Letters to the Editor

Food for thought

I am writing to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees’ June 17 decision to denounce Joe Biden’s recent expansion of Title IX rules, risking the cancellation of the free lunch program.

As a mother, I am appalled that the school board would take such a drastic and harmful action that disproportionately affects the most vulnerable children in our community. It is unconscionable that a school board would take food out of the mouths of approximately 11,000 children because a handful of queer kids may require reasonable accommodation for their health and safety.

The school board’s primary responsibility is to put the interests of our community’s youth first. How is this action in the best interest of our community’s youth? The decision could leave approximately 11,000 children without a critical source of nutrition. For many families, these meals are essential to ensuring their children receive adequate nourishment to support their growth, development, and ability to learn. The school board is not only putting these children at risk of hunger but also compromising their academic success.

How does Tyler ISD plan to offset the financial burden of feeding these children? Even at $1 per meal, that’s $11,000 per day, $55,000 per week and $1.98 Million per school year. The school board chose to gamble and risk losing $1.98 Million in free money to feed 11,000 hungry children because a handful of queer kids may need a safe place to pee?

Punishing all children by potentially taking away their access to free meals is neither a fair nor a compassionate solution. If the concern is about providing safe and appropriate facilities for all students, then the focus should be on finding inclusive and respectful solutions, rather than using food security as leverage.

Sarah Renfro

Tyler