Rep. Rich McCormick from Georgia recently made a surprising comment about kids who rely on school lunch programs, suggesting they’re “sponging off the government.” Here’s how it all went down:
In an interview with CNN’s Pamela Brown, McCormick shared his thoughts on school lunches and how kids should be encouraged to work for their meals. He even asked, “How many people got their start in fast food restaurants when they were kids?” and questioned whether high school students really need free lunches when they could be working and earning their own money.
McCormick, speaking from Doral, Florida, was asked if he supported President Donald Trump’s freeze on federal grants, including those for school lunch programs and childhood cancer research. McCormick’s response? He argued that he “worked his way through high school” and even picked berries as a kid before child labor laws were in place. “I don’t know about you, but I worked before I was even 13 years old,” he said.
When Pamela Brown pushed back, McCormick admitted that not all kids are old enough or able to work. But he still defended the freeze, calling it an opportunity to see where federal money is really going and suggesting that a “top-down review” of spending is needed, including for school lunches.
Interestingly, McCormick also pointed out that while Trump’s freeze impacts childhood cancer research, Trump has proposed a huge $500 billion project on AI, which McCormick believes could potentially help detect cancer in the future.
It’s clear that McCormick’s remarks are sparking some debate. What do you think—should students work for their school lunches, or should these programs continue to help those in need?
