Civil rights groups-'dietary racism’ in school lunch programs

LoreD

Forum Legend
Joined
Feb 24, 2021
Reaction score
743
Age
70
Location
Wisconsin
Lifestyle
  1. Vegan
Civil rights groups urge USDA to fix ‘dietary racism’ in school lunch programs


Twenty-eight civil rights and healthcare groups announced Tuesday they have requested that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) address “dietary racism” in national school lunch programs, raising concerns to the federal agency about forcing millions of minority children to drink cow’s milk without allowing them a healthier alternative.

In a letter to the USDA’s Equity Commission, the groups said the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) only incentivizes dairy milk, a policy they called “inherently inequitable and socially unjust” because children of color are more likely to be lactose-intolerant — meaning they cannot fully digest sugars in dairy and can suffer from adverse effects after consumption.

The USDA reimburses schools covered under the 76-year-old NSLP if they provide fluid milk during meals, which does not cover soy milk or other types of organic milk. Dairy milk must be served with every meal.

According to the civil rights and health groups, 80 percent of Black and Latinos, more than 90 percent of Asians, and more than 80 percent of Indigenous Americans are lactose-intolerant, compared to 15 percent of White people.

They estimated that millions of minority children could be affected in the classroom because of the USDA policy, urging the agency to allow soy milk, a federally recognized nutritional product, as an official substitute in the NSLP.
 
That is so cool.

I can't remember where I learned about this but it was many years ago.And I don't know if its still true but back then the Dairy industry just about owned the USDA. Which pretty much controls or controlled the school lunch programs.

Everything from milk subsidies to free posters and classroom materials.

I love how they worked lactose intolerance into a racial thing. But its true - although I'm pretty sure its not intentional- people of color are more likely to be lactose intolerant.
 
That is so cool.

I can't remember where I learned about this but it was many years ago.And I don't know if its still true but back then the Dairy industry just about owned the USDA. Which pretty much controls or controlled the school lunch programs.

Everything from milk subsidies to free posters and classroom materials.

I love how they worked lactose intolerance into a racial thing. But its true - although I'm pretty sure its not intentional- people of color are more likely to be lactose intolerant.

I remember watching a report on lactose intolerance in minority groups. A young Black male talked about dreading lunch in elementary school. The teachers, and lunchroom aides, would force the minority children to drink the milk. He said that he had difficulty learning because of the level of intestinal discomfort in the afternoon.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: PTree15 and Emma JC
I remember watching a report on lactose intolerance in minority groups. A young Black male talked about dreading lunch in elementary school. The teachers, and lunchroom aides, would force the minority children to drink the milk. He said that he had difficulty learning because of the level of intestinal discomfort in the afternoon.
That must have been a long time ago. but still sad.. Nowadays lactose intolerance is well known and understood. Even in all white communities.

Back in the day some people had minor lactose intolerance but didn't even know it. They just had gut issues but didn't know why.
 
I found myself still intrigued by this concept and went to the article to re-read it. While there I read some of the comments. Most of them were about how unnecessary it was to play the race card.

Philosophically I agree with that concept. However I'm strongly in favor of putting soy milk in school cafeterias. It really should be a "health issue" but if that was enough it would already be done.

The "groups" at this point are "urging" the USDA. but if that doesn't work, I think a law suit, on racial discrimination grounds would be in order.

I'm already imagining protests, marches, and picket lines.
Anyone got any good slogans to shout or put on signs?

the best I can come up with this morning is, "Free Soy Milk Now!"
"Lactose Intolerant Lives Matter" just doesn't have a good ring to it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Emma JC
I found myself still intrigued by this concept and went to the article to re-read it. While there I read some of the comments. Most of them were about how unnecessary it was to play the race card.

Philosophically I agree with that concept. However I'm strongly in favor of putting soy milk in school cafeterias. It really should be a "health issue" but if that was enough it would already be done.

The "groups" at this point are "urging" the USDA. but if that doesn't work, I think a law suit, on racial discrimination grounds would be in order.

I'm already imagining protests, marches, and picket lines.
Anyone got any good slogans to shout or put on signs?

the best I can come up with this morning is, "Free Soy Milk Now!"
"Lactose Intolerant Lives Matter" just doesn't have a good ring to it.


Many of the schools are almost 100% minority. The level of waste, delivering, and paying for, a product that nobody can drink, is astounding.

I think they need to replace the mandatory cow's milk, with the term "healthy protein beverage".
 
  • Agree
Reactions: Emma JC
I found myself still intrigued by this concept and went to the article to re-read it. While there I read some of the comments. Most of them were about how unnecessary it was to play the race card.

Philosophically I agree with that concept. However I'm strongly in favor of putting soy milk in school cafeterias. It really should be a "health issue" but if that was enough it would already be done.

The "groups" at this point are "urging" the USDA. but if that doesn't work, I think a law suit, on racial discrimination grounds would be in order.

I'm already imagining protests, marches, and picket lines.
Anyone got any good slogans to shout or put on signs?

the best I can come up with this morning is, "Free Soy Milk Now!"
"Lactose Intolerant Lives Matter" just doesn't have a good ring to it.


This is interesting. The WIC program is already fully supporting plant based alternatives:

WIC: Approved Milk, Soy Milk, and Yogurt

Dairy and soy products help us get nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. You can buy any of the listed milks, soy milks, and yogurts with your WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children Program) food benefits. They are also in the WIC Shopping Guide, P-44578.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PTree15 and Emma JC
Many of the schools are almost 100% minority. The level of waste, delivering, and paying for, a product that nobody can drink, is astounding.

I think they need to replace the mandatory cow's milk, with the term "healthy protein beverage".
on this mornings hike I brought up this news story with my hiking buddies. And I said something like Soy milk should be available in school cafeterias. She said that was a bad idea because soy milk is toxic.

:fp:

So much work to do.
 
  • Sad
Reactions: PTree15
on this mornings hike I brought up this news story with my hiking buddies. And I said something like Soy milk should be available in school cafeterias. She said that was a bad idea because soy milk is toxic.

:fp:

So much work to do.

All of those people in Japan, China, and Korea don't seem to have a problem with it.

They have drinking, and eating, soy products for hundreds of years.
 
  • Like
Reactions: vesper818
When I swore off dairy, this was during the Paleozoic, there was not many other options besides soy milk. and I don't remember where I first heard it but I was worried about soy milk too. I spent at least an evening on Google looking thru articles.

Just now I was thinking of forwarding an article on the health benefits of soy. but upon googling it I found nothing that was a straight forward endorsement of soy.

if anyone has a favorite Pro Soy article - please provide a link and I will forward it to her
 
When I swore off dairy, this was during the Paleozoic, there was not many other options besides soy milk. and I don't remember where I first heard it but I was worried about soy milk too. I spent at least an evening on Google looking thru articles.

Just now I was thinking of forwarding an article on the health benefits of soy. but upon googling it I found nothing that was a straight forward endorsement of soy.

if anyone has a favorite Pro Soy article - please provide a link and I will forward it to her

I raised my girls vegan. I don't like that they didn't stick with it. It was the early 80's and I was making my own soymilk and okara burgers. There were none of the convenience foods that are around today. If I wanted seitan; I had to make it myself.

All of us were eating and drinking soy, and were just fine.
 
This is from PCRM, so could be said biased, but it provides footnotes for all research.

Cleveland Clinic:
 
  • Like
Reactions: PTree15 and Lou