Dig, J-T and CF. I'm very aware of all the arguments for school lunch. I favor the program per se. Should it now usurp all parental responsibility 3 meals/day 365? I don't think so. But it's pretty much there in my community and many many others. The kids pay nothing and over time believe they're entitled - that's bad. A large part of the program mission is to provide nutritious meals and be a lab teaching good nutritional habits. Total funding via USDA reimbursements, commodity donation (to support farmers) and paying students is insufficient to support that mission. Too many school districts need to subsidize their NSLPs w/ funds that otherwise would go to instruction. Thus the meals, much too often, are too fatty-too caloric causing generations of obese kids thinking eating that stuff is okay because the schools served it. It's counter productive and adds to current/future health care costs.
My stance is if the gov is going to do it, do it right. I believe it's a well intended program that needs to be modified to meet it's mission in a manner that doesn't produce such unintended consequences. I think it's just one example of liberalism run amuk; that though thought, compromise and management could once again be effective. Moderation. I can't see feeding kids 3 X/day -365 as the federal Gov's job. If States or localities want to and meet quality criteria, fine let them pay for it.
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