Activism against the Crandall bill to make Free/reduced lunches optional

by David Safier

This is what I like to see. I just got a Facebook note from Mitzi telling me what she and others are doing in LD20 to fight Crandall's Free/reduced lunches optional bill.

On their website, www.YesPublicEd.org [You had me at "Yes, Public Ed," Mitzi], their first item is:

Action:  Please  urge your  legislators  to  STOP  the School Lunch  Opt-Out bill.

Due to dialogue with community members in LD20,  Sen. John McComish and Rep. Bob Robson  have  asked Sen. Crandall to withdraw  SB1061.     Kudos to them for listening to the community to learn about an issue!   This Bad Bill  would allow AZ District schools  to opt out of the National School Lunch program.

[snip]

According to the ADE (AZ Dept. of Education)  in the committee hearing,  if this bill passes as it is,  500 very needy children or more will no longer be able to eat lunch for  free or for a reduced price.  We've heard adults who are now successful  describe the national lunch  program as the only opportunity they had for a full meal on many days when they were youngsters in school.  

From a human standpoint:  500 hungry children  is 500 too many.   Plus,  it could pave the was for many school districts to  no longer offer nutrition for children in need. 

From a taxpayer's  perspective: Hungry children cannot learn well.  The national program was developed because the  return on investment is huge.  If you  provide nutrition for the most vulnerable children,  they can achieve.

These folks in the Kyrene School District have gotten together to fight a bad bill, and what's more, they've gotten two of their Republican legislators to agree with them — publicly.

Way to go, "Yes, Public Ed." Way to go, Kyrene.