Across the country there are stories about “school lunch debt,” a heinous sentence that should give every person a great deal of shame. Children denied lunch because of a $9 debt. There is a wealth of mental health stress that we inflict on children in the name of lunch “fiscal responsibility”.

The modus operandi for those in power who have brought us to this point have blamed each other, and while that blame is not misplaced, it is not a substitute for accountability for the failings by any individual party. The mayor, the common council, MHD and the new leadership of MPS need to come together to address this issue collectively.