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Parent urges MCALLEN ISD to improve school food, keep funds 'in the classroom'
Summary
At public comment, Hershel Patel urged the MCALLEN ISD board to prioritize classroom funding and pushed for improvements to school food, saying some prepared items are heated in their plastic wrapping and expressing concern about student nutrition and chronic disease risk.
During public comments at the start of the workshop, parent Hershel Patel told trustees he wanted two things front and center as the board refines the budget: keep money in classrooms to support smaller class sizes, higher teacher pay and stronger curriculum, and address school‑food quality.
Patel identified himself as a parent of three MCALLEN ISD students and said he and a large group of parents have been advocating for food improvements for three months. He criticized what he described as over‑reliance on pre‑packaged items and cited an observation that some pre‑cooked grilled cheeses are heated while still in their plastic wrap. He framed the issue as a public‑health concern, noting rising rates of pre‑diabetes and obesity among adolescents and urging the district to go beyond minimum rules and “use common sense.”
Board members thanked him; staff did not provide a substantive operational response during the comment period. The comment was recorded as the lone public comment on the agenda.
