Free meals for all New York students this fall: 'Kids can't learn on an empty stomach'
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 04: A student eats a vegan meal served for lunch (with milk as a drink) at Yung Wing School P.S. 124 on February 04, 2022 in New York City. Starting today, the Department of Education in New York City, which introduced M
NEW YORK CITY - The school year is right around the corner, and New York students will return to find some changes in the cafeteria.
What we know:
In May, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation that included $340 million for universal free school meals for students across the state.
The budget requires all school districts, charter schools and non-public schools that participate in the national school lunch and breakfast program to provide free breakfast and lunch to all students.
The free meals must be provided regardless of the families' income, and will help feed over 2.7 million students in schools statewide.
What they're saying:
"Kids can't learn on an empty stomach," Gov. Hochul said in a social media post last week.
The New York governor went on to say that it "just makes sense" that students would have access to free breakfast and lunch.
The post received mixed reactions in the comments, with some showing support for the governor's actions.
"Thank you governor," one supporter said, while another commented, "I agree. All school lunches should be free. If they’re required to attend, then the school should be required to feed them."
However, others expressed their criticism of the free meals program.
"There's no such thing as a "free" lunch - taxpayers are footing the bill," one person said.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by Gov. Kathy Hochul's website and social media accounts.