After returning from a well heeled conference at a well heeled university attended by mostly well heeled professors I returned home refreshed, without a care in the world but the knowledge that I had spent $70 in restaurants that I do not have room for in my budget this month or next, and that this is a serious problem if I am not to amass debt.
When I came in to work the next morning my student aide looked tired. He said he had been up late studying. After a couple of hours he was reeling a little and I got worried. “Are you feeling all right?” He was very embarrassed to admit that he was hungry, not having had money to eat since Friday night. We went to lunch. He improved.
Many years ago I had a job grading the English examination for prospective secondary school teachers in the state of São Paulo. One of the questions was intended to address teaching methodology: “In your view, what one innovation would best enhance English instruction in Brazilian schools?”
The best answer I ever read to this was, “The best way to enhance English instruction, as with all instruction in Brazilian schools is to improve students’ capacity for concentration. This can easily be accomplished by reducing their hunger pangs. That, in turn, can easily be accomplished by providing food.”
The first time I went to New Orleans was for an academic conference long before I actually considered coming to live here. I saw a local professor, who years later reappeared as one of my colleagues here, explaining to her cohort: “You must understand that being here is much more like being in Central America than like being in the United States. I do not live as you do, and if you come here, you will not live as you do now.”
Monday, as we know, I bought food for a literally starving student and it was far from the first time. Perhaps the best way to enhance Portuguese instruction at Louisiana universities would be to provide food.
Axé.
Note: this post was written before Professor Zero was taken into custody. Signed: THE DIRECTOR.
coldhearted scientist وداد 
A difficult situation.
I had an experience once (while blisterpacking playing cards) where I brought 2 dozen cupcakes to the breakroom on my birthday and one woman ate nine of them in about twenty minutes. Just kept stuffing them in and saying “I can’t help myself.” Someone else on our shift told me she thought the woman was starving since we were only paid every two weeks and she had to pay her rent on the first of the month.
Yes – I think this goes on a lot. Also, some of my students over-economize on food when they do not even have to. I think they have it as a habit from their parents and/or from times in their lives when they really did have to. Which only proves how widespread food insecurity really is.
Wow I had no idea it was like that in New Orleans.
Have you been back since?
PS: Great read BTW!
Javier – I can´t tell whether you´re advertising – your URL was to an L.A. based home demolition firm´s N.O. website, so I deleted it and let your comment through. Back since when … I don´t understand the question, I live in Louisiana. Poverty in the U.S., many people refuse to believe there is any. I´ve had a couple of arguments about this recently in Peru, where I am this summer. –Z