I am interested in arguing the fact that school districts are not given enough money to ensure each child is successful, physically and mentally. This topic intrigues me because I feel it is the reason why students today do not persevere, are encouraged to continue schooling and go to college, and become obese. I am a stickler for education and success for all. Yes, it is up to the students to work hard and determine but their future. But I believe it is up to federal and local agencies to make sure districts get enough money for technology needed to make sure each child has the necessary resources to do well. These resources include both computerized technology and oven/steamers in the kitchen. I feel qualified to discuss and argue this subject because I have had firsthand experience as a student. I have felt the consequences of the entire district not being supplied enough money to ensure each child has individual success. In regards to the food situation, I have witnessed childhood obesity in the district too. Students at school tend not to eat all day long, only consuming fatty foods until they go home to eat a meal. This decreases their metabolism and makes them gain weight if they do not engage in physical activity to help them burn it off, aiding in childhood and teenage obesity. 

In Katherine E. Baird's "Federal Direct Expenditures and School Funding Disparities" article, she argues that schools do not receive enough money to make sure each child is successful. She supports her claim by saying there are disparities within the state, between the state, and overall that effect student perseverance. Baird values the education of every student. She wants everyone to have equal opportunity to do good work and further their education. The only problem is the government does not allot enough money to distribute to each school. Baird could partially be biased because she works in a school system. At the same time, she does know the ins and outs of the money distribution, so she is one of the most credible sources to discuss this subject.

"Sources of Funding for Schools" by Penny L. Howell and Barbara B. Miller discuss different ways money is given to schools from and by different sources. They state that local, state, and federal resources contribute to the money given to schools for enrichment. Due to a school's surroundings, property taxes play a huge role in how much a school is provided to obtain extra resources. Because this article is objective in its discussion of sources used to fund schools, it is unbiased. The only possible interest Howell and Miller could be interested in is how to equally distribute money, from all the resources and organizations involved, to each school. They are interested in equal distribution so every child has a chance to do well and gain the courage to move on to a higher education. Both Howell and Miller work for a nonprofit organization called EdSource, making them credible sources. 

Chang, Carithers, Leeke, and Chin talk about the impact of school funding disparities on childhood obesity in the "Geographic Disparity In Funding For School Nutrition Environment: Evidence From Mississippi Schools." From the data researchers collected, they found that a little over half of the 811 schools observed had enough money to buy oven/steamers for healthier meals, schools in low-income areas typically did not have enough money to purchase the oven/steamer, and schools with a low population were disadvantaged as well when it came to receiving money. The researchers of the study were concerned with decreasing childhood obesity by making them eat healthy meals, not fried foods. Because these schools are located in Mississippi, we are unsure how the results correlate to the rest of the country. But in regards to Mississippi schools, change has to be made in order to effectively change the increasing rate of childhood obesity. 

This research question is controversial. People may argue that the federal government needs to ensure each school is compensated for equally so every child has an equal opportunity for success. They can also say that it is not up to the federal government. The community is responsible for giving students money and the encouragement to work hard, do well, and continue their education. From examining the different sources and seeing how they all agree that schools are taking a serious decline in money, I can maybe focus my research project more on the source of and impact of school funding disparities. This question still may be a little too broad. So maybe I could focus my issue more on how the money decline in schools affect childhood obesity and ways that can prevent this from continuing. 

