Brockton students want culturally relevant food, not 'cardboard with cheese'

BROCKTON — During lunch period at South Middle School, eighth grader Danzel Desronvil typically eats chicken patties, burgers or pizza.

“It don’t even taste like chicken…that’s disgusting,” Desronvil said. “The pizza is real bad. It’s like cardboard with cheese.”

Desronvil, who’s of Haitian descent, has been attending Brockton Public Schools for most of his life, and he said he’s never seen Haitian food in his school’s cafeteria, or, for that matter, Cape Verdean food, or other cuisines from countries many students hail from.

Desronvil is part of a group of BPS middle school students working with Youth Sol to bring “culturally relevant food” from Haitian and Cape Verdean cuisines into BPS cafeterias. Since December, the students have been working with Youth Sol Co-Founder Director Michaela Lauture to advocate for changes in the district’s food service.

According to Lauture, the BPS student body is made up primarily of students of color, with a large immigrant community from Haiti and Cape Verde. Yet, students’ only options in the cafeteria are American food of low quality. Lauture said that some students don't eat the food that's available to them and are left hungry throughout the school day.

“They are definitely asking for food that’s familiar to them,” Lauture said. “[And] the majority of students are coming from economically disadvantaged homes and so the school meal is necessary.”

Lauture and the students will hold a rally at Plouffe F. Middle School Cafeteria Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. to spread their ideas on a new school lunch menu.

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Mainly, the students are asking for more flavorful food with better, more diverse seasoning and a wider variety of options. Brisa Oliveira Sousa, a seventh grader at Edgar B. Davis K-8 School, said that she wants more organic fruit from local farms and more foods she eats at home like rice, vegetables and pasta.

“If they do try, it’s not even close,” Sousa said.

Talks with the superintendent

On Feb. 22, Lauture and the students met with BPS Superintendent Michael Thomas to discuss the proposed changes to the cafeteria menu. But the students said they left feeling empty handed.

"He didn't really say a lot about doing it," Sousa said.

A logistical challenge

But altering what's offered by the district's food service department could be a logistical challenge. Schools must adhere to nutritional standards set by the state and the federal government.

"Every public school district's food service program must be mindful of food allergies, as well as the sodium content of foods, when crafting a menu," said BPS spokesperson Jess Silva-Hodges. "The district is seeking to work within the parameters of the program to make some updates."

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BPS is part of the National School Lunch Program, and the school serves free breakfast and lunch with food they receive through that program, Silva-Hodges said.

Certain foods must be on students' lunch trays to count as a meal, and schools are reimbursed by the state depending on the meals students eat.

"Students are encouraged to take certain things that they don't actually want because then it counts as meals," Lauture said. "But then the kids go and throw it away because they don't actually want it."

"If they have to put fruit on their tray — great! What fruit do they actually want?" she said.

'It's a matter of hope'

In response to the students' demands, the district added a "flavor bar" to every middle and high school, where jerk, Cajun and lemon pepper seasonings are available for students to add to their meals. Each seasoning has been "vetted by dietitians and met the criteria for allergens and sodium content," said Silva-Hodges.

In addition, the district plans to create a student advisory board that will meet with the school's food service staff each quarter to discuss the student body's thoughts on the food in the cafeteria.

"There is a bit of progress there," Lauture said.

With the student-organized rally approaching, Lauture said they're still pushing to bring meals in like pepper soup, rice and beans, legumes and cachupa.

"It's a matter of hope," she said.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton Public Schools: Students want culturally relevant food