Kids Should Work For School Lunches, Politician Claims
Kids should work to earn their school lunches, according to a West Virginia politician. The man, Delegate Ray Canterbury, make the comment during a debate on the West Virginia Feed to Achieve Act.
The act would require all schools to try and maximize their school meal participation in order to take advantage of federal money for meals. But, despite the overwhelming support the bill received, Canterbury, a Republican, did not approve.
Instead, the same delegate who previously suggested Sci-Fi should be a mandatory school course stated:
“I think it would be a good idea if perhaps we had the kids work for their lunches: trash to be taken out, hallways to be swept, lawns to be mowed, make them earn it.”
His reasoning for making kids work for their school lunches? The Greenbrier County Republican explained:
“If they miss a lunch or they miss a meal they might not, in that class that after noon, learn to add, they may not learn to diagram a sentence, but they’ll learn a more important lesson.”
Canterbury’s suggestion was met with anger by many of his fellow lawmakers. Delegate Meshea Poore (D) was so upset her voice shock as she responded, “I’m offended that anybody in this body would dare say that a child has to work for their meal.”
House Majority Leader Brent Boggs was also visibly upset by the debate. He added, “It is pathetic that in a country as wealthy as this, that we’re talking about whether we should feed kids or not.” Despite Canterburry’s opposition, the West Virginia Feed to Achieve Act passed by a vote of 89 to 9.
The bill recommends programs like “grab and go” breakfasts and eating breakfast in class as ways for schools to increase participation. The act also sets up foundations in each county to collect private donations to fund the expanded meal programs. It cited national data and pilot programs in Mingo and Mason County, West Virginia, which showed student performance and test scores increase when children eat breakfast at school.
Do you think that kids should work for their school lunches?
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