I strongly believe that parents should be held accountable for feeding their children, both at home and at school. Schools should focus on providing a quality education, not becoming a substitute for responsible parenting.
As a society, we are increasingly placing the responsibility of feeding children on schools, rather than holding parents accountable for their own children's well-being. This trend has sparked a heated debate among taxpayers who question why they should be expected to pay for other people's children's meals.
When I was growing up, my parents made sure we had breakfast before leaving for school. They packed our lunches with a sandwich, fruit and a snack. In high school, we had a cafeteria where we could purchase food, but it was never expected that the school would provide meals for free. My brothers and I eventually started working as teenagers and could buy our own lunches if we wanted. At home, we always had dinner with our family.
Back then, schools were primarily focused on education, not feeding students. If parents couldn't afford to feed their children at home, it was their responsibility to find a solution, not rely on the school system to provide for their kids. This is a fundamental aspect of parenting: ensuring that your children's basic needs are met, including food.
Nowadays, it seems that many parents have become complacent in their responsibilities, expecting schools to fill the gaps left by their inability to provide for their children. This mentality is not only unfair to taxpayers but sets a poor example for children. It teaches them that it's acceptable to rely on others to meet their needs, rather than taking responsibility for their own lives. (It's probably why we're seeing the younger generation has no shame in online panhandling where they expect people to give them money just cuz.)
Moreover, parents already receive financial assistance from the government after having children. This support is meant to help cover the costs of raising a child, including food. By expecting schools to provide meals for free, parents are essentially double-dipping into the system, taking more than their fair share.
This 'double-dipping' isn't just an abstract fiscal issue; it represents a fundamental breakdown in the social contract. When public funds, intended to bolster education and provide essential safety nets for truly distressed families, are instead diverted to cover basic parental duties, it creates a dangerous precedent. I believe it fosters a culture where personal accountability is eroded, replaced by an expectation that the state will fill every void.
What message does this send to the next generation of parents? That financial prudence and responsible planning for a family's needs are optional? That the collective will always step in, regardless of individual effort?
Furthermore, consider the opportunity cost. Every dollar spent on school meals is a dollar not invested in smaller class sizes, advanced educational technology, specialized programs for gifted students or crucial support for children with learning disabilities. Schools are already stretched thin, struggling to meet increasingly complex educational demands. To burden them with feeding millions of children daily, a task inherently parental, diverts precious resources and focus away from their primary mission: academic excellence.
I refuse to accept that the solution to potential food insecurity lies in transforming our educational institutions into de facto feeding centers.
It's time we re-evaluate where the true responsibility lies. We have existing social services, food banks and community programs designed to assist families genuinely struggling to put food on the table. These resources are often underutilized, perhaps because it's simply easier to let the school system absorb the burden.
My contention is not that children should go hungry – absolutely not. My point is that the onus to secure that food, whether through personal effort, prudent budgeting or by actively seeking out existing social safety nets, falls squarely on the parents.
It is a parent's duty to ensure their child arrives at school fed and ready to learn, and to explore all available avenues of support themselves, rather than passively expecting a free meal from the school system at the taxpayer's expense.
The erosion of this core parental responsibility has far-reaching implications beyond the classroom. It contributes to a broader societal trend where individual accountability for basic needs diminishes, placing an ever-increasing strain on public services.
If we allow schools to become the primary providers of meals, what's next? Clothing? Childcare outside of school hours? Where does the line get drawn?
I fear we are heading down a path where the very fabric of family responsibility unravels, leaving the state to pick up the pieces, and taxpayers to foot an ever-growing bill for what were once considered fundamental parental obligations. It's time to champion self-reliance and parental empowerment, not dependence on the school system for basic sustenance.
I strongly believe that parents should be held accountable for feeding their children, both at home and at school. Schools should focus on providing a quality education, not becoming a substitute for responsible parenting.
As taxpayers, we should not be expected to foot the bill for other people's children's meals. It's time for parents to step up and take responsibility for their own children's well-being, setting a better example for future generations.