Opposition to SB 387 – Protect School Meals for Kansas Children

I am writing as a constituent to express my strong opposition to Kansas Senate Bill 387. This bill threatens access to school meals that many Kansas children rely on every day, and it would harm students, families, and school districts across our state. For many kids, school meals are not an extra benefit — they are a lifeline. Breakfast and lunch at school help ensure children are able to focus, learn, and participate fully in the classroom. When access to these meals is restricted or made more difficult, it is children who pay the price, through hunger, stigma, and lost educational opportunities. SB 387 would create unnecessary barriers to receiving school meals, particularly impacting low-income families, rural communities, and children whose parents may already be juggling multiple jobs or facing economic instability. No child should go hungry at school because of paperwork hurdles, administrative changes, or political decisions made far from the classroom. Research consistently shows that students who have reliable access to nutritious school meals perform better academically, have improved attendance, and experience better physical and mental health. Protecting school meals is not only the right thing to do morally — it is a smart investment in Kansas’s future workforce and communities. Kansas has the ability to choose policies that support families and put children first. SB 387 does the opposite by undermining a proven support system that helps kids succeed. I urge you to oppose SB 387 and to support policies that strengthen, rather than weaken, access to school meals for Kansas students. Thank you for your time, your consideration, and your service to our state.