No Such Thing As a Free Lunch...

I want to make this blog funny. I want to make it relevant. But I HAVE to make it honest. Last week the Secretary of Education stood up in front of a cheering crowd of Americans to say that there is "NO SUCH THING AS A FREE LUNCH." She bragged about being the first person to say these words to Bernie Sanders and pledged to change it.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/actually-betsy-devos-there-is-such-a-thing-as-a-free-lunch_us_58afb3a3e4b0780bac2805d4

WHAT??? REALLY??? Are we really in a place where we are going to talk about taking away lunch provided to millions of American children that may not eat otherwise? I wonder if the people in the crowd cheering her on have ever watched a 10-year-old stress out about an upcoming vacation from school, or dread summer because they KNOW food will become their greatest challenge. I have. And I live and work in an affluent community.

So...Dear Betsy...if it isn't too much trouble...could you PLEASE refrain from standing in front of a crowd of uninformed and misguided Americans and demonizing hungry kids? I really don't think this is asking too much of you. If you took the time to read one article about hunger, or one study about poverty and how it has led directly to the decline in test scores for so many of our nation's children, you might not be willing to say these things with such delight in your eyes. Does it delight you that 21.7 million American children have to rely on the Federal lunch program for food? It bothers me a lot. I stay up at night and think about what else I can do to help hungry kids.

But don't worry Betsy. People like me will keep on keepin on. When I see hungry kids...I'll give up my lunch like I always do. I'll bring double because I KNOW someone will need it. I'll keep stashing fruit and crackers and yogurt around the schools I work in...just in case. I'll order an extra sandwich when I order my Jimmy Johns to be delivered to my door so I can pretend it was an accident and give it to a kid I know didn't have lunch...and probably didn't have breakfast either. I'll raise more and more money (www.operationcommongood.org) so I can buy grocery store gift cards for families to use during school breaks. I will continue to do these things because I can. AND because it is the RIGHT thing to do.

I will fight you every step of the way while you work to dismantle public education in the name of religious freedom. Last time I checked...a good Christian is someone that sees a hungry kid and feeds them. I'm not sure what that makes you.