At the beginning of the new academic year, city authorities in new York announced the launch of the programme ‘Free School Lunch for All’, aiming to feed all public school students regardless of the income of their parents or guardians.
The program is being funded at the expense of means of the Federal budget, and it is aimed at reducing the visible barriers between students who can afford to pay $1.75 for lunch in the school cafeteria, and those who can’t.
Not that the latter were forced to sit with empty trays. Not at all: last year 75% of students from families with an annual income below $35,000 have had the right to free Breakfast and lunch.
But this opportunity was used not all. The fact is that to be eligible for free meals, parents need to apply and complete the appropriate documents, and their children to identify themselves in the dining room as a patient.
Afraid to become an object of ridicule or bullying classmates, some students simply refused to eat, pretending to be fed. To solve this and related problems, the Department of education of new York converted the existing program, making it available to all.
But at the same time, some students, those who wish to eat in the cafeteria still hungry. And these students, according to the public advocate of new York Letitia James, about 38%. Children of Muslim and Jewish families.
The school menu offers both meat and vegetable dishes, which by and large meets the requirements of kashrut and Halal. However, this food cannot be considered kosher and Halal because it has no corresponding certification.
This circumstance became the subject of criticism of the city authorities from the Jewish and Muslim communities. And last week, mayor bill De Blasio sent a letter demanding respect for justice, reports the Daily News.
The document contains 21 signatureleft by the leaders of the Jewish and Muslim schools and organizations, including the Rabbinical Council of America (Based Council of America) and the Islamic leadership school (Islamic Leadership School).
«Thousands of our children and Muslim communities not included in this program because of their religious dietary restrictions. We urge you to eliminate the existing obstacles, which deprive thousands of students of benefits», – stated in the letter.
It should be noted that this issue was raised even before the advent of ‘Free School Lunch for All’. For example, with the support of human rights organizations, students-Jews and students-Muslims in September 2016 staged a rally at city hall, insisting on the adoption of the law tailored to their needs.
Then, the press-Secretary of the Austin Finan said that the bill is designed «to meet the dietary needs of students» has already been considered, and included in it «daily vegetarian options».
But contrary to what ‘Free School Lunch for All’ must be universal, that did not happen.
«If the mayor claims that the program is universal then it should work for every student, regardless of where he goes to school. But the reality is far from his promises,» said Maury Litvak, Director of Teach NYS, one of the departments of the human rights centre of the Union of Orthodox Jewish congregations of America (Orthodox Union).
