Oh, you know, kids can eat crap at school and totally succeed (um, nope!) So there’s no need to freak out about this awesome new bill the House of Representatives just introduced, benignly entitled, House Bill 610.

Otherwise known as the Choice in Education Act of 2017, championed by Rep. Steve King of Iowa, Republican (also the champion of Big Agro perhaps?)

H.R.610 – To distribute Federal funds for elementary and secondary education in the form of vouchers for eligible students and to repeal a certain rule relating to nutrition standards in schools.

The impact of the bill

Let me continue to quote.

This bill repeals the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and limits the authority of the Department of Education (ED) such that ED is authorized only to award block grants to qualified states.

The bill establishes an education voucher program, through which each state shall distribute block grant funds among local educational agencies (LEAs) based on the number of eligible children within each LEA’s geographical area.

From these amounts, each LEA shall: (1) distribute a portion of funds to parents who elect to enroll their child in a private school or to home-school their child, and (2) do so in a manner that ensures that such payments will be used for appropriate educational expenses.

To be eligible to receive a block grant, a state must: (1) comply with education voucher program requirements, and (2) make it lawful for parents of an eligible child to elect to enroll their child in any public or private elementary or secondary school in the state or to home-school their child.

No Hungry Kids Act

The bill repeals a specified rule that established certain nutrition standards for the national school lunch and breakfast programs.

(In general, the rule requires schools to increase the availability of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat or fat free milk in school meals; reduce the levels of sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat in school meals; and meet children’s nutritional needs within their caloric requirements.)

I’m going to go throw up now. Because I don’t want my kids eating un-regulated levels of sodium, saturated fat and trans fat.

Also, this sounds like the first step in defunding our nation’s public schools. Y’all, I’m not cut out for homeschooling. And I don’t want to send my boys to private school, voucher or not.

If you’re confused, here’s a link to an amazing infographic that explains it all.

Did anyone notice the significance of the date that the Elementary and Secondary Education Act went into affect? 1965. Sounds like Congress passed it to correct disparities in education that came to light during the Civil Rights Movement…

So if we make ‘merica great again, this means we revert back to educational standards pre-Civil Rights. Who will this affect the most? Not my boys. (I mean, as lazy as I am, I can always pack them a lunch. Or pay for them to participate in extra curricular STEM programming – because some say this bill may eliminate AP classes.)

This bill will impact those whom Jesus called the least of these: those in the poorest of communities.

But it’s about CHOICE!, you say. Vouchers will bring CHOICE! to EVERYONE, especially kids in the ‘hood.

Doubtful. Those kids are likely to have parents busting their asses off, working several jobs to make ends meet. Researching how to access a school voucher will be like hunting for a unicorn. Who’s got time for that shit?

Plus, those kids are the ones most in need of nutritional standards to ensure their brains are poised to learn.

Take action

It’s time to call your Congresswomen and men. Sign the petition. Share this on Facebook.

This is one of those “We are watching. We will not be silent” moments. Do it for the least of these, even if you embrace private education or homeschool your kids.

The public school is the greatest discovery made by man. The Public School is the cornerstone of a democratic society. Education is best provided in schools embracing children of all religious, social, and ethnic backgrounds.
–Horace Mann, the father of public education

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Photo credit: Peter Wendt from Unsplash.com