Story time: Jenny is 12 years old and in middle school. She’s ambitious, hard working and compassionate. Jenny is being raised by a single dad doing the best that he can to provide for her and her younger brother. Last year, Jenny was on the Free and Reduced Lunch plan,but her dad recently just got a new job so she no longer needs to be on this plan. Jenny is so excited to be able to buy snacks and good meals like her friends do during lunchtime. Everyday for the entire first month of school Jenny buys a ham, salami and American cheese sandwich, with lettuce and honey mustard; along with a bag of Lays barbecue styled potato chips and a bottle of water. Jenny is living the dream, until one day she heard some news she didn’t like.
“Hunny, you don’t have any money in your account, I can charge your ham sandwich but I can’t let you get any snacks until you bring in money”, the lunch lady kindly explained. Jenny nodded her head promising to bring in lunch money the next day. When she went home that night to ask her dad for money he was empty handed. He had just paid the rent and gone grocery shopping. “I’m sorry sweetheart. By the end of the week I will have lunch money for you. Pack lunch for the rest of the week” her dad explained. However, Jenny did not want to pack lunch. She liked being able to get her ham sandwich with her friends everyday. The idea came to her that she could charge her lunch again tomorrow. So she did.
The following day, after she got away charging her ham sandwich twice, she was brought to a halt at the deli counter. “I have a notice here that says you have an Insufficient Lunch Account Balance. I’m sorry, but I cannot make you a ham sandwich. Instead, I can make you cheese and white bread with a side of carrots and whole milk.”
Jenny is not a fictional character. Jenny is a pseudonym for Brianna (me). Since when was “cheese slices on white bread” enough food to feed a growing child? Why is it that the school lunch system is so highly influenced by politicians who create these “state mandated school health programs” for students with money, but seem to disregard the health of a child who has an “insufficient lunch account balance”? This idea baffles me. The idea that school teaches you to be an individual, yet if you don’t have money you are denied the choice of what to put into your body. This idea correlates to the world outside of school lunches. This is such a widespread epidemic that impacts the majority of low income families. They are given food stamps that exclude name brand items or items contains too much sugar or fat. Food stamps, again something politically infused. Politics control more than just the tax laws and world relations. Politics are impacting what humans can eat and not eat based on a corrupt rubric that grades based on their yearly income.
Jenny ate her cheese sandwich alone that day. She isolated herself from her friends to avoid teasing. Not only was she isolated physically from her friends, but mentally too. Eating this cheese sandwich made her feel less than she is.
ABC, 123, Lunch Is Free 