4. Dollars from the school budget spent for lunch programs might better be applied to educational programs. To a teacher, this might mean reduced class sizes. To a principal, with a reduced staff, it might mean additional personnel. To an administrator, it might mean an additional principal for schools currently sharing one principal on a part-time basis. To a board of education, that has lost repeated millage attempts, it might mean all of these things and others that have been cut from the educational program. Educators and the general public are reluctant to recognize nutrition as a responsibility of the educational system despite the fact that many students are denied the opportunity to learn because they are hungry. 5. One of the hidden concerns, seldom expressed, is related to the neighborhood school concept. Some citizens equate lunch programs with busing. Currently some children from innercity areas are bused four times a day to accommodate both token desegregation and the neighborhood school concept. Obviously the job of desegregating schools in Lansing is less difficult, if busing schedules can be reduced. Consequently, some persons view the expansion and development of lunch programs as a direct threat to the neighborhood school. This point needs to be examined as crucial in the determination of the purpose and direction of public schools in Michigan. Are public schools to offer equality of opportunity for all students or are they designed for the affluent few? Senator HART. On that last point, would you expand it so I am more comfortable in believing I understand how that argument goes? BUSING PROBLEM TIED TO NUTRITION Mrs. CANADY. Currently there are about 590 students bused to, oh, some maybe 15 elementary schools and they come from the center city or what is termed often innercity of Lansing. Now, there are about 2,500 black students in the system so we are talking about 500 of 2,500 or more elementary school students who are bused for purposes of racial integration. Now, that is a very small number when you consider that there are two elementary schools that might be considered all black elementary schools. There are two that, maybe even three that are pretty close to being predominantly black. If the board of education wanted to pursue the policy of racial integration completely and bused white students, for instance, into the innercity to have equal racial balance, certainly a lunch program would make that plan more feasible. Don't misunderstand me, I am not saying that the board has considered this, but this is just my personal opinion and I am sure this is a factor in the resistance that many people have against lunch programs. Senator HART. You have not seen it in print or circulated in pamphlet form, just feel because it would make sense, make easier such cross busing Mrs. CANADY. Well, I have seen the resistance to the busing, I have heard it documented and it has been said many times as a matter of record, there was extreme resistance to busing. Senator HART. I am sure of that. Mrs. CANADY. So I am equating the lunch program, at least one of the points in resistance in the lunch program to that same type of sentiment that is present. Senator HART. The membership on the board of education here is appointed or elected? Mrs. CANADY. It is an elective board. Senator HART. By district? Mrs. CANADY. City-at-large. Senator HART. City-at-large. Mrs. CANADY. That is probably the end of my tenure. Senator HART. I don't think many voters will read the transcript. Mr. Cassidy. Mr. CASSIDY. No questions, thank you. Mr. BECKHAM. No questions, thank you. Mrs. CANADY. Thank you for the opportunity. STATEMENT OF VERNON EBERSOLE, LANSING Mr. EBERSOLE. Gentlemen, thank you very much for the opportunity of presenting my thoughts on school lunch programs. Much has been written about how necessary it is to have a youngster satisfied physically before he is able to learn well. I have no doubt that facts and figures will bear this out. However, there has been an extensive food program in the secondary schools for several years. Yet it is in these same schools that most of the unrest and physical damages have evolved. It appears that food programs as they are developed respond to conduct and decorum in inverse order, that is, the more youngsters that have been provided food service the more disturbances that have occurred within the schools. The recipients may be enjoying better nutrition which, in turn, is supposed to provide an opportunity for a better learning experience. However, experience nationwide, as publicized in the news media, tends to prove that the opposite is happening. A concerted drive is underway to provide lunches in all the schools for as many students that are able to qualify under the very liberal guidelines. These lunches are provided while school is open. This includes a school year of 38 weeks, or 180 schooldays minimum. in Michigan. Even this is a misnomer, since operations of the schools during the school year involve days off for parent-teacher conferences, end of semesters, illness and teachers' meetings. On top of this, interspersed throughout the school year are vacation periods of from 2 days, Thanksgiving holiday, to 2 weeks, Christmas holidays. But let us be generous and use 180 days as a base for a school year. According to my recollection, a calendar year consists of 365 days. This leaves 185 days that the young people will be without a so-called nutritious lunch. Is it possible that the lunches provided on each of the 180 school days are so "super" that their benefits carry over to the 185 days that are left? Gentlemen, if we really have the interests and well-being of the youngsters at heart, and we feel that the schools are the proper vehicle for insuring this well-being, then we should think in terms of turning the youngsters over to the schools 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year. These "teasers" of one meal provided for less than half of the days of the year are almost a mockery. Instead of loading the schools with extraneous services such as meals and transportation, let's allow the schools to return to educating the young people and turn our attention for these other services to the multitude of departments and organizations within the Federal and State governments. Granted, the schools leave a lot to be desired in their prime function as an education vehicle. But loading them with these extra duties is hardly the way to encourage the educational community to work to improve their product. Thank you again for this opportunity of expressing my deep, sincere feelings to this distinguished group. Senator HART. I believe they will testify together, Mrs. George Hess and Mrs. Gilbert Smith, am I correct on this? Mrs. HESS. We both have our own statements. Senator HART. Mrs. Hess. STATEMENT OF MRS. GEORGE HESS, PRESIDENT, Mrs. HESS. As a parent I became aware of the proposed elementary hot lunch program for the Lansing School District shortly before the school board announced the need of an increase of millage from 17 to 24 mills the first time. At first, my primary objection was the use of educational money for something we didn't need. The more I thought about it the more I became convinced that it would actually be detrimental to the education of the majority of Lansing elementary school children. Upon further investigation I have discovered: (1) That the Federal Government will provide 75 percent of the initial equipment expense, but the local district must supply 25 percent of the cost plus the expense of depreciation and replacement. (2) That the Federal Government is only reimbursing about onefourth that actual cost of the qualified needy lunches now, according to the recent figures published by the U.S. Department of Agricul ture. (3) That the Michigan State Board of Education is urging that not only breakfast and lunch be provided during the school year, but the program be extended to include three meals a day. (4) That the Lansing School District is losing money on the 648 free lunches that were supplied in the junior and senior highs throughout the city. (5) That in figuring the cost of the lunches the school district only figures the direct costs of the food and personnel involved in preparation of the food and the local school district must absorb the indirect cost of supervisory help, increased maintenance, depreciation, utilities, janitorial services and supplies, trash disposal, and administration. (6) That one of the reasons the costs have increased is because they can no longer ask the children receiving free lunches to work in the lunchroom and have to hire the work done at union scale. (7) That the shorter lunch period proposed would force the majority of children going to elementary school into the lunch program whether they or their parents wished them to or not. Even the 45minute proposed period would prevent my child from coming home, and there are children that live even further than mine. (8) That the children would lose the use of the all-purpose room for more than 2 hours a day. When considering the funding of this program, where do the supplemental funds come from? The Federal regulations say from the State, but the State of Michigan is broke because of the auto strikes, increases in welfare costs, and the slowdown of the economy. The funds therefore have to come from the local property tax millage that is becoming more and more difficult to pass. A lunch program once started is even harder to phase out, so the local taxpayers would have the cost from then on. This program will place a burden on an already distressed school district. Most of the parents have heard or have observed the junior and senior high lunch program. My son will not buy his lunch in junior high because, although he is my fastest eater, by the time he buys his lunch he doesn't have time to eat it. The lunchroom is the usual place that fights start, either from cutting in line or from the intimidations and shakedowns that take place. When the proposed lunch program came to my attention, I informed the Lansing School Board of my feelings as a parent, then as president of the Lewton Parent-Teacher Association, I compiled a survey to be sent out to the parents of the Lewton school area, with the approval of the Lewton PTA Executive Board. Lansing School Board is asking for 24 mills. If this millage passes, and they receive adequate funds from the State, the board plans to start a school lunch program for all elementary children in all elementary schools although they cannot reinstate all the services offered in the 1969-70 year. The Federal law states that the board must submit a plan to feed all needy children where a type A lunch program is offered or they might lose their Federal reimbursement funds and commodities they now get for the junior high and senior high lunch-about $740,000 last year. The cost of the lunch program for just the needy is estimated at $90,000 in next year's budget. The cost of the program for all the remainder of the elementary children is estimated at $400,000. The board feels they cannot open this lunch program to the needy without making it available to all children. ADVANTAGES 1. It would provide a means of serving nutritional lunches to the needy. 2. It would provide a supervised lunch for children of working mothers. 3. It would be a convenience for mothers busy with other activities. PROBLEMS 1. Length of lunch period, a short one would be better for the students who do stay for the lunch, but it would make it impossible for the students living onequarter mile or more from school to go home for lunch. The present length of lunch period would make it possible for all children who wished to have lunch at home, but would increase the difficulties at school, especially on rainy days. 2. We would need some teachers to supervise, because of their authority. Is it fair to ask them to volunteer their only break in the day, even if it is for extra money? 3. Students would lose the use of the all-purpose room for about 2 hours a day. This room is used every hour now. 4. Extra aids would be hired to supervise the playground and supplement the teachers. 5. Most educators agree when there is a lunch program in the elementary, the children find it harder to concentrate in the afternoon. 6. The possibility of accidents would increase. Yes, I would like a lunch program at Lewton School. No, I would not like a lunch program at Lewton School. COMMENTS We would really like your opinion of this program, even if you agree or disagree. If there are any questions, please call me. 882-2734. JOAN HESS, President, PTA Mrs. HESS. Of the little more than 300 sheets sent out, there were 183 returned. Of that number, 55 were "yes" and 128 were "no." Of the parents who said "yes," 38 made no comments, 17 did. Four parents were undecided. Of the 128 "no" votes, 45 made no comments and 83 did. The most frequently mentioned comments are― 1. Felt that the money should be used for education. 2. Children and teachers need the break. 3. Enjoyed having their children at home at noon. 4. Felt the cost was too high for the advantages. 5. Were in favor of feeding the needy only. 6. Saw no need to provide lunches for the needy. 7. Mentioned the benefit of exercise at noon. 8. Will not vote for the millage if this is included. 9. Complained that the questionnaire was biased.. 10. Suggested other methods of feeding the needy.. 11. Think that accidents are a factor: would have less accidents. more... 12. Mentioned they were, or hoped to be, working mothers.. 13. Felt the children would get better acquainted with each other with a lunch program.. Excellent. Because I wish my children only had to ride the bus twice a day. I think there would be less chance for them to have accidents in traffic. I think lunches will be good for needy children because we mothers do have to work. Thank you very much. I would use it as a convenience four or more times a month when appointments conflict with the lunch time schedule. Couldn't they eat in their home rooms? It's better to have a few people taking care of the school children than having thousands of mothers having to be ome at 12. Wen we moved here it was very difficult for our children to get acquainted because there was no unstructured time in the school. Eating together and freely playing together would have helped. There is value in eating with friends, social, better eating habits and so forth. I must say this mother has not seen a lunch program in action. If there are pupils at Lewton who need a lunch program it definitely should be available to them. However, it should be entirely voluntary and the cost of the meal charged to all except the needy. Yes; I would like a lunch program at Lewton School. Only if it is required by law. The maybe a more practical box-lunch program would be looked into. The people opposed to the lunch program made the following comments: I don't feel it's necessary for all students. It'll be a very long day for elementary-age students. They need the break. Lunches for the needy bused in, is fine. |