Most schools already supply breakfast and lunch for poor students. With the increased impact of the recession and layoffs, many children have no other alternative than to get their only meals in schools. Thanks to the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act signed into law by President Obama in December 2010, children are able to get dinner in after-school programs where at least half the students qualify for free or reduced-priced lunch.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that almost 21 million supper will be served by 2015. In Oakland, California 70 percent of its 38,000 students qualify for subsidized meals. In Memphis, Tennessee about 84 percent of the district’s 110,000 students qualify. In Kansas City, 86 percent of the students qualify.
The meals consist of entrees such as Cobb salad and ham and cheese sandwiches.
Conservatives question whether schools should feed kids three meals a day. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh asked on-air in November, “Why even send the kids home?”
With all due respect to Mr. Limbaugh, is the option of having these children go hungry better than feeding them? How obscene is that comment? Mr. Limbaugh, don’t you have any shame?