Why Education Researchers Should Take School Food Seriously

Abstract

Food and eating in schools have most often been thought of as utilitarian parts of the day, as distractions, and, for education researchers, as lacking incentives to study or even as objects of derision rather than serious concern. Yet there are good reasons why scholars of education should consider food and food practices.These include the confounding influences of school food's impact on health and on academics, its effects on teaching and administration, the role schools play in teaching about food, implications for the environment and for other species, the large sums of money involved, the window that food provides into identity and culture, food's influence on educational policy and politics, and the social justice concerns around food.

Is School Lunch Connected to Literacy Achievement in Primary School Children? A South African Perspective

“…Social justice theory highlights the social injustices that exist in society that often lead to the oppression and unequal opportunities, which children may be exposed to often compromising their dignity and potential to succeed in life [41][42][43][44][45]. The author supports the view of Weaver-Hightower [46] who contend that food and hunger are major social justice issues in schools because of their cultural and political connotations. Studies have shown that the lack of nutritional food and hunger are very common amongst particular children and communities [47,48].…”

“…Thirdly, government and relevant stakeholders should strategically integrate stimulation interventions into early childhood programmes to counter the effects of hunger on children's literacy development. Lastly, it is necessary to be cognisant of the connotations that food imposes on the identity and culture of people, for example, poor people are identified by the type of food they eat [46]. Undoubtedly the implementation of the above recommendations would promote social justice and in the process enhance the potential of children from poor families to succeed in life.…”

Building an Airplane While Flying It: One Community's Experience with Community Food Transformation

“…1). Farm-to-school organizing can empower young people and their families to create their own food environment-to grow their food, cook it, gain skills, and affect public policy (Weaver-Hightower, 2011). In Holyoke, a city with limited opportunities, the HFFPC brought the needed resources, strategy, funding, and structure to align and empower many stakeholders in the school community to organize for more delicious and healthy meals.…”

“…When youth are seen as the catalysts of change, as the experts, their world view and confidence has the potential to shift. This new self-confidence and sense of belonging can be a determinant in the trajectory of life opportunities (Insight Center for Community Economic Development, 2013;London, 2007;Weaver-Hightower, 2011). A partner noted "With the PhotoVoice project an amazing space was created.…”

Food justice youth development: using Photovoice to study urban school food systems

“…Learning about food systems-how food gets to our table-creates a window for learning about the structures that have precluded fair wages and labor conditions, and perpetuate environmental degradation and lack of opportunity in low-income communities of color (Levine 2008, Weaver-Hightower, 2011. Using food as a locus for learning, presents an opportunity not always evident in school pedagogy, to connect overlapping environmental and health sciences, citizenship, and justice (Bencze et al 2012, Hayes-Conroy 2013.…”