I am a 9th grade freshman living in New Jersey.  I am writing an essay about the injustice of poverty in America.   Almost 40m people living in America were below the poverty line in 2008.  Even more startling is that over one half of them are children under the age of 17.

During my research I learned that good nutrition is important in helping children do well in school. Sometimes school lunch and breakfast are the only nutritious meals children have. 

I also learned that the proposed New Jersey budget includes cuts to school lunch programs.

"Around $5.6 million has been cut from school breakfast and lunch programs in the state Agriculture Department budget. This cut is reducing state funding to the minimum required to stay eligible for more than $200 million in federal contributions.

 Under the proposed cuts, the state subsidies for breakfast in public schools would be eliminated, and funding for lunches - during the regular academic year and summer school - would be reduced to the federal government minimum."

This is another example of how the poor are denied equal access to basic human rights simply because of their economic situation. Education is extremely important. Poor nutrition can impact a child's performance in school. Without a good quality education it hurts them later in life. Reducing good nutrition for the children in New Jersey is a problem. 

Please tell Governor Christie he is making a mistake in cutting funding to school meal programs by signing my petition.