State Budget May Cut Students' Free Lunches

[The Straight Story]

State Budget May Cut Students' Free Lunches

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- More local students than ever before are depending on free school lunches. And soon the state may not be able to pay for them.

The state's budget crisis may strip millions of California students of their school lunches.

In Bakersfield, at least 25,000 children from low income homes are getting free or reduced priced lunches.

In the Bakersfield City School District alone, 87 percent of its students eat those meals, but if the state doesn't resolve its budget crisis, those kids might be losing their lunch.

Steve Gabbitas said, "right now the cuts are new enough to us and we know few enough details that we haven't had a chance to see how we would react if those funds were cut for our district ."

http://www.turnto23.com/news/18195793/detail.html

[Lerkfish]

1. and yet the free lunch for Goldman Sachs and Wall Street, et al. is completely safe.

I edited to add: yes, I realize that's a state vs. federal issue, however, 700 billion dollars could have been spread over 50 states quite handily paid for all the free lunch programs in each state, if we thought it was a priority.

[The Straight Story]

6. Indeed - the states should get the money before the companies

When my daughter was in school in CA she got free lunches and it helped a lot while I was unemployed.

[OhioChick]

2. Who cares if the kids are hungry....

AIG and the suits are getting their spa trips.

[bluestateguy]

3. Kids can't learn in school if they are hungry all day

And these cuts could actually increase school bullying, as some kids may resort to that to get lunch money.

[2Design]

4. good thing they put arnold in to cure their problems :( n/t

[atimetocome]

5. It is shameful that is is happening in the US.