There’s No Such Thing as a Free School Lunch

In November, Colorado voters will be asked to weigh in on two measures concerning the state’s free school meals program, the only statewide contests in the 2025 off-year election. Propositions LL and MM were referred to the ballot by the Colorado General Assembly. Together, they aim to shore up funding for the Healthy School Meals For All program, which was authorized by Colorado voters in 2022 but has exceeded cost projections in its first years of operation.

Without additional funding, program administrators have said they will have to take steps to restrict eligibility to only low-income students and schools. Additional efforts to purchase locally-grown produce, increase wages for cafeteria workers and offset federal food stamp cuts would also go without funding.

Theo Mayer, a young Denver Public Schools student, sent this response to “Colorado Voters to Decide Two Ballot Measures on Free School Meals“:

As Chase Woodruff recently wrote, the only statewide ballot questions on the November ballots this year are LL and MM. LL and MM are very important to me. My name is Theo Mayer and I am a third-grader in Denver Public Schools. I eat lunch at school every day, and school breakfast many days. The dumplings and cinnamon rolls are my favorite. Sixteen percent of kids in Denver don’t have enough food to eat, and any student who’s hungry can get lunch at school for free and pick a fruit and vegetable. Healthy kids learn better. Universal school meal programs improve student nutrition and test scores. Because more students participate in universal school meal programs, they also allow schools to save money and benefit from economies of scale. 

To be sure, some people don’t want to pay taxes so students can eat at school, but it’s only people making more than $300,000 per year, only the top 6 percent of income-tax filers, who would have to pay the tax. This is a worthy investment to ensure that all Colorado students can eat a healthy meal at school. Please vote yes on LL and MM this November to support my classmates and all Colorado students.

In their comments on the Westword Facebook page, though, many readers suggest the ballot measures don’t make the grade. Says Denver Slim:

Why are our tax dollars being used to provide free lunches to rich families? This money can be used to give our teachers raises.

Adds Bret:

Westword has such low regard of the intelligence of their readers that they make them believe the school lunches are actually free.

Responds Subrus:

Free at point of use, is what they mean. It’s paid for by taxes, like so many other parts of our society.

Offers Joe:

There’s no such thing as a free school lunch.

Recalls Jeannie:

Free lunch should be part of the package in a government-mandated education system. What I really find ridiculous is the list of supplies teachers require when, back in my day we were good with a notebook and pencils. They have no regard for the financial hardship this places on families, especially those with multiple children. Back in the day, we bought supplies as needed but now they want you to bring them all day one. That’s something that needs to change in our public education system.

Replies Frankie:

Government-run schools need to be reduced in scope and responsibilities.

And Mike concludes:

How many times are Colorado voters going to fall for the same bait and switch? The “it’s for the children” carrot has been dangled so many times it’s nauseating! Remember the marijuana tax? Wasn’t all of that supposed to go to schools and be the end all? What they do is ask for funding for a kids’ program so they can then divert the funds that would go to it,to something else. Vote NO on ALL taxes!

What do you think of Colorado’s school lunch program? The proposed ballot measures? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.