Doer of the Month: Ann Bostic

Kathy Izard

Jan 28

Written By

It was 1999, when Ann Bostic first understood the term “lunch-shaming.” She has been fighting for justice ever since.

“Miss Ann, Miss Ann! They made me eat soup! They made me eat soup!”

Aaron’s face looked up at her with pleading brown eyes welling with tears of humiliation. As a volunteer tutor for her first grade buddy, Ann Bostic hugged the boy assuring him there must have been some kind of mistake. Why else would his classmates have been served a full hot meal while seven-year-old Aaron was only allowed a bowl of soup?

It was 1999 when Ann marched into the CMS elementary school cafeteria to clear up the misunderstanding only to find, there was no misunderstanding. Aaron’s mother was over thirty days behind on his lunch bill so a message was being sent home through the boy’s hunger and hurt. Pay your debt or your child will eat less until you comply.

At the time, serving these “snack meals” was a hidden, high-pressure policy but today it is called “lunch-shaming.” Ann was stunned.

How much did Aaron’s mom owe? Less than $60.

Immediately, Ann wrote a check to clear Aaron’s account, yet twenty years later, she is still working to fix the problem.

At the time she began understanding school lunch policies, Ann was married but did not have children of her own. As she tried to advocate for Aaron, she learned there was a three-tiered structure—free, reduced pay and full pay. Maybe Aaron’s mom didn’t understand there was a different form she could fill out that would solve everything or maybe she was too embarrassed to ask for help filling out the forms.

The problem, however, was bigger than one boy and one form. Even though they had never met Aaron or the other children, Ann’s friends and family sent cash and checks to pay off the lunch debt for Aaron’s entire school. Throughout his elementary years, Aaron changed schools five times. Each time, Ann continued to tutor Aaron and she continued to rally funds from friends always clearing the lunch at each school.

Over time, Ann worked to change the policy system wide. In 2009, “lunch shaming” officially ended meaning “snack meals” would never again be served to a CMS elementary or middle school child. Although the policy stopped in Charlotte’s lower grades, it continues across the state and persists in our high schools. Currently, CMS high school students who have unpaid lunch debt and do not have cash, will not be served food. The answer to the whole problem is a statewide system of universal free lunch for all kids in every school. Although Aaron has long since graduated, Ann is still tutoring at 67-years-old. Her fulltime job is advocating for legislation that would forever right Aaron’s wrong formally called NC House Bill 947.

Representative. John Autry is the primary sponsor of this bill that will offer free breakfast and lunch to all public school children in North Carolina. Every day, Ann devotes herself to compiling research, sending emails and meeting with influencers in hopes HB 947 passes in the next session. At least twice a day, Ann receives Google alerts on her phone with articles from across the country highlighting “lunch shaming” and legislation moving forward in other states. Twenty years ago, there was no national movement and no alerts.