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Across the country, low-income students are being shamed by school administrators in front of their peers because they cannot afford to pay for their lunch. Some students are forced to throw out their lunch entrees; other students go hungry. Some students have even been prevented from graduating high school as the result of accumulated, unpaid lunch fees.1 2 But we at Color Of Change believe that every student deserves to have a nutritious meal at lunch time, regardless of their race or income level. Tell Congress to end school lunch debt shaming.
School lunch debt shaming is an unfair practice. It disproportionately impacts Black and Latinx students — students whose families are often low-income due to systemic and economic barriers. But, this past June, Representative Ilhan Omar and Senator Tina Smith introduced the No Shame at School Act, legislation that will protect students and families who can’t afford the cost of lunch. If adopted, this legislation will stop school districts from having collection agencies seek students’ unpaid lunch fees, and would end humiliating practices, like wristbands and hand stamps, that schools often use to indicate a student owes fees for lunch. Tell Congress to protect families who can’t afford the cost of lunch.
At Color Of Change, we make powerful changes all over the United States. With your help, we’ve fought for better health care for Black moms, changed pay restrictions for college athletes in California, and elected legislators who care about Black people. We now have the opportunity to use our collective power to end school lunch debt shaming for good, and push for policies that protect our people. Join us in demanding that Congress the No Shame at School Act, and end lunch shaming across our country.
Until justice is real,
—Jade, Rashad, Arisha, Johnny, Future, Amanda, Evan, Imani, Samantha, Eesha, Marcus, FolaSade, and the rest of the Color Of Change team
References:
- “Warwick School Committee approves policy ending ‘lunch shaming,’” WPRI.com, May 15, 2019, https://act.colorofchange.org/go/135889?t=7&akid=38870%2E4731121%2EXr3aPE.
- “Officials, advocates push for Minnesota law to keep students from being denied diplomas over school lunch debts,” Star Tribune, May 10, 2019, http://act.colorofchange.org/go/135890?t=9&akid=38870%2E4731121%2EXr3aPE.
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