Rep. Troy Carter wants to require dairy alternatives in school lunches
Vast majority of minority students are lactose intolerant but denied milk alternatives without doctor’s note

U.S. Rep Troy Carter is calling for the federal government to bring equity to the lunchroom by providing milk alternatives for lactose intolerant K-12 students, many of whom are people of color. 

Carter and 31 other members of Congress signed a letter calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture  to provide soy milk to students. They have asked the Equity Commission at the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service to reassess its milk program and conduct a civil rights impact analysis.

The federal government provides reimbursement for school lunches that meet strict nutritional standards, one of which is providing milk. 

Students can only receive a milk alternative if they have a doctor’s note, which Carter argues is an equity concern considering the high rates of lactose intolerance in minority populations. Several studies have noted that as many as 65% of Latino students, 75% of Black students and 90% of Asian students are lactose intolerant.

“America needs to embrace its diversity at the school lunch counter,” Carter said in a statement. Read more at the Louisiana Illuminator.

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