Parents want their children to feel safe, happy, and have the opportunity to thrive. However, the path to happiness and success that works for many families may not work for all. 

In the case of Brittney Blagg, a mother of 2 in Arkansas, years of heartache and frustration resulted in the need for a drastic change. After being disappointed by her brick-and-mortar school time and time again, her family turned to virtual school and never looked back. 

Even though they quickly learned this move would not be without massive sacrifice. 

Bullied Out of Brick-and-Mortar

Brittney’s eldest daughter entered school full of confidence. Brittney described her as a ‘mother hen’ to her preschool classmates, always having been nurturing, bright, and fiercely independent. Even while being diagnosed with ADD, ODD and a cognitive delay, her early school years were manageable when supported by attentive teachers and a nurturing environment. 

By third grade, the story changed. 

Her daughter faced relentless bullying and quickly became a target in the classroom. Attempts to seek help from school administration were met with silence or inadequate solutions. Because of her learning differences, her daughter was continuously blamed and punished for sticking up for herself, while the instigators were permitted to continue their destructive behavior. Brittany felt powerless. She felt she could no longer send her child into an environment where she was unsafe and misunderstood. 

The solution had been in the back of Brittney’s mind for some time. Knowing a close acquaintance who turned to virtual school and thrived, she quickly pivoted believing that it was the only option that would allow her daughter to continue her education without fear or ridicule. 

School Choice or School Lunch

It was quickly evident that Brittney’s daughter was thriving in the virtual environment. But what the family did not realize was that by exercising their right to school choice, they lost access to the school lunch benefit that helped keep them afloat. 

Before leaving brick-and-mortar school, Brittney’s children qualified for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), receiving free or reduced-price breakfast and lunch every day. This support was essential for their family. It allowed Brittney to focus their limited funds on other household needs while knowing her children were consistently nourished at school.

The transition to virtual school meant that all meals and snacks became the family’s responsibility. “It’s SO much harder now,” Brittney explained. “We’re paying for everything out of pocket, and with inflation, it’s exhausting. I used to shop at Sam’s Club, but now I can’t afford it.”

The increased grocery bills are just the start. Meal sizes have shrunk, variety is limited, and the financial strain weighs heavily on the family. “I sometimes rely on Dollar Store coupons just to make it work.”

While Brittney’s children never go without food, the loss of school meal benefits has underscored to them a painful truth that by exercising one right granted to them by the state, they are forced to forgo other programs designed to support hard-working but struggling families like them. 

A System That Leaves Some Students Behind

Brittney’s story highlights a systemic issue. 

The National School Lunch Program was created to ensure that all children have access to nutritious meals during the school day. This program has proven to improve learning outcomes, health outcomes, and overall well-being for underprivileged children. 

Yet students who attend public school virtually are excluded, even when they meet the exact same financial criteria as their peers in brick-and-mortar schools.

“This isn’t about asking for more than what’s already provided in schools,” Brittney said. “We just want inclusion. We just want that little bit of help for virtual households. The guidelines for support programs are outdated. They don’t reflect the reality of families like mine. We just want inclusion.”

For families like the Blaggs, the choice to protect their child’s safety comes with the unintended consequence of increased financial and emotional stress. While the current system was designed to help, this massive exclusion has resulted in an inequity that is felt by over 347,000 students across the United States. 

By including virtual students in programs like the NSLP, we take a step toward true educational equity, ensuring that no child is left behind or hungry, whether they learn in a classroom, at a kitchen table, or anywhere in between.

Because every family has unique needs. 

Because every child deserves the opportunity to be safe, happy, and thriving. 

Because school lunch is not a privilege, it’s a right. 

And no child should be left off the lunch line.