VIEWPOINT: Solving the school lunch dilemma

By Rep. Fred Deutsch

As the son of a Holocaust survivor, my parents couldn’t always put food on the table. I grew up knowing what it felt like to go hungry. In my later years while serving on school board, quality of life for children was foremost on my mind.  

Now as a legislator, ensuring the safety and well-being of our children is my foremost priority while serving in Pierre.  Our economy is struggling, and inflation is taking a disproportionate toll on families and children of need.

Last session, Rep. Kadyn Wittman (D – Sioux Falls) introduced a bill that would have required the state to pay for all school lunches, regardless of income level or ability to pay. The bill carried a price tag of $38.6 million. Not realistic at the time, I voted against the bill.