This commentary is by Thomas West of Manchester. He is a father of four, an openly gay Army veteran, and co-author of “A Kids Book About Gay Parents,” which he wrote with his husband to celebrate diverse family structures. He serves on the Manchester planning commission and as a justice of the peace.
I know the stigma firsthand. I remember having to enter a PIN on the days I was hungry enough to ask for food in high school. That is one of the few numbers I still have memorized, 050565. I remember the sideways glances and the quiet embarrassment of standing in line, knowing that not everyone had to do the same.
Gov. Phil Scott’s proposal would bring that stigma back, forcing kids to navigate a system that separates them based on their family’s income. No child should have to prove they are poor enough to deserve a meal.
Gov. Scott is on the wrong side of history. It is not too much to ask that every student receive breakfast and lunch with no barriers and no questions asked. This program eases financial burdens, saves families thousands and simplifies parents’ lives. More importantly, it ensures that no child in Vermont goes hungry or faces the stigma of being singled out for needing help.
The governor calls universal meals regressive because wealthier families also benefit, but public education itself is universal. We don’t ask higher-income families to pay more for their child’s seat in the classroom. We don’t charge different rates for books, desks or bus rides. We recognize that an educated, well-fed student body benefits everyone in our communities, our workforce and our democracy. Hunger doesn’t take an economic means test, nor should school meals.
At a time when working families are stretched thinner than ever, this program provides stability. It helps the single parent rushing to get kids out the door, the family choosing between groceries and heating bills, and the student whose best meal of the day might be at school. It eliminates bureaucracy, reduces administrative costs and ensures that school meals are essential to the school day, just like books, teachers and classrooms.
If Gov. Scott truly wants to make Vermont more affordable, taking food away from kids is not the answer. A hungry child cannot learn, and an education system that allows hunger fails at its most basic level. Universal school meals are an investment in our future, not an unnecessary luxury. This is not about charity but dignity, equity and common sense.
Vermonters believe in taking care of one another. We should not go backward. We should not let kids go hungry just to balance a budget. Let’s do the right thing and keep universal school meals for every child, every school, every day.
Read the story on VTDigger here: Thomas West: Gov. Phil Scott is wrong on universal school meals.