Senator Jackson’s Law to Provide Universal Free School Meals is a Gamechanger for Maine Kids
It’s a very sad fact that an estimated 12 million children struggle with hunger in America. Maine has the unfortunate distinction of having the highest rate of food insecurity in New England, with one in six Maine students lacking regular and reliable access to basic nutrition.
Rebecca Cole, a first grade teacher at Windham Primary School, has seen her share of hungry kids during her 27-year teaching career.
“The hard part is that many struggling families are reluctant to access some of the resources that we could provide for them, whether it’s due to shame or not wanting to share their personal lives,” said Cole, who is a member of the Maine Education Association. "It’s a pretty vulnerable place to be in to ask for help.”
For children and young adults, getting free or reduced lunch can be stigmatizing as they will often have to pay for their meals with different colored tickets or stand in a separate line in the cafeteria. That’s why Cole was overjoyed when Governor Janet Mills signed a new law last year to alleviate student hunger. LD 1679, An Act To Address Student Hunger through Expanding Access to Free School Meals, sponsored by Senator Troy Jackson, made Maine one of two states that makes school breakfast and lunch available to all Maine students at no cost.
“Hunger is something that children just shouldn’t have to worry about. Yet, too many kids go to school hungry and are expected to learn on an empty stomach,” said Senator Jackson at the time. “It’s really hard not to get choked up about it. With this bill, we can make sure all children have a chance to focus on learning to read, play with their friends and just be a kid.”
Cole says that making food available for every child, regardless of income, has helped to destigmatize the problem of child hunger.
“By leveling the playing field, you can’t tell who is getting a different colored ticket than the other kids,” she said. “Even kids who are able to bring food from home now see being fed at school as integral to their day and contributing to their success.
Cole recalled discovering that one little boy had been taking food off of other students’ lunch trays and hiding it in his pockets because he was worried about having enough food for the times when his family couldn't afford to purchase lunch for him. Now, because of the free meals program and the staff-recommended Backpack program that provides free food for students to take home, he doesn't feel stressful about food and he feels better about asking for it.
"It was amazing watching it not be a stressor for him like it had been," said Cole. "He could now ask for meals and snacks and didn't have to feel ashamed because nobody was going to judge him for it. We’re here for him and he doesn’t have to hide it.”
Cole also observed that because so many more kids are getting their meals from the cafeteria now, it’s become more “cool” to access healthier choices, such as a whole wheat muffin instead of a Pop Tart from home.
It's also helped take some of the burden off of low income income families as some students at her school had outstanding cafeteria bills of well over $100 or more prior to the new law taking effect. Cole said that the free meals program is also having a positive impact on home-school relations, which is critical to student success.
"If families aren't getting billed for school meals they can't afford," she said, "they are more likely to communicate with school about other things versus being worried that a food services bill will be brought up or that school staff are judging them if they have an outstanding balance."
Governor Mills also signed a bill in 2020 that prohibits school districts from disciplining and denying meals to children with outstanding cafeteria bills as is sadly common in other states.
“It’s just nice to feel like we’re taking care of our kids," said Cole. "Not just feeding their bodies, but helping them feel taken care of."