According to Maslov's hierarchy of needs, humankind can not reach the higher mental stages of human growth until the basic human needs are met. Our children will not learn in school if their basic needs are not being met. In many parts of Indian Country, where we have a multitude of homes without running water or indoor plumbing, our schools should provide daily showers for students who bring their own soap and towels from home. In most rural schools in Gallup-McKinley County, New Mexico, this has been a positive and long time practice. This needs to done everywhere students have the need. Children should not be treated differently because of their inability to stay clean. Clean and decent clothing are important in treating all children equally. Our gyms usually have washers and dryers for sports team uniforms. These machines need to be utilized as needed for those students who cannot get their clothes clean. It is important that children come to school with clean clothes and clean themselves. All children deserve to be treated fairly and it is the schools’ responsibility to make sure that this happens. Our schools need to gather decent clothing and jackets so that all children are in clothes that are minimally comparable to all other children. Our children need shoes and boots that will keep their feet warm and dry.Many of our children cannot afford decent haircuts. Schools can work out discount deals with local barbers who can cut the students hair for a low price. The sense of pride and dignity that students get when they are clean, with clean clothes, and decent haircuts more than make up for any minor costs involved. The key issue always is treating students fairly. All school teachers know that students are not often treated fairly because of these issues.Some of our children come to school hungry, particularly towards the end of the month when the food and the money run out.. Our students need to eat breakfast and lunch at school. They need to eat hearty portions. The size of the federal food service portions served at schools has remained the same over many years. The size of our children has gotten bigger and bigger, yet we feed them portion sizes that were designed for smaller children. Our children should receive enough to eat at breakfast to keep them energetic and alert throughout the morning. If it is necessary to provide a midmorning snack to do this, then schools need to do it. Our children should receive enough food at lunch to assure that they are energetic and alert throughout the afternoon. If it is necessary to provide a midafternoon snack to assure this alertness, then schools need to provide it. Each classroom can have a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread to meet students hunger needs throughout the day. If we don't do this, students cannot and will not learn. Anyone who has ever been hungry understands the importance of food and nutrition to students.Food is not the only issue. The type of food served is also important. Heavy foods that put students and staff to sleep should never ever be served in our schools. Our children need lean meats, low fat foods, and plenty of grains and vegetables. Our children need a hearty wakeup breakfast and a nutritious lunch with all of the daily requirements being met. Food and good nutrition must be present if students are to learn.Finally, the schools need to restore dignity to their students. Many schools have removed the doors to toilet stalls in the schools. They say they are doing it to prevent vandalism or to assure that students are not doing drugs or other activities in the stalls. What they are doing is stripping our children of their human dignity and creating a nation of young people who go through the school day in terrible states of constipation. Schools need to preserve the dignity of their students and to treat their students with respect. It would be unthinkable to remove the doors from the faculty toilet stalls. It is equally unthinkable to remove the doors from students. A constipated student is not mentally alert.