What issue is raised regarding poorer children's school experience in relation to cost and bullying?

• A. Uniform costs are fully subsidized and do not affect access
• B. Equipment is inexpensive for all students
• C. Free meals entitlements are always used by students
• D. Poorer children may fear bullying due to lack of fashionable clothing or equipment; about 20% entitled to free meals do not use them

Answer: (D)

Cost, stigma, and bullying shape poorer children's school experience, especially around what they wear or own and whether they feel safe to participate. Even when schools or policies reduce direct costs, the social signal sent by lacking fashionable clothing or equipment can make children afraid of being teased or singled out. That fear can lead to disengagement or selective attendance at school activities, and it can extend to whether students who are eligible for free meals actually use them, due to concerns about stigma. This nuanced interaction between financial barriers and social dynamics is exactly what the statement captures: poorer children may fear bullying because of visible signs of poverty, and a notable portion of students entitled to free meals do not take advantage of them.

The other possibilities assume costs are entirely covered or that meals are consistently utilized, which ignores the real-world impact of stigma and peer pressure on participation and access.