先日TVで「給食費の不払」を特集していました。驚き呆れるとともに、久々に強い憤りを覚えました。
Unpaid school lunch fee
A couple of days ago, I felt angry about the problem of unpaid school lunch fee, which was featured on a TV program. A fair percentage of delinquent parents are not bellow the poverty line. They don’t pay the fee on purpose! Believe it or not, some of them have their own cars! A delinquent says that he doesn’t pay the fee because of the failure of collectors. Don't be ridiculous! It's a rudimentary duty. On top of that, a teacher heard by chance that some parents were chatting about how to evade the payment of the school lunch fee at a very school. What’s happening on our beautiful country? What is the cause of this moral vacuum?
The nonpayment of the fee can have serious effects on the school meal system.The menu of school meals can be restricted, which can impair balanced meals. Moreover, the nonpayment can cease the school lunch service due to financial difficulties. Some teachers visit the delinquent parents and try to collect the fee. The teachers' precious time should focus on the education, not debt collection. Those who don’t intentionally pay the fee are aware of the serious situations which are caused by their irresponsible acts, aren't they? They are exactly jeopardizing public education system.
The problem of income gap in our society or “格差社会” has been attracting much attention. Actually, correcting the income disparity might be a critical issue. However, the most crucial issue we are facing is the corruption of moral or “moral gap”, I believe. We should improve moral education ASAP from a national view point.