With Good Reason

We all remember what it was like entering the social battleground known as the school cafeteria. Aside from the usual cliques, there were two types of students: those who brought their lunch and those who bought their lunch. Marcus Weaver-Hightower says public schools should offer free lunches to all students. And: Being a new parent is hard work and it’s also super expensive. Christine Schull says a year of toddler or infant care can cost more than a year of tuition at a public university. Christine’s been named an outstanding faculty member by The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Also: The pandemic turned students' worlds upside-down. Rates of anxiety and depression have jumped, especially among students of marginalized identities. But Leandra Parris says there aren’t enough mental health resources in the K-12 school system to meet the surging demand. Later in the show: The college of education at the University of Mary Washington recently unveiled the STREAM Initiative - a hub for teachers