Since the inception of reduced-price or free school lunch
programs, students from low-income families have depended on and utilized them.
Now more than ever, during the largest capitalist crisis in decades in which
thousands of workers are unemployed or underemployed, more and more students
are signing up for free or reduced-price lunch programs.
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The recent numbers from school districts nationwide show a
larger than usual increase of students enrolling in the programs. In the
2008-09 school year, almost 900,000 more students than the previous year
enrolled. (Associated Press, March 27) These numbers are no coincidence. They
are caused by increased layoffs as well as cuts to workers’ hours and wages.
Under this extreme financial stress, more and more families find themselves
financially qualifying for the lunch programs.
Both state and federal funds are used to pay for the program.
However, the rate of reimbursements to school districts has slowed because of
the rising cost of food and state and federal government budget cuts. In order
to support the growing number of students in need and to grapple with the state
and federal budget cuts to public education, many schools have shifted funds
from other departments into funding for lunch programs. In addition to the cuts
that already have occurred, in many districts this means disaster for
educational programs, employee hours and wages and school supplies. Many
districts already have laid off thousands of teachers, staff and
administrators, while increasing class sizes and canceling whole programs
entirely.
For many children in the program, the lunch they receive at
school is often the most nutritionally valuable meal they eat during the day.
Many working families are barely able to provide shelter and clothes let alone
food. The lunch programs are one way to ensure that children are being fed and
have access to food, but it is not enough. There are still hundreds of
thousands of children going to bed hungry at night, and over 1.7 million
children are outright homeless.
The starkness of the situation testifies to the nature of
the current system. Under a system that is based on making the highest possible
profit at any cost, working people lose. Federal bailout money in the trillions
went to failing banks, insurance companies and financial institutions. The
recently passed health care bill is basically a handout to insurance companies,
but there is no support for workers. In fact large cuts have been made and more
will be made to many of the programs that assist poor and working people.
The trillions of tax dollars that went to bank bailouts and
the billions that are going to fund illegal occupations and wars in
Afghanistan, Iraq and Palestine were stolen from the workers. Not only could
that money ensure every child and family access to nutritional food at school
and at home, it would also ensure high-quality education, health care, housing
and jobs for all.
