In Debt in the Lunchroom
“We’re one of the richest countries on this planet. And I don’t think that any child should be hungry." -Valerie Castile
Kids need a full, nutritious meal at school to learn and grow. They should not have to face bullying or humiliation just to get fed. Let’s dig in. - Amber & Katie
Did you know First graders can be saddled with debt? When they go through the lunch line, their account balance may not cover the cost of hot meals that day. In most school districts, they will either be served a lesser lunch than peers or accrue school meal debt.
Free lunches are offered across the country. However, a family whose income exceeds the eligibility threshold may still be unable to pay the full or reduced price consistently. Due to administrative errors or delays, even students who should be receiving free meals may accumulate debt unknowingly.
Students with insufficient funds or outstanding fees often face embarrassing and punitive measures referred to as “lunch shaming.” They are forced to wear a neon bracelet or have their hand stamped, are served a cold sandwich or crackers instead of a full hot lunch, are made to clean the cafeteria, or may watch the hot lunch just dished up for them dumped in the trash. They may be excluded from activities like Homecoming or graduation. Parents with school meal debt over $10 in one Pennsylvania school district were threatened that their children could be sent to foster care. The federal U.S. Department of Agriculture which governs school nutrition programs found that lunch shaming happened in more than half of schools in a 2014 survey. Some districts even send families to collection agencies.
Over 75% of school districts have school meal debt on the books, according to the School Nutrition Association, and 40% of those report the amount of debt is increasing. Fewer children receive free lunch each year. Unfortunately, when fees rack up, school districts may have to cover them out of already stretched budgets.
Elementary schoolers at J.J. Hill Montessori Magnet School in Minnesota had an ally in the lunchroom. Mr. Phil, their cafeteria supervisor, was known to give students extra snacks and pay for meals when they couldn’t. Tragically, Philando Castile was murdered by a policy officer in 2016 during a traffic stop. His mother Valerie was determined to honor his memory and legacy in the lunchroom. “We’re one of the richest countries on this planet. And I don’t think that any child should be hungry... That’s what my son stood for—taking care of those children.” Valerie joined a crowdfunding initiative that wiped out over $178,000 of school meal debt in Minnesota. Each year since, her Philando Castile Relief Foundation has continued to pay off thousands of dollars in school meal debt. Valerie joined Rep. Ilhan Omar and Sen. Tina Smith to introduce the No Shame at School Act (S. 1907/H.R. 3366) in June 2019. The bill would outlaw debt shaming measures and authorizes the federal government to reimburse unpaid meals.
Sign the petition of support for the No Shame at School Act.
Contact your lawmakers and ask them to support the No Shame at School Act.
Tweet thanks to Rep. Omar (@IlhanMN) and Sen. Smith (@SenTinaSmith) for their leadership on the issue.
Donate to the Philando Castile Relief Foundation.
Let stories of kids donating their allowances to pay off meal debt inspire you to hold a family fundraiser. It’s a tangible issue that kids can understand and empathize with. One 9-year-old benefactor said, “I want them to feel happy that someone cares about them.” Contact your school directly or find a GoFundMe campaign to support.
California, Texas and New Mexico have passed state laws related to school meal debt and shaming. Oregon is generously expanding eligibility to free lunch and breakfast for students. Do you know your state and school district’s nutrition policies?
Are your fave presidential candidates talking about universal school meals?
The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) has compiled “Best Practices for Preventing or Reducing School Meal Debt” detailing 16 concrete policy recommendations. Example: “Community Eligibility” enables entire schools to qualify for free breakfast and lunch for all students.
Follow FRAC on Facebook or Twitter, and check out their Legislative Action Center for more advocacy on nutrition programs.
Find us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Let us know how you’ve taken action using #LinkedAndLoud.
References
75% of US school districts report student meal debt. Here's what they're doing to combat the problem | CNN
School lunch debt and lunch shaming is a problem that needs a national solution | NBC News
Children Face Foster Care Over School Meal Debt, District Warns | The New York Times
Why Are More Schools Going After Families For Lunch Debt? | Pacific Standard
Countless American families are saddled with student lunch debt. Many won’t be able to pay it off. | The New Food Economy
A single tweet has inspired thousands of donations to pay off school lunch debt | Today
How states and crowdfunding are tackling the growing problem of student lunch debt | Vox
How 'lunch shaming' is facing scrutiny around the US | The Associated Press
States Take On ‘Lunch Shaming’, But Child Nutrition Still Under Threat | NEA Today
Shaming Children So Parents Will Pay the School Lunch Bill | The New York Times
Feeding Young Minds: The Importance of School Lunches | The New York Times
A student remembers her school's 'lunch man,' Philando Castile | MPR News
Philando Castile's Mother Wipes Out School Lunch Debt, Continuing Son's Legacy | NPR
9-year-old boy pays off entire school lunch debt for his class after saving his allowance | The Hill
Can We Stop Kids From Being Shamed Over School Lunch Debt? | Civil Eats
California bans ‘lunch shaming’ of K-12 schoolchildren whose parents are behind on cafeteria bills | Market Watch
Oregon OKs largest expansion of federal free lunch program | Statesman Journal
School Meals Legislation and Funding by State: August 2019 | The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
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