How To Live In The 21st Century

2. How does it fit with Compass’ core beliefs of equality, solidarity, democracy, freedom, sustainability and well being?

The policy fits with all these core beliefs. Children work together on group projects that gives them a sense of achievement, solidarity and well-being. All children have equal responsibility for the maintenance of the garden and for cooking meals. Children are given the freedom to try growing and eating new things and with guidance from teachers can divide up tasks on a democratic basis design school meals giving a sense of ownership, independence and gratification. Growing organic food used for school meals helps improve school sustainability, cut costs and reduce carbon footprint via a reduction in food miles.

3. How does it build the institutions of social democracy, like social groups and collective and cooperative forms of ownership and control?

This idea is completely collective and cooperative. Children should decide together what to grow and cook and need to work together to maintain the gardens and cook the food. This also improves relationships between the children and between children and teachers giving everyone a united goal to work towards that is non-academic and inclusive. Something that everyone has the ability to achieve no matter academic record, size, shape, learning ability or disability. Everyone can participate together in one way or another. Different working groups can be established and membership can work on a rotating basis.

4. How much will it cost or raise and where will any cost come from?

Costs should be quite low. Teachers with horitcultural or cooking skills could take additional courses to give them certificatio to work on projects, parents or members of the local community could volunteer with schools (perhaps with accreditation and CRBs) or new staff could be employed to help children. Current kitchen staff retrained to work with children perhaps. Land on school grounds hopefully to be used, or local allotments in the vicinity. organic gardening so little expense needed other than seeds and tools. Could pave the way for cheap or free school meals. Chickens kept for eggs also?

5. Which groups in the electorate are likely to support or oppose this measure? Is there any polling evidence you have on this?

Those supportive of reducing child obesity.
Those supportive of environmental sustainability.
Those worried about child poverty-children getting a decent meal in school.
Those supprtive of children getting a more rounded education other than a purely academic one.
Those wanting to improve well-being social cohesion and confidence of children.
Horticulturalists, cooks, child psychologists etc..

6. Is there a place or country where it’s worked? Please provide some information.

Some schools already have children participating in school meals preparation and some schools already have school gardens that they work on.

7. What are the three main arguments in favour/against it?

In favour:
Tackle child obesity
Improve confidence and well-being of children
Encourage children to work together towards a collective goal
cooking and gardening skills for life that can be brought back to the familial home and recreated
Help fight future food insecurity by giving children skills for the future

Against:
Problems of access to land
Timetabling-enough time in the school day(different year groups taking it in turn to cook/garden? Kids only cooking once a week?)
Health and safety