Marcus B. Weaver-hightower - Unpacking School Lunch: Understanding the Hidden Politics of School Food

Cover illustration: William Andrew/gettyimages

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I owe a great debt of gratitude to the many people that made this book not only possible but a reality.

Some research for this book I completed during a sabbatical from the University of North Dakota, during which I received support from Rhodes University in South Africa, particularly the Department of English, and from the University of South Carolina. At Rhodes, I thank Dirk Klopper and the Rhodes University Library staff. At the University of South Carolina, I especially owe thanks to Doyle Stevick, Kara Brown, Craig Kridel, and the staff at the Thomas Cooper Library.

Numerous people helped in getting me information and arranging contacts. Jor Thordarson was a superb teacher on the workings of Canadian policy. Becky Francis and, even more, Nicola Tilt got me access to schools in England. Bekisizwe Ndimande, my (non-genetic) brother, was a source of support and encouragement, and he was my guide at a South African township school. Thank you, representatives at the School Nutrition Association, Healthy Kids Canteen Association, and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, for speaking with me. Thanks to the staff at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, and the staff at the British Library for their assistance in finding me some rather obscure materials. Perhaps most especially, thank you to Janet Spaeth and the interlibrary loan specialists at the Chester Fritz Library at the University of North Dakota; I bugged these wonderful professionals more than any others to help me access materials, and they always got what I needed.

I have great admiration for and owe thanks to Michael Nelson and the staff at the School Food Trust (later the Childrens Food Trust) in England. They were generous and superb teachers. Thanks to Gurpinder Lalli for helping me understand Englands school dinners better, as well.

Faculty and student friends at the University of North Dakota were instrumental to this project. Jacqueline Nyenhuis was a particularly excellent thought partner on nutrition and politics. Hamzat Koriko was a tireless research assistant on this project for several semesters; thanks for making all those calls! So many of my advisees and students in seminars have been subjected to my school food rants, too, so I cant name them all, but I thank them for bearing it! And thanks for the many forwarded stories! Particular thanks to my deans and departmental colleagues there for supporting and advising about my work on school meals for many years.

I thank, also, my new colleagues and students at Virginia Tech, including those in the School of Education, in the Food Studies program (particularly Anna Zeide), and the Center for Food Systems and Community Transformation (especially Kim Niewolny). Ive not met Garland Mason in person yet, but her five articles worth reading each week netted me so many insights; thanks for that work on all our behalves.

I have learned a great deal from many scholars working on food studies, but I give special thanks to Sarah Robert and contributors to the collection School Food Politics. Sarah was a patient collaborator, and that experience was formative in so many ways.

Naturally I owe special gratitude to my editor, Milana Vernikova, and the others at Palgrave who handled this project with dedication and care.

To my familymy wife, Becky, and my living children, Harrison and Eviethank you for your patience while I grumpily typed away. Harrison and Evie, thanks for letting your lives in the cafeteria provide fodder for my research. Becky, you were amazing in making the work of this book possible. I always know you love meand right back at youbut your generosity still floors me. Ill keep trying to make myself deserving of it.