Unpaid lunch bill = No school events for you!

[Anonymous 1]

I just read a news article about a school district whose unpaid lunch bill debt has gotten so out of control that they are considering instituting a new policy.

NOTE: The policy would not apply to students on the FREE LUNCH PROGRAM. It would only apply to students who have not demonstrated a financial need.

The policy being considered would state: Students with an outstanding lunch debt will be forbidden to attend class trips, school dances, school events, or other extra curricular activities.

What are your thoughts about this?

[LiveWhatULove]

I think it is mean.

I suppose it might be reasonable for high school kids, running up crazy tabs on extravagant take out or something, but some poor elementary kid, missing a field trip, come on! That’s awful.

[Sassy762]

If thats the only way the school can get the parents to pay the outstanding debt then so be it.



quote="Anonymous 1" post_id=609465 time=1573873029]
I just read a news article about a school district whose unpaid lunch bill debt has gotten so out of control that they are considering instituting a new policy.

NOTE: The policy would not apply to students on the FREE LUNCH PROGRAM. It would only apply to students who have not demonstrated a financial need.

The policy being considered would state: Students with an outstanding lunch debt will be forbidden to attend class trips, school dances, school events, or other extra curricular activities.

What are your thoughts about this?
[/quote]

[Olioxenfree]

I am not in favor of kids going hungry, but I also understand the school's point of view. They have free lunch programs for those who need it. If they have no consequences to not paying for your child's lunch, people will take advantage of it when they can pay for it. Schools do not have the budgets to just give away lunches.
If I sent my child down the street to the sub shop and they ordered food and said "oh, I don't have my money, but I'm hungry", would you expect the shop to just give my child the food every day? While I wish all kids could participate in everything they want, that just isn't how things are, so if a parent can pay for field trips, dances, events, etc., they can feed their child. I have friends who work in school cafeterias and 90% of the time it isn't the kids who can't afford it, it's the kids who consistently forget to tell their parents they need more money or the parents forget to send money.

[Anonymous 2]

School lunch should be provided to students without a hassle.

[Anonymous 3]

It’s extreme, but it’s also mom and dad’s fault. PAY YOUR CHILD’s LUNCH ACCOUNT!! Be a responsible parent FFS. Or, pack your kid a lunch.

[Anonymous 4]

I think it’s wrong they are singling out the kids who aren’t already getting stuff for free. I agree the bill needs paid though.

[Anonymous 1]

I think a couple years ago, there was a new law enacted which said that schools could not deny a kid lunch (regardless of their ability to pay or them having an outstanding balance). Since that law was enacted, the district claims that the amount of lunch debt has gotten completely out of hand.

While I think it would be terrible for a kid to not be able to attend a field trip, I also think that schools shouldn't have to be stuck with the bills of parents.

I think it is mean.

I suppose it might be reasonable for high school kids, running up crazy tabs on extravagant take out or something, but some poor elementary kid, missing a field trip, come on! That’s awful.

[Anonymous 1]

I happen to agree with you. But I wonder if the policy will cause parents to pay up.

If thats the only way the school can get the parents to pay the outstanding debt then so be it.



quote="Anonymous 1" post_id=609465 time=1573873029]
I just read a news article about a school district whose unpaid lunch bill debt has gotten so out of control that they are considering instituting a new policy.

NOTE: The policy would not apply to students on the FREE LUNCH PROGRAM. It would only apply to students who have not demonstrated a financial need.

The policy being considered would state: Students with an outstanding lunch debt will be forbidden to attend class trips, school dances, school events, or other extra curricular activities.

What are your thoughts about this?

[/quote]

[Anonymous 1]

This is the problem that this district is having. The kids who have outstanding debts do not come from poor families. And what I don't understand is...Don't most schools offer an online payment system to the parents? With ours, we could set up a "low balance" reminder, etc., If such a system is available (and I think it is in most school districts), there's really no excuse for a parent not knowing that they owe or that their kid's credit is running low.

I am not in favor of kids going hungry, but I also understand the school's point of view. They have free lunch programs for those who need it. If they have no consequences to not paying for your child's lunch, people will take advantage of it when they can pay for it. Schools do not have the budgets to just give away lunches.
If I sent my child down the street to the sub shop and they ordered food and said "oh, I don't have my money, but I'm hungry", would you expect the shop to just give my child the food every day? While I wish all kids could participate in everything they want, that just isn't how things are, so if a parent can pay for field trips, dances, events, etc., they can feed their child. I have friends who work in school cafeterias and 90% of the time it isn't the kids who can't afford it, it's the kids who consistently forget to tell their parents they need more money or the parents forget to send money.