The Real Cost of Dismantling the DOE

Dismantling the Department of Education would devastate crucial school meal programs, leaving millions of vulnerable children hungry and unable to focus on learning

[robertpoirier]

O’Leary is dead inside because of his addiction to money.

[juliadesl]

They’re wasting their breath because he does not care

[fabulouskilljoy]

I was on the free/reduced lunch program. I wouldn't have been able to eat AT ALL if it didn't exist. I graduated almost 7 years ago. Every child deserves to eat three meals a day. If you disagree, you don't care. It really is that simple.

Edit: if you disagree, you don't care. IT'S THAT
Edit 2: I am not having children, nor do I already have them. But I would HAPPILY pay more in taxes if that meant the money was being put towards those funds. Not wanting to just makes you heartless. We are one race, and we are in this together, or we aren't in this at all.

[Makewo]

My daughter had a birthday party at the library on a Saturday. A couple of kids that were not invited to the party took a couple of goodie bags meant for the party guest. My wife caught them and got the bags, with some of the food eaten. I explained to her how I grew up with assisted breakfast and lunch and seeing some kids only meals come from school. It was a Saturday those kids might have been stealing for the sake of it, or their last meal might have been lunch the day before at school.
We talked to them and packed them some food from the party. Hunger will make you do out of character things. Abandoning our children will scar them and this country for generations.

[ylysergic]

Someone who has never experienced hunger can't fathom it

[glendakollm]

After having worked as a school nurse in elementary schools- hunger in America is a REAL thing 😢

[Toro]

I taught for one year and I cannot tell you enough how many of my kids would ask for food. The rich are out of touch

[JPSmith-ew]

As a teacher, when I hear people say teachers are overpaid, I always wonder just how much would it take for them to come and do my job for just one year. Also, because of kids whose parents struggle to just get by day to day, I have spent several thousand dollars of my money at this point to put money in kids lunch accounts and to provide snacks for the kids during the day. Kids who are hungry struggle to maintain a focus on learning and will be more successful when provided with the food their bodies require. I realize that there are both bad teachers and bad parenting that happens but kids should not have to go hungry because of adults in their lives who either can’t or won’t do better. The idea that if programs end the parents will step up is true for some, but what about the kids whose parents can’t and/or won’t?

[nomandoerr]

No person that out of touch with true American life should EVER have authority over it.

[TomSnip]

Who’s to blame for O’Leary’s ignorance? His parents or private schooling? Definitely NOT educators.

[markmarano]

Can we stop pretending success in the private sector gives you even a single shred of expertise in anything outside of the private sector?

[tammeypotter]

I worked as a family Liason in my cities school system . Hunger is real, homeless is another . Sitting next to your children are children who live in homelessness hotels and their last meals are often on Fridays when school lets out for the weekend . Many schools recognized this and started having weekend packages of food to give to kids to get through the weekends . A small bag of pasta etc . These parents are WORKING . Rents are diabolical in the Northeast . It’s a snowball effect that affects our youth and their performance at school !! A rumbling stomach can’t be taught . Fight people, fight for the children at the very least

[SharonCarnette]

I'm an educator and I'd love for him to come and do my job for a week!

[SeniorSmurf]

Even if “bad teachers” are to blame, you don’t get better teachers by cutting education budgets. In an ideal world being a teacher is as highly paid and respected as being a doctor and it is competitive to get a teaching job.

Investment in education is an investment in the prosperity and security of our nation.

[stickshiftt]

I grew up wayyyy below the poverty line. Those free lunches and summer lunch programs were a godsend ... I'm an Aerospace Engineer now ... I doubt I'd be able to be where I am today if I spent the entire day hungry in school

[TheoneandonlyArg]

As a teacher, I agree that there are bad educators in the U.S., but the real issue is why good teachers would want to work there in the first place. Having taught in the UK, Australia, Canada, and the U.S., I can confidently say that the root cause of poor education in America is chronic underfunding—both in school resources and teacher salaries.

Why would I choose to work in the U.S. for $50K a year, while paying absurd medical costs, having almost no workers’ rights, and getting zero paid maternity leave if I have a child? Meanwhile, in Australia, I could start at $120K, or in Canada at $80K, with healthcare benefits and universal coverage.

On top of that, especially in Republican-led states, school districts and principals are completely incompetent and face no accountability. It’s easy to blame teachers, but what about the people at the top who set the standards and policies? The system is broken from the top down.

[worc]

The idea that millionaires can have any idea about what matters in society is laughable. I don’t understand why Americans trust rich people so much.

[Aeivious]

The best teacher in the world will never reach a child too concerned about worrying where their next meal comes from

[tonyahenry]

I was blessed to never go hungry at school but I knew so many kids that only had school lunch as a daily meal

[janicecassello-winkler]

People who were bought up with money, have absolutely no clue what most people go through each day.