MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Manitowoc residents packed a school board meeting Tuesday night, with most in attendance to voice their anger or show opposition that the district is no longer providing free meals for all students.
The district is now operating as it did before the pandemic when only qualifying students received free or reduced meals.
James Feil, the district’s superintendent, says he made the decision alone, and says it will save taxpayers money.
“We have money to pay this to provide free meals for all, but that money could also be used for something else that is really important. You don’t have to provide meals to kids where parents can easily afford that.”
“Superintendent, your job is not to teach parents responsibility, you have other lives to focus on, the children,” Paula Moss Dramm, a parent, told Feil during the school board meeting.
Feil contends the district isn’t losing money by declining to participate in the program. Rather, he says this allows the district to spend money on something else, like an updated cafeteria for Lincoln High School.
“The kids don’t pay, but there is still a cost and that cost would be about $200,000. We have federal resources that could pay for that, but we could also use that for a cafeteria that is needed.”
A district official clarified to FOX 11 that it is actually costing the district around $100,000 more this year to withdraw from the federal program and go back to the pre-pandemic model of only providing free and reduced meals to qualified students. The district official also says it would not have been sustainable long term to provide free meals for all students.
Sophomore Jacqueline Dramm told the school board she’s already seeing the impact of the end of free meals for all.
“It is heartbreaking being in that lunch line with students who have food in hand but don’t have enough money. The other day I decided to look in the trash next to the register and it was full of food taken from students who didn’t have the fundsIt was sickening for so many reasons, but mostly because my peers were being shown the garbage can deserves the food more than they do.”
Feil says he has given principals the authority to waive meal fees for students who are in need but might have circumstances that they don’t qualify for free or reduced meals.
While most speakers were opposed to Feil’s decisions, some did voice their support.
“He’s doing a great job and the voice of common sense in this world of continual takers and cry babies,” said Marilyn Weyer of Manitowoc.
An online petition calling for Feil’s resignation has received 589 signatures at the time of this story.
Feil says he believes opposition is due to misinformation.
School board members’ opinions on this issue varied. Some were angry and upset about Feil making this decision without consulting the board. Others said they were conflicted and one voiced his full support for Feil.
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