Should Louisiana Outlaw Lunch Shaming in Schools
New Mexico has this new law allows students to be served school lunches even if parents don't pay for the meals on time. U.S. News reports that the Hunger-Free Students' Bill of Rights is the first of it's kind in the United States. California is currently in talks of creating something similar.
I have been the kid that wasn't able to pay for lunch. That is usually because I forgot my lunch money at home, but I remember vividly the lunch lady taking my tray of food out of my hands and putting it behind the counter and telling me to go on so the next kid in line can pay for their meal. I remember feeling shame wash over me hoping no one noticing that I was walking away empty handed. I know it isn't the lunch lady's fault. It is just the way it was.
However the law is intended to protect students whose families are unable to pay for school lunches. Considering that Louisiana has the third highest rate of poverty in the nation, reported by news sources, should we do something like this to protect our students?