During a recent government meeting, Deborah Krieger, a child nutrition manager at Metzger Middle School, raised significant concerns regarding the potential outsourcing of child nutrition services. Speaking passionately, Krieger emphasized the vital role that child nutrition employees play in the daily lives of students, noting that they are among the first staff members children encounter each day, following bus drivers.

Krieger highlighted that the child nutrition program is self-funded and operates under the regulations of the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). She reported that the current workforce consists of 214 employees at the school level, along with an additional 20 in office and maintenance roles.

A key point of her address was the potential impact of outsourcing on employee benefits, particularly the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) retirement plans that many staff members have dedicated years to secure. Krieger questioned the rationale behind considering outsourcing and urged the decision-makers to consider the implications for the employees and the quality of service provided to the approximately 935 students enrolled at her school.

The discussion underscores the broader implications of outsourcing public services, particularly in educational settings, where the relationships between staff and students are crucial for fostering a supportive learning environment.