drug testing for welfare recipients. I am on welfare but I am not on it because I want to be. I am on it because I have to be. I am on it because it was to the point that I was choosing a warm bed for my children or food on the table and that is no sacrifice a child should ever be asked to make. I agree there are people who take advantage of the system but that's the same no matter where you go! There are people collecting disability even though they are perfectly healthy and able to work only because they were in jail for more than 12 consecutive months for a crime they fully ADMIT to committing. I am humiliated enough that I have to use food stamps to feed my children. Why should I be put through the added humiliation of drug testing all because I genuinely need the help? I work full time, I go to school full time and I bust my butt every day of year but it still wasn't enough. So yes I collect welfare.
Wait a minute...if the people fail their drug test to receive wellfare benifits...shouldn't they be investigated by CPS?? It's certainly not healthy for children to be living with parents who use...as for drug testing being humiliating...I've never been humiliated when I've had to take one for a job- which has been every time I've had one...
I think the reason it won't happen though is that it would be pretty expensive to implement.
Anonymous #2 at 8:45:
I just want to clarify, that I am NOT in any way juding, down grading, or generally viewing people who recieve food stamps as bad.
I'm not against a person with a JOB who is using government assitance to get by while working and also going to school to better themselves. More than that, I can appreciate that you have recognized that your current job won't sustain a way of life and are working toward attaining a better one.
I forget how riled up people can get when it comes to taxes... :)
Anonymous # 2 - Like Sally says above, I dont feel anyone looks down upon someone who is genuinely working as hard as they can but still need govt assistance. By turning to the govt for assistance, as you mentioned, you made the best decision as a parent. You chose (although you feel humiliated) to make that sacrafice to better their life. I myself would be on food stamps and perhaps living with other welfare mothers if it werent for my parents. Those of us that are busting our asses and still barely scraping by is the reason why drug testing should be implemented. Why should those who dont do a thing, or do but use their paycheck for drugs and then sit back and take our taxes to feed their children instead, benefit. Also, drug testing should not be a demeaning things, like Jaime stated many jobs require it. You should look at it as a benefit then, because you know you dont do them and have no worries of failing to receive what is rightfully yours.
YESS they should be tested.. if they test positive.. well no benefits and the children should be taken out of the house.. Drugs are drugs.. no matter how hard a parent may try to hide it from their children .. the children know.. I believe we are to easy on people like this.. if you do drugs ... spend what money you do have on them... how can you possibly be responsible enough or mentally healthy enough to raise healthy children?
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