OPINION

School lunch is vital. Make it free for all kids

The Register's editorial

Kudos to Des Moines Public Schools for again expanding a program that provides free breakfast and lunch to students. And a nod to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for funding the endeavor. This year every student in 37 of 65 Des Moines schools and four early-learning centers can eat nutritious meals at no cost to them or their families. That is more than triple the number of schools a few years ago.

This “special” program should become standard operating procedure across the country. Let every kid go through the lunch line. A meal is as important a part of a several-hour school day as math class. Hungry kids can’t focus to learn. Congress should revisit the National School Lunch Program — rooted in a 1946 law — to make providing meals a standard part of public education.

What we’re doing now doesn’t make sense. Some families pay full price for a child’s school lunch, though their meals are essentially subsidized by taxpayers. Families who can’t afford the cost must admit to being poor and fill out forms so the child can receive a reduced-price or free lunch and breakfast.

This system turns lunch ladies into collection agents. Students with debt may be singled out. Schools are awash in paperwork. Financial incentives for school districts to sign up as many students as possible make the program ripe for abuse.

Society already shares in the expense of educating our children through taxes used to pay for teachers and buildings. How much more would it really cost to simply feed everyone, particularly when you consider the money saved by eliminating the bureaucracy and administrative expense?

Instead of embarrassing low-income families and forcing schools to try to collect on debt, it would make more sense to just give every kid a meal at school.