WHEREAS:

The School Lunch and Breakfast Programs improve the nutritional status of school children and has a definite positive relationship on learning ability and educational attainment, with the greatest improvement among low-income children; and

WHEREAS:

The school lunch or breakfast is often the only meal some children have all day; and

WHEREAS:

Only three (3) million school children are currently eating school breakfast and this constitutes 7.7% of the total school-age population-age 18 and under; and

WHEREAS:

Only 37,000 schools in the United States out of the total of 118,000, or 30% have decided to participate in the breakfast program; and

WHEREAS:

The Reagan Administration has slashed the school feeding and other child nutrition programs by 29 percent since 1981, and these cuts include the following:

1. The per meal school lunch reimbursement was cut by 11cents;

    

2. Reduction in nutrition, education, and training grants from $15 million to zero;

    

3. Elimination of federal support for milk service in schools with meals that are subsidized

    

4. Termination of food service equipment systems of $12 million a year;

    

5. Increased eligibility standards for free and reduced-price meals was raised to 130% of income poverty guidelines; and

WHEREAS:

Because of this drastic reduction, the number of children receiving school lunches each day fell by about three million and the number of low income children receiving free or reduced price lunches dropped by close to 700,000 and 500 schools were forced to drop the feeding programs; and

WHEREAS:

The current application process for both school lunch and breakfast inhibits full student participation, and has built-in stigmas for school children who are on welfare and food stamps.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

That AFSCME strongly urge the Congress to restore the school lunch and breakfast programs to their pre-Reagan Administration level; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME continue its national and local education campaign about the availability and value of the school lunch and breakfast program around the country; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will support the concept of universal breakfast and lunch to be provided to all school children in both public and private schools in this country; and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED:

That AFSCME will support appropriate legislation to achieve these ends.

SUBMITTED BY:

Legislation Committee