NJ must support our children’s hierarchies of need.

The United States of America is failing its children. Unstable housing, food insecurity, lack of access to quality education, lack of access to affordable healthcare. Federal officials do not care about a single child in this nation. However, individual states have proven that they are invested in our future, and New Jersey should be among those states. There is zero reason in the world why free school breakfasts and lunches don’t exist in this state. We are among the wealthiest states in the nation and arguably have some of the best school systems in the country. However, our students are consistently underfunded and underfed. Mount Olive high school in Flanders, NJ, claims they cannot afford to provide free food to students. This same district just built an NFL quality football stadium complete with a roof and a Jumbotron. State and tax funding is being abused and misused- and it must stop. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs places the most important aspects of human life and success on food and shelter. Our students are hard-up for both. The state can definitely solve one of the issues. If you’re going to demand attendance compliance, you must at least provide human needs. If you want successful and attentive students, you must provide the fuel to run their brains. 250 years ago, our forefathers declared no taxation without representation. They fought a literal war to gain a voice in governance. Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost that spirit. We are represented by politicians who represent the upper echelon alone. You’re a regular gal- a real Jersey girl. You know what we’re facing out here because you weren’t raised on an estate in the country. You were one of us. You ARE one of us. Help us.