Over the summer, Congress passed the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” which puts over 12
million kids all over the country at risk of losing access to free lunches. The School Nutrition
Association (SNA) reports that currently one out of every five children live without steady
access to food. The bill passed in July cuts funding for Medicaid and SNAP, which were two
organizations that could support schools providing free meals to 25% of their students. The
government has been doing a tragic disservice to children in need by limiting free lunches.
million kids all over the country at risk of losing access to free lunches. The School Nutrition
Association (SNA) reports that currently one out of every five children live without steady
access to food. The bill passed in July cuts funding for Medicaid and SNAP, which were two
organizations that could support schools providing free meals to 25% of their students. The
government has been doing a tragic disservice to children in need by limiting free lunches.
Previously, Richard B Russel National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act
protected nutrition programs. However, these laws have been reauthorized and amended several
times by legislation. The Trump Administration canceled the Local Food for Schools program
which was a 660-million-dollar organization. The removing of programs such as the Local Food
for Schools programs and SNAP will deprive schools’ funding, supply, and resources. These
sudden policy shifts are a further financial burden for schools. In this expensive and rough
economy these financial slowdowns won’t be feasible.
A part of laws being altered and programs being cut is the added requirements that come
with being accepted into free and reduced lunches. These added requirements are the root cause
of 12 million students becoming at risk of not having access to school lunches. The new
requirements cut off families and kids from being provided free and reduced lunches. Again, the
government is stripping necessary assets, in turn adding stress but now it is extending to families
and impacting people on a personal and persistent level. Similarly to schools, low-income
families suffer with or without free school meals. Building on citizen’s stress is the opposite of
what our government’s job is. In fact, we place them in power to improve our quality of life, but
their taking away meals from children who need them is harming our communities so much
more.
All it takes is some perspective and empathy to see what good these means do. It’s not
only about financial stress, but this problem will also affect our youth deeper. Kids without
proper nutrition will be at a disadvantage. Schools where poverty and hunger are big problems
report lower test scores because poor nutrition can affect brain development, concentration,
memory, and ability to learn. Along with that, kids will be punished physically as well. Stunted
growth, a weakened immune system, and a risk for obesity or being underweight are all dangers children who don’t have access to nutrition will face. The Food Research and Action Center stated, “School lunch is critical to student health and well-being, especially for children from low-income households… receiving free or reduced-price school lunches reduces food insecurity, obesity rates, and poor health.” Experts would agree that free lunch is vital to students in low- income households and taking away this necessity would be disappointing and unjust.
Overall, the argument that funds for school lunch should be cut lacks reason and
magnifies our government’s naivety to children living in poverty. Politicians would punish
helpless children who are just trying to do their jobs, which is to go to school. This issue should
be recognized more because it directly targets the American youth. Funding must be resumed to
these organizations, and we must protect the future of our nation.
