The Philadelphia City Schools’ leadership is concerned that only about a third of its students take advantage of free breakfast. This is seen as a failure of the school system, so much so that principals will be henceforth be judged on the percentage of their students to take the free meal.
It never occurred to the “educators” that maybe the 54,000 kids enjoy eating breakfast at home with their moms and dads before coming to school to eat surplus eggs and cheese. This new policy puts the schools in the position of tearing further the fabric of families, much like the Great Society did with its rules that discouraged marriage.
Imagine being a kid in school and the principal points an accusing finger at you and asks, “Why aren’t you eating the free breakfast we provide?” Will the student think maybe his grades will suffer if he eats his oatmeal in his own kitchen under momma’s gaze? How will this be enforced? How much time will teachers take away from instruction to push the free breakfast?
Showing that sometimes union priorities and common sense can actually converge, a teacher union rep made the essential point:
“Are we going to get to forced feedings?” he continued. “I think it’s wrong to assume no parent in Philadelphia is providing breakfast each day.”
