Recently, as I was scrolling through my phone, I stumbled upon an alarming headline..
“Rep. Rich McCormick Suggests Students Work at McDonald’s Instead of Getting Free School Lunches”
The headline came from a USA Today article discussing an interview Representative McCormick had with CNN. Naturally, this piqued my curiosity, so I read the article, watched the interview, and even did some research on Representative McCormick myself. I had a few thoughts and questions. I also wanted to know how other students felt about this and whether they had even heard about the interview in the first place. To me, raising awareness is important because this issue directly affects students’ lives.
So, Who is He?
Representative Rich Dean McCormick is an American physician and politician. He is a member of the Republican Party and has represented Georgia in the United States House of Representatives since 2023. Currently, he serves Georgia’s 6th Congressional District, one of the wealthiest districts in the state.
The Federal Funding Freeze and Its Effects
The USA Today article covered an interview McCormick gave to CNN, where he discussed an executive order recently signed by former President Donald Trump that froze federal funding.
Federal funding—also known as federal assistance, benefits, or aid—is money the government provides to states, schools, organizations, and programs to support essential services like education, food, infrastructure, and healthcare. This freeze is essentially a temporary pause on these funds. However, even a temporary freeze can be harmful to many people across the nation.
Many state and local governments rely heavily on federal funding. In fact, federal funds make up 37.2% of Florida’s state budget and as much as 50% of some other states’ budgets. Schools, programs, and organizations employ countless Americans, including teachers. If these services lose their funding, how can these individuals maintain their livelihoods in the long term?
The Federal Funding Discussion
The federal funding freeze officially went into effect on February 3. However, at the time of McCormick’s interview, a U.S. district judge had temporarily halted its implementation while deciding whether it should be enforced.
During the interview, the CNN reporter brought up Head Start, an early education program that provides meals to young children from low-income families. The interviewer asked McCormick whether he supported cutting funding for free school meals and eliminating funding for childhood cancer research.
Here’s how McCormick responded:
McCormick: “Before I was 13 years old, I was picking berries in the field before these child labor laws precluded that. I was a paperboy, and when I was in high school, I worked my entire way through. You’re telling me that kids who stay at home instead of going to work at Burger King and McDonald’s during the summer should stay at home and get their free lunch instead of going to work? I think we need to have a top-down review. Think about where kids need to actually be.”
Interviewer (Pamela Brown): “I think you’re painting these kids with a broad brush. I would say that’s not necessarily a fair assessment of all students. Are you saying that all the kids in your district who use free lunch or breakfast are just sitting at home, not working?”
McCormick: “Of course not, of course not.”
Interviewer (Pamela Brown): “Okay, I just wanted to clarify because that seemed to be what you were insinuating.”
McCormick: “No, this gives us a chance to see where the money is really being spent. Who can actually go and produce their own income? Who can actually go out there and gain value and work skills for the future? How many people got their start in fast-food restaurants when they were kids? Instead of giving a blanket rule that provides all high school students with free lunches—when some are capable of working—we should reconsider.”
McCormick: “Thinking about their future instead of how they’re going to sponge off the government when they don’t need to. We don’t give people value or the ability to dig themselves out when we penalize them for working and instead keep them on welfare. That’s been the inner-city problem for a very long time. We need a top-down review to get people out of poverty. You know what? America is very good at creating jobs and giving people worth. We’ve been traditionally good at that, but we’re losing our way when we incentivize people to stay home and not work. That doesn’t work for America.”
Interviewer (Pamela Brown): “But a lot of these kids aren’t even of working age. They’re young kids, and, as you well know—”
McCormick: “I get that it doesn’t apply to everybody.”
Student Reactions
I asked a few students in my class how they felt about McCormick’s comments on free school lunches and breakfast. Here’s what they had to say:
Natasha, 12th grader: “What McCormick said is absolute nonsense. A child’s main priority should be getting an education and enjoying their youth—not stressing about work. They’ll have their entire lives to work, but they’re only young once. And taking away free meals? That’s insane. Free school meals help so many children from low-income families, and he wants to take that away? That’s not right.”
Cole, 10th grader: “McCormick is so disconnected from the lower class that he shouldn’t even be taken seriously. While he says he understands that this ‘doesn’t apply to everybody,’ I’m not sure he really does. So many students I know already have jobs just to get by, as young as Florida law allows. Not only is it wrong for him to label people as ‘worthless’ because they aren’t working, but people have more to life than school and work. Students have talents that go unnoticed and struggles that go unacknowledged. Schools are pushing harder curriculums than ever, colleges have higher standards, and life grows more stressful by the day. These are children—they deserve some leeway before fully entering the workforce.”
Kayla, 11th grader: “Students under 18 should be able to utilize the programs available at school. Their only focus should be on education and becoming well-rounded individuals—not being forced to work. I also think McCormick just wants more people working so big businesses and corporations can profit.”
Political and Advocacy Responses
It’s not just students who are critical of McCormick’s comments. Advocacy groups and political opponents argue that his remarks undermine low-income families. In response, Georgia State Representative Imani Barnes introduced the Healthy Start Act (Senate Bill 217) on February 19, 2025. This legislation would establish a legal requirement to provide free, healthy school lunches. Barnes emphasized the importance of these programs, stating:
“When children eat breakfast at school, they perform better on important tests.”
As of today, Rich McCormick has not responded to the criticism surrounding his remarks.
What Students Can Do
If you’re a student concerned about how the federal funding freeze might affect your financial aid, you can reach out to FAFSA or your school counselor to better understand its impact on your scholarships and grants. Stay informed by checking updates on the FAFSA website and the Department of Education website.
If you’re worried about how this freeze will impact school meals, consider contacting your local or state representatives to ask what actions they are taking in response.
