Given that Republicans like to call themselves the party of family values, it’s with rich irony that they continue to fight to keep free breakfast and lunch from kids. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, students at public schools nationwide were able to access free school meals. Great! Not so great? That initiative ended on June 30—and some kids already have school lunch debt.
Schools can technically begin seeking payment from families. But one school district in Pennsylvania announced it won’t be doing so, and already canceled the total balance accrued. What’s that total? More than $20,000 in the Bristol Borough School District in Bucks County.
Nearly three-quarters of students in the district qualify for free or reduced breakfast and lunch, Bristol is one of the poorer districts in the county. In speaking to local outlet WHYY, School Board President David Chichilitti said the district has the “extra money” because they’re frugal, so they were able to cancel the debt.
“And if we didn’t,” he continued. “We would have found out where to get the money to forgive this,” Chichilitti said.
The school district will start to record student lunch debt again this year, and Chichilitti says the board is going to look after the numbers. He says they’re willing to forgive the balance again if need be.
This story is a great example of community organizing, in that the local Bucks Cancel Lunch Debt Coalition actually advocated on behalf of families and students with school lunch debt at a school board meeting months ago. Organizers ultimately want to end school lunch debt, period, and especially the disturbing tactics some school districts use to get those balanced paid, including debt collection agencies, giving students alternate meals (cold sandwiches, anyone?), and keeping them home from activities like field trips and the prom.
“If one district was able to do this,” organizer Nick Marcil told the outlet. “Then others can follow,” Marcil said.
We already know students learn better and perform better in school when they’re fed. But even if there was no connection between hunger and learning, it’s a simple ethical standard that no one should be hungry while in the classroom—or in general, really. The simplest solution is to offer universal free meals to all students.
Why? Universal free lunch programs can get rid of the stigma and shame surrounding free lunch. It can also cut down on bullying from peers. Frankly, it also saves everyone involved time pertaining to applications and paperwork. It’s also more inclusive, as not all folks who technically qualify actually use the resource—language barriers can be an issue, as can families who are afraid that even applying will put them under scrutiny.
Offering free meals to all students is the right thing to do. Now, if we could get all of these meals to actually be nutritionally sound, that would be even better, but in a country so large and at times so divided, it’s definitely a long-term game we’re playing.
Sign the petition: No more school lunch debt. Support the No Shame at School Act.
