Waukesha School Board Reverses Free Meal Program Decision

WAUKESHA, WI—Waukesha school board members reversed their June decision in a 5-4 vote to leave a federal free meals program during a special School of Education meeting Monday.

“No child should be hungry,” said Patti Habeck, President and CEO of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin in a statement. “Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin sees the crisis created by the pandemic every day. We salute the Waukesha Board of Education’s decision to provide all children healthy school meals.”

The special meeting was announced after national backlash over the board's June 9 decision to opt out of an extension of the Seamless Summer Option, a federal program that would give all students free lunch to all students without income requirements for free or reduced lunches.

Waukesha was the only district in the state to opt out of the federal program.

"This decision was made after much consideration and will apply to the coming school year. The Board had previously acted as a united front back in June to continue to meet the needs of all kids via the National School Lunch Program," according to a school district news release.

The district said the board and administration have received an "onslaught of toxicity" and been the subject of threats and verbal abuse.

"This behavior is intolerable and we will not allow it to become the template for future decision-making in the School District of Waukesha. We need to control what we can control and to come together as a community," the release said.

Patch has partnered with Feeding America to help raise awareness on behalf of the millions of Americans facing hunger. Feeding America, which supports 200 food banks across the country, estimates that in 2021, about 42 million Americans may not have enough nutritious food to eat due to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic. This is a Patch social good project; Feeding America receives 100 percent of donations. Find out how you can donate in your community or find a food pantry near you.