First lady bemoans opposition to her school lunch program

WASHINGTON—First lady Michelle Obama on Tuesday chided congressional Republicans for attempting to roll back her school lunch standards, calling the effort “unacceptable” and accusing lawmakers of playing politics with the health of young students.

The unusual step by Mrs. Obama, who largely has avoided political scuffles during her husband’s time in office, underscores the growing unrest around the initiative and a real chance that the standards, at least in their current form, may not survive much longer.

The first lady now is going toe-to-toe with lawmakers in the House and Senate, where proposals to alter the lunch guidelines are gaining traction as students flee the program in droves.