Free lunches for all

Arkansas lawmakers began meeting for the fiscal session Wednesday. This session will be the start of finalizing the budget for the fiscal year 2025 which starts July 1. The budget reflects our priorities and values.

In the budget year 2024, we allocated $31.7 million to vouchers and now our 2025 budget proposes spending $97.5 million. Vouchers take taxpayer money from public schools and fund private schools. In 2026, vouchers will be opened completely, although not all students are guaranteed a voucher.

One in five kids face hunger in Arkansas, according to the Arkansas Foodbank. Our governor and Education Director Jacob Oliva acknowledged this as they recently partnered with the federal government to expand Summer EBT. Oliva said, “Food insecurity affects students not just during the school year, but also during the summer months.” Therefore, we all know this problem exists and affects student learning abilities.

Universal free lunches would fix this issue, and provide much relief to middle-class families who do not qualify for free or reduced lunches. Children should not worry about affording lunch or being lunch-shamed at a place they’re legally obligated to be for 178 days. Middle-class families in eight states have already experienced relief by passing such policies, to the savings of around $1,000 for households with two students.

Let’s fund free lunches for all before vouchers for some.

Opinions expressed are solely my own and do not express the views or opinions of my employer.

TYLER DRAPER

Malvern