A cheese sandwich is punishment?

[tink_n_pooh]

I didn't see this discussed yet so sorry if I missed it....

I heard on the news this morning that some New Mexico school district(s) are be criticized for serving cheese sandwiches to students whose parents are behind in payments for hot school lunches. This is not for students whose families qualify for free or reduced price lunches, its for the families that "should" be able to afford the lunches and haven't paid. I understand that times are rough and not everyone can afford to pay for their childrens hot lunches... okay, that is why they feed the kids regardless.

What's so bad about a cheese sandwich? When I was in school (elementary) if you forgot your lunch money or your parents didn't have any money you got a peanut butter & jelly sandwich and a thing of milk.... that wasn't such a bad deal then so what's so bad about a cheese sandwich now? I'm guessing they are serving cheese sandwiches because so many kids have peanut allergies and in light of the recent peanut butter issues.

The real issue I have is that some people are considering this punishment for the students that they are eating cheese sandwiches. I happen to like cheese sandwiches! Is it also punishment that some parents may send their kids with cheese sandwiches from home?

 

[mlynn]

My dd6 brings a cheese sandwich at least 2x's a week for lunch.

 

[luvmy3]

My ds would be in heaven if thats how he got punished
I see it this way, if you don't want your kid to have to eat cheese sandwiches, then pay your bleeping bill

 

[Charade]

No ticky? You get a cheese samich.

 

[Mom2Nick]

I don't see the big deal. In our district they let the kids "charge" for a week then you get PB&J.

Punishing them would be not giving them anything to eat at all.

 

[Christine]

I'm with you, I don't think it's punishment.

Sometimes my son forgets his lunch and the school (private) also tries to come up with some cheese and crackers, etc (they do not make lunch there so he doesn't even get a real cheese sandwich). But I remember, many years ago, his public school did the same thing.

 

[RitaE]

I saw a couple of segments about that over the weekend.

I'm not sure it is so much about the feeding of a cheese sandwich. More about the fact that the kids are being pulled out of the lunch line and given a tray of food that marks them as deadbeats. Also, one thing I saw stated that most of those families would qualify for free lunch, the parents just hadn't filled out the paperwork for whatever reason and like usual, it is the kids who get the consequences.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. The schools really have no good choice there.

 

[glitterkittyy]

I don't think the food is the issue. It just sets the kid up to be teased and ridiculed by his/her classmates. It's not the kid's fault the parent hasn't paid. I understand why the school would do it, and I understand why the kids are embarassed. There's no easy answer to this one.

 

[HelenePA]

All my kids would like this too. They make it for themself at least a few times a week.

 

[luvmy3]

I saw a couple of segments about that over the weekend.

I'm not sure it is so much about the feeding of a cheese sandwich. More about the fact that the kids are being pulled out of the lunch line and given a tray of food that marks them as deadbeats. Also, one thing I saw stated that most of those families would qualify for free lunch, the parents just hadn't filled out the paperwork for whatever reason and like usual, it is the kids who get the consequences.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. The schools really have no good choice there.

I don't think the food is the issue. It just sets the kid up to be teased and ridiculed by his/her classmates. It's not the kid's fault the parent hasn't paid. I understand why the school would do it, and I understand why the kids are embarassed. There's no easy answer to this one.

Yes, there is an easy way. These student's parents can pay their bill. If they can't afford to , then they need to pack a lunch or fill out the required paperwork to get on the free/reduced lunch program. Instead they choose to whine about it.

 

[tinkntraining]

I admit it...I'm one of those "deadbeat" moms who occassionally forget to include the monthly lunch check when the kiddos go off to school. Our school district gives one warning when funds are negative, and then it's PB&J/milk until money is received.

I think it's fair. It keeps me on my toes AND my daughters don't have to go hungry. It's only happened once, because my girls hate PB&J!

 

[glitterkittyy]

Yes, there is an easy way. These student's parents can pay their bill. If they can't afford to , then they need to pack a lunch or fill out the required paperwork to get on the free/reduced lunch program. Instead they choose to whine about it.

The parents don't qualify for free/reduced lunches. And if they don't have the money to pay for school lunches, they surely don't have the money to pack a lunch. It's way more expensive to pack than to buy at school. There are a lot of families who are struggling out there who are above poverty level. There are no breaks for them, and it's the kids who pay the price.

 

[rcraw45425]

OT but our district just implemented a prgram where you can go online and check your chillds balance and make payments via credit/debit/check cards. This is great but they are charging $1.95 (almost one day's lunch fee in MS/HS) per transaction!

 

[Disney Doll]

I saw a couple of segments about that over the weekend.

I'm not sure it is so much about the feeding of a cheese sandwich. More about the fact that the kids are being pulled out of the lunch line and given a tray of food that marks them as deadbeats. Also, one thing I saw stated that most of those families would qualify for free lunch, the parents just hadn't filled out the paperwork for whatever reason and like usual, it is the kids who get the consequences.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. The schools really have no good choice there.

This is a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario for the school.

If they don't feed the kid something, everybody's going to be screaming at them that they are letting the kid starve because the parents aredeadbeats and it's not the kid's fault that the parents are deadbeats, and on and on and on.

So, they feed the kid a relatively healthy (at least cheese has some protein and calcium) lunch, and now people are screaming because the kid is "embarrassed" because if he's eating a cheese sandwich then everyone knows his parents are deadbeats.

If I was a parent and my kid would qualify for free lunch, you can bet I'd fill out the paperwork. The fact that these "parents" haven't speaks volumes about them as parents, IMHO.

I gotta go with the school on this one...better an embarrassed kid than a hungry one.

 

[wall*e2008]

I saw it on the Today show today too. They are not going hungry and I do like cheese sandwiches. The TV said the parents made too much to get free or reduced lunches. I know when I was a kid the school got federal cheese, so that would make this a nearly free meal for the school to serve. Do they still get that cheese.

 

[KATHINOWA]

I think the reasoning is that the hot lunches cost more money, so if you're getting a "free" lunch, it's a cold lunch.

Our schools offer vouchers if you forget your lunch $. In elementary school you can use the voucher for whatever lunch you ordered. But in middle school, if you have a voucher it's only good for cold lunch.

I don't see why kids are being ridiculed for eating a cheese sandwich. I forgot my lunch $, so I'm eating a cheese sandwich.

 

[luvmy3]

The parents don't qualify for free/reduced lunches. And if they don't have the money to pay for school lunches, they surely don't have the money to pack a lunch. It's way more expensive to pack than to buy at school. There are a lot of families who are struggling out there who are above poverty level. There are no breaks for them, and it's the kids who pay the price.

Actually it is possible to send a packed lunch for less money than the school lunches. I have been doing it for years for 2 of my kids.
If they really don't qualify for that free/reduced then they need to quit their whining and be thankful that somebody else is paying for that cheese sandwich, and their kid gets to eat something.

 

[donald&daisy]

This is a damned if you do, damned if you don't scenario for the school.

If they don't feed the kid something, everybody's going to be screaming at them that they are letting the kid starve because the parents aredeadbeats and it's not the kid's fault that the parents are deadbeats, and on and on and on.

So, they feed the kid a relatively healthy (at least cheese has some protein and calcium) lunch, and now people are screaming because the kid is "embarrassed" because if he's eating a cheese sandwich then everyone knows his parents are deadbeats.

If I was a parent and my kid would qualify for free lunch, you can bet I'd fill out the paperwork. The fact that these "parents" haven't speaks volumes about them as parents, IMHO.

I gotta go with the school on this one...better an embarrassed kid than a hungry one.

ITA! Really, I think the schools are doing the best they can. At least the kids have something to eat. School budgets are already so tight...I know every year there are multiple, long threads about school supplies. Food is even more fundamental so I think the schools are doing what they can with a sticky situation. I feel for everyone involved, there are no easy answers.

 

[glitterkittyy]

Actually it is possible to send a packed lunch for less money than the school lunches. I have been doing it for years for 2 of my kids.
If they really don't qualify for that free/reduced then they need to quit their whining and be thankful that somebody else is paying for that cheese sandwich, and their kid gets to eat something.

I agree somewhat. I don't feel badly for the parents. I feel bad that their kids are put in a position to be "different". As I'm sure we all remember, it's hard to be a kid sometimes. If it were my kids, I'd be doing my best to make sure lunches were paid and/or packed each day. But I do feel bad for the kids who are made to stand out in the crowd in a bad way. That's all I'm sayin.

 

[ols386]

I don't see anything wrong with a cheese sandwich. But if the school is singling out the children who get the cheese sandwich, I don't think that is right, only because other kids may tease and ridicule them. Seems like there would be a way for the school to be discreet about it. Not sure how they would do that, but there must be some way.