California Does it again - Free school meals for ALL students

[packman]

A TRUE progressive state -

-- With food prices, inflation, and food insecurity on the rise in California, leaders in education are taking action.

Beginning this school year, California will be the first state to implement the Universal Meals program, providing free meals to all schoolchildren.

The program will make sure all kids have access to free meals at school.

It's a big win for the district and the students.

https://abc7.com/california-free-lunches-school-lunch-food-access/12119010/?ex_cid=TA_KABC_FB&utm_campaign=trueAnthem%3A+New+Content+%28Feed%29&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=facebook&fbclid=IwAR3VMi71MLZPflnVCHwW5Wak2dyy4fnKQ_cVmZfL9CBecyYmBBAXzT_6hJE&fs=e&s=cl

[LakeArenal]

1. To me, this is truly a liberal policy.

I love it.

[cynical_idealist]

2. amazingly sensible :}

imagine promoting policies that help people...

[W_HAMILTON]

3. Example #25,682 of the two parties most certainly NOT being the same.

[Aristus]

4. Yeah, I can't think of anything more characteristic of the GOP than adults yanking a child's lunch

out of his hands, and jamming it into a trash can, because the child has unpaid 'lunch debt'. 'Lunch debt'. The repukes must love that phrase. And it is soooooo Republican to waste food rather than feed a hungry child. I salute California for maintaining their collective membership in the human race with this wonderful policy. You guys rock!

[MoonlitKnight]

5. Also some districts in Florida

I think there was funding in the recovery plan. So thank a Democrat.

[W_HAMILTON]

6. There was COVID funding for free school lunches across the country...

...but I believe that original funding expired in June, or was at least significantly cut back.

That's why California doing this is such a big deal. They are basically supplementing reduced federal funding with their own state funding to continue providing free school lunches for all. That's a big deal.

[MoonlitKnight]

7. It's a BFD as our President would say

Not trying to diminish. It was added during Covid and worked so it’s being adopted.

And when you consider the costs of cashiers, systems for billing and all the overhead to charge some students it’s probably economically a better approach to just provide it as a service. Same argument applies to public transit, healthcare and some other services that are simply more efficient and provide a tangible benefit to society by being publicly funded.

[diane in sf]

8. I completely agree!

[hunter]

9. A society that won't feed or educate certain children ain't worth shit.

The Republican Party ain't worth shit.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

10. This is excellent. It removes any stigma attached to free meals, too.