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Lunch shaming denies equal access to school

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Editor,

I’m saddened to know that our local school district takes part in the “lunch shaming” practices banned in other states. New Mexico has a state law banning schools from shaming children who haven’t and California are following with legislation of their own. Increasing the debt they can run up doesn’t ameliorate the problem in the least and serves to punish an individual who has not the slightest control over their circumstances. It is a humiliating practice that further victimizes our most vulnerable citizens. It is astonishing that something as fundamental as good nutrition doesn’t have the full support of our Polson Schools or the Association. Consider the agony of sitting through a school day hungry because you’re afraid of the stigma of the “alternative meal.” Consider the fear of being branded by the school itself as a lesser human being because of your inability to pay. All children are entitled to education and cannot be denied equal access to a public school and yet “lunch shaming” does exactly that.

Amanda Blea
Polson

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