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In a move that mirrors New Mexico’s recent legislation, Oregon has become a beacon of hope for students facing lunch shaming. Lawmakers there unanimously passed a bill to eliminate the practice of humiliating children who cannot pay for school lunches. It’s heartening to see politicians prioritizing compassion over cruelty—who could possibly endorse punishing kids for being hungry?
This new law mandates that the National School Lunch Program ensures every student in Oregon schools receives the same lunch, irrespective of their family’s financial situation. This means that children who lack the funds for lunch won’t be served inferior meals or singled out by staff members. Every child deserves a lunchtime experience free from embarrassment.
Sadly, lunch shaming is a troubling trend across many schools in the U.S. Recall that incident in Phoenix where students were branded with the phrase “Lunch Money” when their accounts ran low? Or the Pittsburgh cafeteria worker who resigned after being compelled to discard a first grader’s meal, replacing it with a meager cheese sandwich due to insufficient funds in the child’s account? It’s downright appalling to penalize youngsters for circumstances beyond their control.
Feeding our schoolchildren should be a national priority. Legislative reforms like those in Oregon and New Mexico are absolutely essential. At a minimum, state laws should safeguard students from being ostracized and humiliated when they can’t afford a meal. There is no valid justification for tossing a hot meal in the trash instead of offering it to a hungry child.
Let’s be realistic—many parents won’t pack lunches for their kids every day. While it would be ideal, it’s simply not feasible for all families. Some parents struggle to afford daily school meals. So why should innocent children bear the brunt of their guardians’ financial struggles? It’s cruel and abusive to single out and shame kids by marking them or discarding their food.
We can only hope that more states will follow Oregon’s example in banning these harmful practices. California and Texas are already drafting their own anti-shaming laws. It should be obvious that well-nourished children, free from public humiliation, are likely to thrive both academically and socially.
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In summary, the practice of lunch shaming is an unacceptable trend that needs to be eradicated. Oregon’s recent legislation is a positive step, ensuring that no child has to face humiliation during lunchtime. It’s time for more states to adopt similar measures to protect our children’s dignity and well-being.