When Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday, she began her remarks with a brief introduction.

“I’m Betsy DeVos. You may have heard some of the ‘wonderful’ things the mainstream media has called me lately,” she said. “I, however, pride myself on being called a mother, a grandmother, a life partner, and perhaps the first person to tell Bernie Sanders to his face that there’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

While DeVos’ “free lunch” statement was a joke meant to make her right-wing audience chuckle and to highlight the price tag on government programs, her choice of words was very troubling to many parents, educators and child welfare advocates.

Because the fact of the matter is, for millions of children in the United States ― all of whom she’s pledged to serve as education secretary ― there is such a thing as a free lunch. And the important role it plays in their education and well-being is no laughing matter.

Christian Science Monitor via Getty Images In 2012, more than 31 million children received meals through the National School Lunch program.

In 1946, President Truman signed the National School Lunch Act, which established the National School Lunch Program. The meal program provides free and reduced-price lunches to children from low-income backgrounds. In 2012, more than 31 million children received meals through the program on a daily basis.

For many of these children, that free lunch at school is the only meal they will eat that day. According to the nonprofit No Kid Hungry, about 13 million kids in the U.S. struggle with hunger. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that the amount of public school students living in poverty rose from 17 percent to 22 percent between 2000 and 2013.

Knowing the importance of free lunch programs, many Twitter users criticized DeVos’ choice of phrase as “ignorant” and chastised her for using a reality faced by so many children in poverty as a punchline for a joke.

For those of us who were in great need of the free lunch program when we were in #school, @BetsyDeVos's stmt is offensive & ignorant. https://t.co/cYD4VuKb1R — Christa Avampato (@christanyc) February 23, 2017

Literally, millions of public school children in poverty get free lunch at school because otherwise they won't eat. https://t.co/nKOQxotab9 — Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) February 23, 2017

@NBCNews it's free to the children who need to eat, and that is the important part. — Carol Pumpian (@capumpian) February 23, 2017

As a child who received free/reduced lunch, that's not something to joke about. Just disgraceful @BetsyDeVos https://t.co/ZV47nYyeF4 — Shaheen Pasha (@profpasha) February 24, 2017

.@BetsyDeVos You think it's funny to joke about taking away a poor child's lunch? A child who couldn't otherwise afford to eat? Really? https://t.co/xAbWelM6wC — PebblesSaysResist (@MadisonJourdan) February 24, 2017

Many pointed to DeVos’ affluent background as a billionaire heiress from one of Michigan’s most powerful families.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch," says Betsy DeVos after inheriting billions of dollars for doing nothing but being born — melissa childs ♡ (@mellierenee) February 23, 2017

@BetsyDeVos Safe to say that you've had a free lunch your entire life, right? Have you ever lived paycheck to paycheck? #cpac17 — rob getzschman (@getzsch) February 24, 2017

There actually is such a thing. The federal government provides it for kids who grow up with way less money than Betsy DeVos. https://t.co/0ILdLLIV8J — Michael Grunwald (@MikeGrunwald) February 23, 2017

Your whole wealthy life has been a free lunch and your family bought you this position. @BetsyDeVos #TheResistance 🇺🇸 https://t.co/k7NwNKOdd5 — BeSeriousUSA (@BeSeriousUSA) February 23, 2017

Some have defended the education secretary’s comment by suggesting she was not literally talking about free lunch programs, but rather using the old adage to speak more broadly about government spending and role of taxpayer dollars.

However, legislative efforts over the past year show that lunch programs may end up on the chopping block. In April, the House of Representatives introduced a bill that would scale back the number of free meals offered at schools in the U.S.

In light of DeVos’ remarks, educators, parents and former students are speaking out in defense of the National School Lunch Program and stressing the adverse effects of having hungry children in classrooms.

Writer Charles Clymer pushed back by launching a Twitter campaign with the hashtag #FeedTheKids.

Start a hashtag? Let @BetsyDeVos know hungry children staying hungry doesn't solve anything. Share your story re: free lunches#FeedTheKids — Charles Clymer (@cmclymer) February 23, 2017

When I ate lunch with my granddaughter, the only kids who finished lunch were the kids getting free lunches. Think about that. #feedthekids — tags7453 (@tags7453) February 23, 2017

Any teacher can tell you well fed students make for a healthy learning environment. @BetsyDeVosED is in for a rude awakening. #feedthekids — Hussein Beydoun (@MrBeydoun) February 23, 2017

@cmclymer @BetsyDeVos My son's best friend sometimes gets one meal a day, and it's the school's free lunch. Kids need to eat. #feedthekids — TammyJean (@mtqueenbee) February 23, 2017

@cmclymer @BetsyDeVos Free lunch was served in summer in my district. Kids walked MILES for it - no busing. THE NEED IS THERE. #FeedTheKids — 💁🏾💁🏿💁🏽💁🏻 (@NovelNatural) February 23, 2017

#feedthekids Take a look at this map before you spout off about school lunches. All kids deserve food. Quit villainizing 'inner city' & look pic.twitter.com/MnVxTlizEx — Sartorial Squirrel (@sartorialskwirl) February 23, 2017

@cmclymer @BetsyDeVos Because I was blessed to NOT be a recipient of free lunches makes me all the more passionate to #feedthechildren — Bridget F (@bridgetf_) February 23, 2017

Kids can't be expected to concentrate with empty stomachs. They shouldn't be punished for their parents' circumstances. #FeedTheKids — Erica Peck (@shy_dogs) February 23, 2017

It's almost like the $20 billion for an ineffective wall that no one wants could be used to #feedthekids. But what do I know. — kris (@notarealchris) February 23, 2017

Held practice on snow days so I could bring kids a meal b/c I knew that if they didn't eat @ school they wouldn't. #feedthekids @BetsyDeVos — OhioUBobcats (@OhioUBobcats) February 23, 2017

#feedthekids Working in the school system I have seen kids who come to school hungry and probably would not eat lunch if not for free lunch. — It's All Good (@sharpetax) February 23, 2017

@BetsyDeVos You've got a lot of nerve saying anything about "Free Lunches." You were born rich, the ultimate free lunch. #FeedtheKids — Dennis (@den_down_unda) February 23, 2017

.@cmclymer @BetsyDeVos Schools aren't replacements for parents but they can help struggling parents and struggling kids. #FeedTheKids — Sean (@TheFailureStand) February 23, 2017

Many have also pointed to her past comments that suggest she wants to use the U.S. education system to advance a Christian agenda and build “God’s kingdom.”