Should 7 Year Olds Get Time for Lunch? Opinions Differ
By 
The ways in which neoliberals have undermined schools in recent decades is just so damaging. The focus on testing, the decline in recess and art, and the state of lunch. Even in Washington state, debates over mandatory minimum lunch time are real.
Washington’s state superintendent is considering a rule change that, for the first time, would set a minimum for school lunch periods in the state’s nearly 300 school districts.
“Many Washington schools are falling short of the recommended best practice of providing students with 20 minutes of seated lunchtime,” said the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI).
Members of the public are invited to testify at the virtual hearing at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14. Information, including registration to comment or view the hearing, can be found here.
In November, the KING 5 Investigators found most of the 31 districts surveyed had schools with lunch times of 20 minutes.
However, those lunch periods typically include the time a child stands in line waiting for a hot meal and clean up time. With increased use of free and reduced-price lunches in many districts, lines are longer now and many kids have far fewer than 20 minutes to eat their lunch.
Two districts, Stanwood-Camano and Everett, had schools with lunch periods only 15 minutes long.
After KING 5’s story, parents took to social media with their thoughts: “I’m appalled,” one parent commented. Another parent said: “I work at schools and I’ve seen as little as 5 minutes for kindergarteners.” One parent said it’s simply “not enough time to fill the belly.”
School districts are expected to push back against a required minimum lunchtime.
Many administrators say scheduling academics and other requirements already make it difficult to piece together a schedule. The problem is especially challenging in elementary schools, where the state already requires districts to clear a half-hour long block of recess for kids.
God forbid we treat 7 year olds like 7 year olds and let them play and eat instead of sitting through more prep for standardized tests.