Tod, I do understand much better than I let on, and they have been preaching for years (since I was in grade school in the 1970's at least) the link between nutrition and learning.
I don't for a minute make light of that, and the thought that children are hungry and going to school should be something from the 1800's, not the 2000's.
But...
This is also an issue of how far We are willing to allow the government to insert itself. When we have to have lunch inspectors, I think the pendulum has swung. No, the kids shouldn't suffer for the parents' choices, issues, problems, etc., but there is a point of "enough". We shouldn't necessarily have to shoulder the burden of the parents' bad decisions, either, but somehow it was determined that We should. And to an extent, it starts becoming a vicious circle with succeeding generations becoming more dependent on government to save them from themselves.
Perhaps I should have been more rational, but every now and again I let the demon out of the box. And this is such a grand failure that it really underscores the point...the government inserted itself with the best of intentions and did more harm than good as a result.