Letters to the Editor

Protect free meals for school children

As a retired public school teacher, grandparent and child advocate, I was very disturbed to read Mark Zimmaro’s report on the possible damage to an established meal program for school children (“Scanlon highlights harm to school meal program,” June 11). This bill passed by Congress in May will reduce federal funding for both food assistance and Medicaid coverage.

So it was helpful to read Zimmaro’s report on the attempts by U.S. Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon and other individuals and organizations to alert the public on the possible dire consequences of what the Republicans have dubbed the “One Big Beautiful Bill act.”

According to this plan, millions of families will lose access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP and more schools will lose Community Eligibility Provision or CEP. It’s a disgrace.

The lists of cuts to this program in Zimmaro’s report is actually alarming. I recall, as a teacher for decades, how vitally necessary it was for students to be properly nourished. It affected not only their health but their educational progress. No one can expect to thrive without proper nutrition.

So the goal must be to protect the CEP program that provides free meals for our school children. I am hopeful that efforts by Rep. Scanlon, School Superintendent Tony B. Watlington and other advocates will prevent any such threat from being realized in our school district or anywhere. 

Gloria C. Endres