Teacher Survey: Children Coming to School Hungry   by James Parks, Dec 5, 2009

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Despite programs intended to ensure children have enough to eat in and out of school, teachers across the nation report they are witnessing a growing number of hungry students—which affects their ability to concentrate and learn, according to a new survey.

More than 60 percent of the teachers responding to the survey, Hunger in America’s Classrooms, say most or many of the students at their schools rely on school meals for their primary source of nutrition. But that often is not enough, and teachers are dipping into their wallets to fill the gaps. Elementary teachers reported spending an average of $27 a month to buy snacks and other food items for their students and for middle school teachers, the average is $38.

What’s happening in the schools is a reflection of what’s going on outside the classroom as well. The New York Times reported last week that nearly one in four children in the United States receive food stamps. In St. Louis, Memphis and New Orleans, half of the children or more receive food stamps as do 40 percent of children in Peoria, Ill. The number of food stamp recipients has climbed by some 10 million over the past two years, resulting in a program that now feeds one in eight Americans, the Times reported.

Nearly 17 million U.S. children are considered at risk of hunger at some time during each school year, according to the AFT. Randi Weingarten, AFT’s president, says the fact that any child in America who comes to school too hungry to learn is a “travesty.”

We must find ways to make sure that all eligible students have access to nutritious food programs, such as free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch in school; and afterschool, weekend and summer programs when out of school.

The teacher survey was commissioned by the Washington, D.C.-based Share Our Strength anti-hunger organization and included some 740 teachers. AFT members are sharing their stories and giving examples online of how the problem affects their students and identifying steps they believe would alleviate it. Click here to share your experiences and ideas on student hunger.

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