Are we for or against free school meals for little kids? Plenty of people are saying it's too expensive and the £600m would be better spent elsewhere. I give them one good reason why they are wrong - Daniel Pelka.
I find it impossible to forget the dreadful details of his death, but for those who already have, four-year-old Daniel was beaten, almost drowned, imprisoned in a filthy room and fed salt by his mother and her boyfriend. He died of massive head injuries.
But most of all he was starved. When he stole food at school his mother said he had an eating disorder and should be stopped. This, despite the fact that he weighed about one and a half stones when he died. How stupid were those teachers to believe her?
The fact is that if Daniel could have been guaranteed one decent meal a day, five days a week, he may have survived long enough for someone to help him. Not a certainty by any means, seeing as police were called to his house 26 times to deal with domestic violence and never thought to find out if children were at risk.
So give these little ones the food. After all, we were spending money on social workers and other professionals and a fat lot of good that did little Daniel. Not one bothered to talk to him. A free school meal for a chance of life - well worth the price I'd say.
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