CPS To Expand Breakfast In Classrooms
CHICAGO (CBS) -- The Chicago Board of Education has approved a plan to provide the districts Breakfast In The Classroom program to all of its elementary schools. Some parents have voiced concerns that the program cuts into an already short school day and could mean some kids eat breakfast twice.
As CBS 2's Roseanne Tellez reports, about 200 Chicago public schools currently provide kids with breakfast in the classroom at the start of the school day. On Wednesday, the school board approved a plan to expand the program to every CPS elementary school.
The program provides a grab-and-go meal served in a bag at the start of class. A sample menu includes whole grain cereal, apple granola squares, a pear and milk.
"We definitely know there is a need for breakfast and we have hungry children in our schools," Louise Esaian, head of school nutrition for the Chicago Public Schools said at Wednesday's board meeting. "The benefits that they reap by having breakfast help them throughout the school day with attentiveness of students, with less trips to the nurse's office."
But some parents have opposed the idea, noting that for kids who don't eat breakfast at home, Chicago Public Schools have long offered free breakfast before classes.
Jen Pramenko, whose kids attend Audubon Elementary School, serves her kids breakfast at home. She said she doesn't understand the need to cut into the ever-shrinking school day with the new plan to serve breakfast in class.
"We already have one of the shortest school days in the country, if not the shortest school day," Pramenko said. "I know that they say it'll only take 10 minutes, but these are little kids, and they're gonna spill, there's gonna be cleanup time."
She said 10 minutes of breakfast time every day in class adds up to 50 minutes of lost teaching time every week.
Pramenko also said it would create trash issues and the risk of bug problems that teachers shouldn't have to deal with.
The issue has struck a nerve among parents who say they were never asked for input and it's prompted an email petition, signed by hundreds of parents. They have said a rule like this should be at the discretion of the principal.
CPS officials said teachers are free to go forward with their lesson plans during the breakfast.
"They teach nutrition education, they talk about where the foods are coming from and, in some schools, they … simply use it as reading time for students as they're eating their breakfast," Esaian said.
Suzanne Plunkett, whose kids also attend Audubon Elementary, said the plan would create other problems.
"We'll be throwing away food, which I just think is shameful," Plunkett said. "I think the time would be better spent learning."
Another concern for parents is that kids who eat at home could now be eating a second breakfast.
CPS officials said they are working on a way for parents to opt out of the program. Cost won't be an issue for CPS, as the program is paid for by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
