On May 20th, several DOE the contracts will be discussed at the Panel for Educational Policy (PEP) meeting. The PEP Council be reviewing the contracts during a public meeting that is live-streamed and archived. One of the contracts is a $10 m contract (over 5 years) with Perdue for nuggets and other frozen chicken products.
The public doesn’t speak during the contracts meeting, but we can sign up for public comment right before and during the actual PEP meeting which starts at 6 pm on May 20. There is a window of time where you can sign up to speak. That’s where the full PEP votes on the contracts, but we also want to engage PEP/DOE before then.
We can email all the PEP members directly anytime before the May 20 with testimony and suggestions. Please let your voice be heard. I would be clear on if you’re suggesting the DOE reject this contract, amend it or if you’re advising for future contracts.
I plan on requesting that the contract be limited to one year, to stem any immediate food insecurity issues, and that the DOE plan to move away from highly processed foods because of the dangers they pose to children for diet-related disease, especially in a time of COVID when diet-related disease is an underlying risk factor. Please also feel free to refer to the resources page of this website and download our research report on the dangers of highly-processed foods in the lunchroom for more evidence-based testimony in support of our position to move away from products like Perdue Chicken Nuggets.
Here are the email addresses of all PEP Members if you would like to submit testimony opposing this contract.
PEP members:
vleung@schools.nyc.gov; SWaite3@schools.nyc.gov; lpodvesker@schools.nyc.gov; PCalandrella@schools.nyc.gov; ICarmignani@schools.nyc.gov; GChacon@schools.nyc.gov; MKraft2@schools.nyc.gov; GLinnen@schools.nyc.gov; Achapman7@schools.nyc.gov; NGreenGiles@schools.nyc.gov; DDillingham@schools.nyc.gov.
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Andrea
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