I Can Eat Pie but not All Kids Can Especially DC Kids

I'm livid. While I complain about not being able to eat my pie, there are kids out there that really can't eat a pie or a piece of pie. Mind you, do I think pie is the healthiest thing to eat for a kid? Why no, but you're allowed to have a treat and that includes any kids even my own. My own kids are pretty healthy and yes, certainly over eat. Thank goodness, they can. Thank goodness, they have the right to open the fridge or pantry and eat to their heart and stomach's desire. Is it always healthy? Maybe not.

This posting isn't about them. It isn't about whether eating pie is healthy. It isn't about whether the pie is organic, a lemon Hostess pie or a Burger King chocolate pie. It is about what's available to most DC children in our school systems.

The truth is the majority of the children in the DC School system come from truly challenged lower income household families some of which may or may not be receiving some government assistance. These are children that have every right to afford the same services - paid or unpaid - as those families that find them selves in some of the more affluent wards of the city.

There has been a long time debate about 1) providing healthier food options for children in DC schools and now recently 2) DC Schools have offered a third-meal alternative for children staying in the aftercare programs up until 6:00pm. The debate for kids having healthier food option is on because most kids are still not getting the healthy food options when they get to the school. They might be coming from a home where all they eat are frozen meals, food, from a can, high carbs and little or no veggies or fruit. The DC School system has traditional offered the same nutritionless meals  BUT IS AT LEAST TRYING TO MAKE THE DIFFERENCE and improve the menus. They have hired a new Food Services Director and I am excited about his background to explore the healthier food options for kids. So, in the mix, our kids on these meals are still challenged nutritionally but there is a movement to change that. Then, comes the third meal!

Apparently, many of these kids are going home with only the meals they receive at school. Some families are not providing more food for their kids when they go home. They can't afford it. Food options are lean at home and a healthy meal is not always available. Hence, the school system has introduced this. I think they are right on point!!!!!

Yet, naysayers are angry that these kids get a free "ride" or meal (those Tea Party-ers). How can food-stamp, medicaid, low income families get more? How dare they just throw away our tax dollars? Naysayers don't think kids stay hungry. They don't know what it is to be growing up any more. They don't care about nutritional values and about taking in the right amount of nutritional calories and the combination of thereof. It's all about whether how many families are taking advantage of the "welfare" system and why should we feed someone else's kid?

My goodness. It's disgusting. It's a child, for goodness sake! This is someone we are investing our future with, a future good citizen of society. You don't care since you look away at the countless new and old homeless people living among us every day now. But, you still don't want to let that kid eat that meal? Let them pay the sins of their parents. Let those low income or middle income kids (from struggling families) continue drinking their dyed red Hi-C drink and their moon pies with what little money they scramble up. They don't need some nutritional value to help them learn their way to school or feel energized to concentrate six hours of the day. For most, they spend more than nine hours out of the day out of the home and should be able to tote their nutritional meals with them. Or at least pay for them. At least the law-abiding tax citizens would like us to understand.

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I am just angry about this. I will be ranting and following this for a while. I'm on a mission. - MEOW MEOW