Recently, NPR wrote a story on the strained relationship between families and school lunch payments. The conversation begs the question, “Should schools means-test students programs like lunch?” Over the past several years, many schools used their COVID-19 assistance money to fund universal school lunches for families. In other words, any child who requested a school meal could have one regardless of their parent’s income level.

In Boise, Idaho one parent explained to NPR that, prior to COVID, many families who desperately needed to qualify for school lunches could not, including his family. 

"I fill out the application every year, but the only time I've been able to qualify for them is usually when I'm working like almost less than part-time — like I really can't be working at all to qualify for them," Kremmerling said. "I just think that's kind of crazy when you look at, like, the price of living."

Not only is it difficult to qualify, but also with a difficult application process and students feeling singled out, a tiered lunch program has never been very successful. The staff of “All Things Considered” on NPR explained it this way: 

“Even before the pandemic, progressives, food and nutrition advocates were pushing for a universal school meal system that would offer school meals to students regardless of income. Advocates said the existing system of having three categories of pricing results in burdensome application processes, stigmatizes students who receive free meals and can cause families to carry lunch debt.”

Now, compare traditional school lunch programs to need-based school choice opportunities. In many states, poor families who want to attend a school other than their assigned public school are allowed to participate in private school scholarship programs. But if the family makes a few dollars more than the income cut-off for the scholarships, they are not allowed to participate. For those who do qualify, the application paperwork is complex, burdensome, and stigmatizing. Similar to the traditional means-tested lunch programs that progressive communities struggle to get behind, other educational need-based programs create the same problems.

Surprisingly, many who oppose stigmatizing and humiliating poor families in the school lunchroom seem to have very little concern about stigmatizing and humiliating poor families in private school scholarship programs. Why? 

Supporters of means-tested programs often have empathetic hearts, but these advocates too often fail to consider the beneficiaries of their sympathy. Poor parents don’t believe that only their poverty makes their children worthy of help. They see the brokenness of struggling school districts and don’t wish that educational experience on anyone. All parents want the best for their children. A family who asks for help with lunch money or help with tuition should not have to humble themselves by publicizing their poverty to get assistance. In the same way, progressive communities advocate for combating hunger in schools, they should also consider those students hungry for a better learning environment.  Learn more here!