John,
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government worked to ensure every student had access to free meals at school. When this funding ended last year, many families were left unable to afford school lunches and could not qualify for existing federal programs designed to feed high-need students. This problem has only gotten worse as inflation increases costs across the board. Right now, student meal debt–a concept that shouldn’t even exist in one of the world’s wealthiest nations–exceeds $262 million nationwide. That means millions of students and their families are forced to choose between going hungry and going further into debt. |
As the son of a public school teacher, I was raised with the knowledge that our public schools exist to provide younger generations with the fundamental right to education. But how can we provide for this basic need without guaranteeing access to healthy meals?
Our response during the pandemic proved that we can afford to provide every student in America with healthy school meals. That’s why I’m proud to support the School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act, a bill designed to pay off all existing school meal debt and make meals free for all school children, regardless of their families’ income. No student should have to experience hunger and the sense of shame it creates. Sign the petition: Support the School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act today. In solidarity, Ro |
