In my Sociology class we have been talking about poverty and how it effects children and their decisions to further their education or even make it through high school. Most children living in lower class families where no adults in the household have gone to any further means of education past a high school diploma or GED do not find it necessary or even an option to further their education. I feel as if teachers and schools need to take that extra effort to make these children want to learn and want to do something amazing with themselves. Schools need to become the fun and comfortable place where these kids can feel as if they can do whatever they put their minds to.
After talking about issues like that in class I recently heard on the news that the Erie and Millcreek school districts are planning on raising prices and/or even taking away free lunch or breakfast. This issue really got to me as an aspiring teacher and I feel as if I need to start making steps to help. Students need their breakfast and lunch to keep them energized and alert enough to absorb all that they learn through the day. Yes not all school provided meals are healthy or even semi-healthy especially for the free or reduced meal children, but their minds and bodies cant run on empty. Hopefully I am not the only one who sees this as an issue so that more people can help keep free and reduced meals and possibly improve the nutritional value of the food offered in schools. This is where I start my helping by making you all aware and learning more and more each day about issues like this and helping take a stand for what is best for the children of our future.
Here are a few places for further research:
http://yourerie.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=195237
http://www.examiner.com/national-school-lunch-program-in-erie
http://www.erietvnews.com/story/15606585/big-changes-for-cafeterias-in-erie-school-district
Schools should provivde the support that many students cannot find at home. Although it is heart breaking to say, today many students do not have a stable life at home. Many of them do not get a meal at home either. For me, these facts are hard to read and comprehend. I know that as a future educator, I will do anything for a student to be successful. However, many teachers are not involved in the profession for the righht reason. This is the problem that needs to be addressed. The students should be the main focus of any educator, and if this is not the case, the individual needs to reconsider his or her professional choices.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you are making people aware of this problem. Children need to eat and sleep properly in order to function well. I like you comment that they cannot run on empty. Even if you have the most amazing teachers, their brains will not function correctly if they are unable to properly care for their bodies. Thank you for addressing this topic.
ReplyDeleteI like what you said. The schools that I went to I watch this go on everyday. Many students that went to my elementary, middle, and high school received free lunches. I will not say they were less fortunate, yet their families weren't financial stable. Students need three meals a day with fruit and vegetables. Students who don't receive these meals each day don't function right. I glad you spoke up on this topic because it's important.
ReplyDeleteGreat discussion here. Erie has adopted a "free lunch and breakfast" for all students regardless of socioeconomic status. However, even if the meal is free, the quality of food is in question. What we feed or children is just as important as how we feed them.
ReplyDeletethanks guys!!! i really like all of your comments. im glad i am not the only one who thinks this is an issue. the fact that they might take away free or reduced lunches and raise prices for lunches within the next few years is crazy. school should be the place where students can go for things that are not at home.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, though I have to comment that we as a country really don't care what we eat. So I find it hypocritical that a nation that doesn't care what it eats and how much it eats also calls out for feeding the starving around the world, when there those that are starving within our own borders. Not that I disagree with what you're saying, but America seems to be the land of double standards. Case in point, the revolutionary war seemed to host some that there were slave owners, who wanted to be free. It doesn't help that most of our food is processed from corn based products, if you've ever seen the documentary video called, "Food, Inc." If you haven't you'll probably be disgusted when you do, I had hard enough of a time thinking afterwards when I first learned about Genetically Modified Organisms.
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