LUNCHES: Stigma of poverty

Lately, I have read of an Idaho school district that serves different, less expensive lunches to students who have fallen behind or can’t pay for their lunches.

Students receiving these “welfare lunches” are looked down upon and harassed by other students. Many of these students who can’t pay skip lunch to avoid the stigma.

Studies clearly show that students coping with both hunger and harassment don’t do well academically or socially in school.

The Idaho Legislature is always striving to improve the quality of school student performance, particularly to national standards.

So far, appropriating adequate funding for school lunches for ALL students in ALL school districts has been overlooked as another viable way to raise student academic performance.

MARK WEADICK

Coeur d’Alene