The Wood County Board of Education has chosen to deny free meals to children in need of them because children not in need would also receive free meals, and that all schools had not been included in the program.
The BOE should have shown more concern for the needy, and for success of the education of our children. This attitude of not sharing our bounty is self-defeating. How can we citizens expect to improve our schools when nearly 24 percent of the children in Wood County are living in poverty, according to 2011 West Virginia Kids Count Data. The effect of poverty is reflected in the number of "free" meals provided through the school meal program. Hungry children are distracted from full engagement in learning when nagged by hunger.
I would encourage the BOE to think a bit more broadly about the consequences of their actions. If their decisions don't improve the school system, then those decisions should not be made.
Carl Long
Parkersburg
