School children suffer the stresses of getting up early, rushing to school, many without busing, and then face a harrowing day of grasping new topics in various subjects. The one reprieve in their day should be lunch and recess. But in 2010, when the Obama administration touted the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, all hell broke loose across the country. Parents were fined for not including a grain, students suffered getting their lunch tossed in the garbage by an administrator because it did not fit government protocol, or fees were not paid.
In 2014, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) noted that more than 40 states challenged the law that was promoted by First Lady, Michelle Obama.
More than 1 million students and parents stopped purchasing school lunches to opt for packed lunches within the first week of the new legislation, which too would face scrutiny. Many said prisoners received better lunches than the young, bright, future minds of America. The program is such a failure, students started a Twitter trend called #ThanksMichelleObama where they posted questionable looking school choices, many looking unhealthy in color, let alone taste.
Now in the newest twist, and possibly taking a page from the latest season of Orange is the New Black, students are taking a stand by bringing in assistance. For a price.
Many students are developing a black market selling seasoning “contraband” says John S. Payne, President of the Blackford County School Board of Trustees in Indiana. Students had enough of the bland food choices, and to compensate for the taste they are selling salt, pepper, sugar and other seasoning packets to bring some spice and taste back into their meals.
To back Payne’s testimony, Dr. Lynn Harvey who serves as the Chief of School Nutrition Services in North Carolina also penned a letter regarding the current status of school lunches.
Politicians in a majority of states have pushed for heavy testing in their school districts, many are cooperating with Common Core standards, and now they face the continued decline of students purchasing the government created lunch program. Growing government oversight into regulating school children is failing. Schools are losing money faster, as the investment into broken programs continue. Delicious, homemade and homegrown foods can benefit school kids and the districts. If school kids can consume the disgusting bread covered hotdog, they certainly should be able to enjoy a salad and corn muffin made fresh.
In the meantime, parents continue to spend more to supply for their children to just have a decent meal during a long day of forced standards and testing. Many of those students are trying to recoup the costs by offering a touch of flavor to fellow classmates.