John Fetterman slams legislation that could deny school lunches to queer kids

Senator John Fetterman (PA) has blasted an attempt by GOP lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow the providers of school meals to use their faith as an excuse to deny services to some kids.

Fetterman issued a statement yesterday saying, “I can’t even believe that this resolution is even real. This makes it possible for some random lunch lady to deny lunch to a hungry child because she says her god tells her to. School lunch should be free, and certainly free of judgment.

“Don’t we have better things to do in the upper chamber than picking on kids because of who they are?” Fetterman continued, as reported The Hill.

Fetterman was referencing a resolution introduced in July by Roger Marshall (R-Kan). That legislation came in the wake of the landmark Bostock v. Clayton County Supreme Court ruling. It said discriminating against someone because of their sexuality or gender identity was a form of sex discrimination.

The U.S. Food and Nutrition Service is incorporating that ruling into its policies. Marshall’s resolution notes “The FNS determined that the Bostock analysis also applies to certain FNS-enforced requirements under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 because the requirements are sufficiently similar to those in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.”

Senator Marshall’s resolution opposes this: “This joint resolution nullifies the policy update issued by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) on May 5, 2022, related to discrimination on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation.”

“Woke agenda”

In late July, Senator Marshall issued a statement clarifying why he felt the need to pen the resolution.

“This administration is weaponizing funding for school lunch programs in an effort to force public schools to embrace Joe Biden’s transgender agenda,” Senator Marshall said. “The USDA has NO authority to force our children to adhere to woke mandates such as requiring biological boys to be given access to girls bathrooms and locker rooms, or allow biological boys to compete against biological girls in girls’ sports.

“My message with this CRA is clear: Don’t hold children’s lunch hostage in pursuit of your woke agenda.”

The resolution is co-sponsored by nine other Republican senators.

Fetterman wants to cancel all school lunch debt

Fetterman chairs the Senate Subcommittee on Food and Nutrition. Rather than restrict school lunches, he believes in ensuring all kids never go hungry. Last month, he and two other senators introduced the School Lunch Debt Cancellation Act. It seeks to wipe out student meal debt for kids across the United States.

Related:

Pennsylvania Will Consider Removing Sex From Their Birth Certificates

Several lawmakers are already behind the proposal, but anti-LGBTQ Republicans control the Legislature.

Florida School Video on “Embracing Femininity” Helps Explain Why Educators Are Fleeing the State

Won’t somebody think of the children?