No lunch $$, no lunch, school kids told

[Hum]

Sorry, kid. No money, no lunch.

Students at an Attleboro, Massachusetts, middle school went hungry this week, if they had a negative balance on their pre-paid lunch cards.

Five cents of debt was enough for cafeteria employees at the Coehlo Middle School to instruct kids at least one day this week to dump out the food they would have normally eaten, CNN affiliate WJAR in Rhode Island reported.

About 25 children left the lunchroom with empty stomachs, said Whitson's Culinary Group in a statement. The company runs the school's cafeteria.

Parents were appalled. So was the principal. So was Whitson's.

"I told them this is bullying; that's neglect, child abuse," said parent Jo-An Blanchard.

Principal Andrew Boles apologized and blamed the culinary company. "My expectation is that every child, every adult, every parent, every student, every teacher is respected in this building, and that didn't happen yesterday because of Whitson's," he told WJAR.

Whitson's apologized in a statement and said it was not company policy to deny meals to children. It added that the school district had no official policy on what to do in such situations.

"Employees had taken it upon themselves to institute this change; it was not condoned or approved," said Whitson spokeswoman Holly Von Seggern. "We had absolutely no idea."

Workers in the school's cafeteria work on a contract basis, Boles said. He thinks the decision came from Whitson's.

Whitson's supplies 80 schools in New England with lunch meals, Von Seggern said. CNN could find no previous reports on similar incidents involving the company.

Kids with a negative balance usually receive "a cheese sandwich, a fruit and vegetable, and milk." Then the company contacts the parents about payment.

source

[techbeck]

Not cool. 5 cents is not worth denying a kid food. People need to be reprimanded for this.

[ShareShiz]

Pff Most of the time at middle school I never even had a lunch. Was never able to get up on time to make one, and never had money to pay for one at school.

[Astra.Xtreme]

I would understand turning kids away that constantly try to score a free lunch, but this should have been handled much better.

[_neutrino Veteran]

how do you have a negative balance on a prepaid card?

[Azies]

These guys probably either let it slip, or didn't realize they were in the red on these accounts, regardless, you can't deny a child access to food, they need to eat something, and they should've prepared an alternative meal for the children, rather than being a dick and denying them food. If this happened to my kid, I'd first, make sure that my accounts are paid up, and secondly, hire a good laywer and sue the **** out of Whitson's, then file a complaint against the appropriate school district's board of education.

[jwjw1]

who's responible for the pre-paid lunch card..........oh! the parents :rolleyes: While I agree the workers could have handled it better...the parents also need to be brought to the attention of insuring the meal cards are proper because it seems some cards already had a 'negative' balance.

[RottGutt]

They missed a meal? Oh, go cry in a corner. The parents need to take care of their responsibilities in making sure their kids needs are taken care of. I'm broke, but I think I'll go to McDonald's today. I'll pitch a fit and sue them if they don't feed me for free. /s

[MDboyz]

Well maybe this whole thing can be prevented if their parents are more responsible. Don't pass those responsibilities on someone else.

[rr_dRock]

So... if you don't pay for the food, you should be allowed to eat it anyway? That makes a ton of sense....

[majortom1981]

You guys do realize for a lot of kids school lunch might be the only meal they get all day?

[rr_dRock]

You guys do realize for a lot of kids school lunch might be the only meal they get all day?

That's fine. Maybe their parents shouldn't have had children then?

If you can't afford them, don't have them then expect someone else to pay for them...

[majortom1981]

That's fine. Maybe their parents shouldn't have had children then?

If you can't afford them, don't have them then expect someone else to pay for them...

You do know their taxes are paying for the school right? They are paying for the meals through their taxes.

If we go by your reasoning people shouldn't be alive if they cant pay for their health coverage. I find your line of reasoning funny considering you live in Canada.

[rr_dRock]

You do know their taxes are paying for the school right? They are paying for the meals through their taxes.

Then why do they have prepaid lunch cards? Why doesn't the school pay? Because that's not funded by taxes! OH MY GOD REVOLUTIONARY!

So Canadians automatically have the social system pay for everything and want it that way? No. I'm fully supportive for two tier health care. Screw the poor, it's not my fault they made bad decisions.

[majortom1981]

Then why do they have prepaid lunch cards? Why doesn't the school pay? Because that's not funded by taxes! OH MY GOD REVOLUTIONARY!

Arent you being a hypocrite? Isn't your healthcare being paid by other people?

Also the school receives FEDERAL FUNDS to make sure kids do not go hungry. That means taxes are going to pay for the food.

[Original Poster]

GOOD....have money or starve... thats how this world works ... dont like it hunt or steal your food...stop hoping for charity

[majortom1981]

"Federal subsidies also require that schools at least feed students a grilled cheese sandwich if they aren't on free or reduced lunches but still cannot pay. This option was seen as controversial when introduced back in 2011."

http://www.turnto10.com/story/21866863/students-say-they-were-told-if-you-cant-pay-you-cant-eat

[rr_dRock]

Arent you being a hypocrite? Isn't your healthcare being paid by other people?

Again, because it happens, doesn't mean I support it. I'll reiterate since you can't read.

Screw the poor. They can die if they can't afford healthcare.

Screw the kids. They can go hungry if their parents are too stupid to put money on their lunch card.

As for the federal funds, if they are MANDATED to give them a sandwich, then give them a sandwich. But they should get rid of that, as it breeds dependance on the system and teaches kids they can have what they want for free.

[techbeck]

So... if you don't pay for the food, you should be allowed to eat it anyway? That makes a ton of sense....

Over 5 cents? That makes less sense.

There should of been a warning/notification given to parents letting them know they were behind and given them a chance to pay up. There were several times in school I didnt have my lunch card with me and they let me eat but gave me a note to take home to my parents letting them know.

[majortom1981]

Again, because it happens, doesn't mean I support it. I'll reiterate since you can't read.

Screw the poor. They can die if they can't afford healthcare.

Screw the kids. They can go hungry if their parents are too stupid to put money on their lunch card.

CAN YOU READ? the school gets federal funds. those funds are specifically for feeding kids who cannot afford it. Those funds the government gets from taxes. those taxes are collected from the poor students parents pay checks. This is stated right in the article link. The students were denied something they were supposed to get BY LAW.

[rr_dRock]

Over 5 cents? That makes less sense.

Can anyone confirm that is AFTER the purchase they were five cents under? If that holds true, then the penny pinching mindless numbskull at the counter should just give them the damn food. If it was BEFORE the purchase, the kids can go hungry then.

This social service bull that's feeding (no pun intended) dependance on the system needs to stop.

[MDboyz]

For those that think this is wrong. Please contact the school and tell them to feed those kids, and you will take care the bill.

It's so easy when it is not your money. 5 cents isn't much, but it will add up.

[majortom1981]

For those that think this is wrong, please contact the school and tell them to feed those kids, and you will take care the bill.

It's so easy when it is not your money. 5 cents isn't much, but it will add up.

The school gets funds from the government specifically for feeding those kids that do not pay. read the darn article.

[techbeck]

Can anyone confirm that is AFTER the purchase they were five cents under? If that holds true, then the penny pinching mindless numbskull at the counter should just give them the damn food. If it was BEFORE the purchase, the kids can go hungry then

I dont think it matters if it was before or after. They would be short 5 cents regardless.

[rr_dRock]

CAN YOU READ? the school gets federal funds. those funds are specifically for feeding kids who cannot afford it. Those funds the government gets from taxes. those taxes are collected from the poor students parents pay checks. This is stated right in the article link. The students were denied something they were supposed to get BY LAW.

I was refering to your inability to process my comment, not the article. But buck up, I'm sure those chapter books will help your comprehension.

The LAW should be abolished. That said, yes. I agree they should abide by the law, as if they don't you can't tell what other laws they are breaking (food prep, sanitation, etc)