School Kids Need Lunch, but Who Should Pay? : PLATFORM

ROSEMARIE AVILA

Board member, Santa Ana Unified

School District

I think the lunch program is a good program. Public education is compulsory. I don’t think the government owes everyone a free lunch, but if you’re going to keep kids who can’t afford lunch at school during lunchtime, you should feed them.

I’m against the school breakfast program. Children should eat with their parents. I would prefer to give the family a box of oatmeal and a dozen eggs. Let mom make the breakfast. We’re paying for people to make the breakfast and serve it, and we’re taking away a mother’s privilege of feeding her children.

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SALLY MELTON

Principal, Kennedy Elementary School, Santa Ana

Ninety-five percent of our children qualify for the school lunch program. That speaks for itself. As for the breakfast program, in my professional opinion it enables them to start the day off with a clearer mind and a healthier being. At lunch time, most of our lunches are eaten, which is a good sign. We don’t have much waste.

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WARREN LUND

Director of food services, Los Angeles Unified School District

If you talk to anyone in education, from administrators to teachers to the teachers’ union, you would find that this is a program that truly works. All the evidence gathered over many, many years proves that kids who are not well-nourished don’t learn well. A good breakfast and lunch are very critical. We’re absolutely convinced it’s integral to the education process itself.

If the program is cut, we could try to look for other sources of funding, whether at the state level or from general funds here. But if we have to get money out of the general fund, we’ll be competing with other classroom necessities, such as books and teachers.

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MARK BUCHER

Co-founder, Education Alliance,

Tustin

Our general view is that the schools have enough to do just trying to educate children and all these programs take away from what teachers are intended to do. Feeding children is best left up to the parents.

But I think the main issue is whether the federal government or the state government should be administering this program. That being the choice, the state is going to be more efficient and better provide for the needs of the people. No one is talking about eliminating the program, just shifting responsibilities away from the federal level.

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DIANA CHAVEZ

19, Boyle Heights, Cal State Los Angeles student

There are seven children in my family. All of us have gone to college except my youngest brother, who is in high school. I was on the school lunch program for seven years.

The lunches really helped me out. It’s hard to think straight when you are hungry.

Sometimes I would forget my lunch ticket at home and I would be mad at myself. I didn’t have a dollar to buy a snack. The days I forgot my lunch ticket, I didn’t want to be in school.

I think that (those who want to cut lunches) have never been in low-income areas or in our position.