A teacher in Tennessee said she was brought to tears earlier this month when one of her students “so innocently talked about food, and the lack of it.”
Grade school teacher Brooke Goins, 21, wrote in a now viral Facebook post:
“Today I cried at work. Not because I hate my job. Today I cried for a child, a child who so innocently talked about food, and the lack of it.”
Goins was caught off guard when one of her students asked “when the lady that puts food in his backpack was coming.”
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It turns out he was referring to the Jacksboro Elementary School’s guidance counselor. The boy said the guidance counselor would give him food and “he was out of it at home and needed more.” But it was a short school week before fall break, and Goins didn’t know if she would be in, so she asked her student what the counselor gave him that he liked so much. Goins wrote:
“He looked at me and said, ‘those little os’ (as he made a small circle with his hand). We don’t have those at my house, but when I do have them they give me a warm belly and help me sleep.”
The student’s words moved Goins beyond tears. She added:
“I lost it, I cried in front of 20 little people. No kid should ever be hungry, ever.”
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Goins then texted a group of teachers, and they pooled their money together to buy the hungry child enough food to last him through his fall break. The teacher said she didn’t publish her post to be praised, but instead wanted to remark on how much teachers care for their children. She explained that teachers often spend their own money on school supplies “to make sure that our kids have what they need to succeed,” and on that day, it was food, adding:
“I want people to know that teachers are humans, we love your kids and want the very best for them. Some days we get frustrated and feel overwhelmed, but today we did what was best for a child. Will it show on a test score? Nope! Do we care? Nope!”
The federal poverty level – the minimum amount of money a family needs each year to afford necessities – is set by the US Department of Health and Human Services. Almost 40 million people (12 percent of all Americans) lived in poverty in 2017, according to the most recent US Census Bureau stats.
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According to the US Department of Agriculture, that means more than 11 million US children are living in “food insecure” homes, with parents often unable to afford nutritious food options.
To help other hungry children, Goins and her fellow teachers are starting a food pantry for their students. She wrote:
“Students will be able to get food whenever needed! If you would like to help, we are accepting food contributions as well as hygiene products! [Mail them to] 164 Jacksboro Elementary School Road, Jacksboro, TN 37757. You can put attention FOOD PANTRY.”
We truly admire teacher Brooke Goins and the care and compassion she has for her students. No child should go to bed hungry, but we wish the mission to feed hungry children at Jacksboro Elementary School was more focused on providing nourishing organic, non-GMO, and pesticide-free foods.
