New York City school kids appear to have won the budget battle over chicken dumplings.
The city’s school food program has been grappling with nearly $60 million in cuts, according to previous reporting in Chalkbeat, that forced officials to drop an array of well-liked – but more expensive – items that included cookies, chicken dumplings, burritos and chicken tenders. A city Education Department spokesperson told Gothamist on Wednesday that officials plan to announce the return of some of those popular lunch options.
“Student voice is a cornerstone of this administration, and it’s clear that our schools are a place where kids want to eat healthy, delicious, and culturally inclusive meals,” said Jenna Lyle, a spokesperson for the city Education Department. “Over the past few weeks, we’ve heard directly from our young people, and we are overjoyed that in partnership with the administration, we are able to restore a range of menu items, including French toast sticks, bean and cheese burritos, and chicken dumplings, that our children know and love.”
The statement came after two sources, including someone at City Hall, told Gothamist that school officials were planning to add an additional $25 million in federal funding to help buoy its food program. The sources asked to remain anonymous in order to discuss details from private conversations.
Schools Chancellor David Banks is set to deliver news about the school food program during an event Thursday morning to honor cafeteria workers, according to a source.
News of additional funding for schools represents yet another budget reversal by Mayor Eric Adams as he faces sharp criticism over steep cuts last year that included a roughly $500 million funding reduction for city schools. In January, Adams announced restored funding for several departments, including police, fire, sanitation, parks and schools. He attributed it to better-than-expected tax revenues as well as cuts to migrant spending.
Students,…
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