How does your school handle the lunch policy?

[Planogirl]

I'm sure that everyone here has forgotten things a time or two. A kid forgetting a lunch shouldn't be a punishable offense and not getting to eat is a form of punishment IMO or at least it is for my always starving teen! If I forget my lunch I can take money out of my account and buy something but kids at school can't. For that reason I don't see why the schools can't just send a bill.

 

[LuvOrlando]

duplicate

 

[LuvOrlando]

I know all about the programs you mention. Not all kids quality for a subsidized program. These kids should also be fed. In my opinion a child shouldn't be punished because his/her parents are an irresponsible mess. This is an opinion.

 

[MushyMushy]

But he wasn't sleazy at all?

I think we are being too sympathetic to the plight of this high schooler. It hasn't been established that he was a poor starving Title I child.

But it puts a great spin on the story.

If he was a starving Title I child, he would have gotten the lunch for free.

I guess that's where I have a problem. Maybe I'm getting a bit less liberal in my old age, but I hate the fact that people with NO money get things handed to them, but people who make just above the poverty guidelines have to constantly scrimp and scrabble for every little thing.

I do not think they should be allowed to charge their accounts. After working in several school cafeterias this is just not possible financially.

Now in TX they would provide a cheese sandwich and a milk for kids with no money.

This applies to MS/HS.....

If they came up and would get food knowing they did not have money (repeat offenders) they would get a talk from the principal.

Sometimes the cashiers would flip them money out of their own pocket and the kids would pay them back.

Also the same kids who "didn't have money for lunch" would buy junk food with cash. They would send a friend up to get it for them. They know they "owe" and don't want to pay up.

It is not as cut and dried as you think, the kids in MS/HS can be sneaky as well. You are forgetting that sometimes parents give the kids cash and the kids take it.

Oh no, I'm not forgetting that. I was one of those kids. My dad would give me $1.50 for lunch every day and it would go straight in my pocket.

I usually get around that by giving my kids a check, but many times I will give my DD cash because she's not quite as sneaky as her brother was.

I'm curious what online thing some of you parents use. After a lot of complaints, our school started using mylunchmoney.com for the accounts. I'm not completely thrilled with it because it takes 24 (and sometimes more) hours for the funds to hit the account and it costs $1.95 each time you fund the account. That's more than a lunch costs!

Also, believe it or not, where I live not everybody has a computer or internet, especially the ones who live in the boonies.

And I know I'm starting to ramble, but one of the problems I had at the middle school was that the cashiers would be in such a big hurry to get the kids through the line, they wouldn't tell them how much was in their accounts! There's no excuse whatsoever for that because the kid will type their number into a pin pad, and the name and total will pop up on the cash register. How hard is it to say to a kid whose account is getting low, "You only have $1 left in your account, you need to bring money"? That's just at the middle school, though. The cashiers at the elementary and high schools will tell the kids.

 

[golfgal]

I'm sure that everyone here has forgotten things a time or two. A kid forgetting a lunch shouldn't be a punishable offense and not getting to eat is a form of punishment IMO or at least it is for my always starving teen! If I forget my lunch I can take money out of my account and buy something but kids at school can't. For that reason I don't see why the schools can't just send a bill.

Sure, everyone forgets but this kid was $7 in the hole, here that would be 3 days of lunches. It is also about being responsible. DS15 didn't get lunch yesterday because he forgot to tell me he was out of lunch money. They are in high school, they don't send "notices", they expect the kids to let parents know. He remembered to ask today though.

I know all about the programs you mention. Not all kids quality for a subsidized program. These kids should also be fed.

The kids ARE fed if they pay for it. If the family can't afford it and they don't qualify, they can bring in a bag lunch. Again, it is about being responsible. If you have a young elementary aged kid that isn't responsible enough to remember to tell you about low lunch balances and the school doesn't send a notice, then the parents need to remember to check on occasion.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Nothing is stopping them from getting fed except for their forgetfulness.

I don't feel the schools should be in the business of debt collections, myself.

They've got better things to do than track down irresponsible kids/parents and collect money owed to them.

 

[LuvOrlando]

The kids ARE fed if they pay for it. If the family can't afford it and they don't qualify, they can bring in a bag lunch. Again, it is about being responsible. If you have a young elementary aged kid that isn't responsible enough to remember to tell you about low lunch balances and the school doesn't send a notice, then the parents need to remember to check on occasion.

I just don't agree with you. Maybe your family was responsible, but mine was not. I don't like the idea that little kids who aren't old enough to get their own jobs should be made to fend for themselves when there is so much waste all around them. The school system is supposed to be about them & for them, not the professionals it employs but you wouldn't think it to look at the news. Somewhere along the line this little truth has been forgotten. Not for me though, but I have no need to change other people's minds and nothing is going to change mine. I'm good with agreeing to disagree, the world would be such a bore if we were all the same.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

If he was a starving Title I child, he would have gotten the lunch for free.

I guess that's where I have a problem. Maybe I'm getting a bit less liberal in my old age, but I hate the fact that people with NO money get things handed to them, but people who make just above the poverty guidelines have to constantly scrimp and scrabble for every little thing.

But a Title I child woudl have had appropriate paperwork on file, right?

Nowhere is it mentioned that this student was even borderline for being improverished and having to scrimp and scrabble for every little thing as you put it.

We're misplacing sympathy onto this student. If his family had financial issues--that would be important to know. That would have been important for the school to know.

As it stands, that is no different than showing up at McD's without money and then expecting them to take pity on the fact that you just "forgot".

We really overuse the word "starving" in this society. Noone is entitled to abuse the system. And hiding behind those sympathy words doesn't make them any more entitled.

 

[jrmasm]

If my daughter (14) forgets to tell me that she needs money, she goes without or borrows from a friend's account. Her school does not advance money at the h.s. or m.s. level. I am not sure about elem.

The thought never occured to me that her lunch is anyone's responsibility but her own.

 

[MushyMushy]

But a Title I child woudl have had appropriate paperwork on file, right?

Nowhere is it mentioned that this student was even borderline for being improverished and having to scrimp and scrabble for every little thing as you put it.

We're misplacing sympathy onto this student. If his family had financial issues--that would be important to know. That would have been important for the school to know.

As it stands, that is no different than showing up at McD's without money and then expecting them to take pity on the fact that you just "forgot".

We really overuse the word "starving" in this society. Noone is entitled to abuse the system. And hiding behind those sympathy words doesn't make them any more entitled.

I'm not really talking about this kid, I'm more generalizing now based on what my friends have told me about their students. I don't know the particulars in this case and the one teacher I was talking to about it didn't know who he was. But there ARE students whose parents are just irresponsible idiots, who blow their money and don't have enough for their kids' lunches. Sorry, but I don't want to see those kids go without lunch. It's not their fault their parents are morons.

But, in his case, should he have grabbed the lunch and walked away with it after it was taken from him? NO, and his punishment was fair enough. But I think it was every bit as wrong and completely provoked by the cashier who wanted to throw his food away. (I know these cashiers, have been through their lines and see how they are with the kids)

 

[mickeylove2]

I'm sure that everyone here has forgotten things a time or two. A kid forgetting a lunch shouldn't be a punishable offense and not getting to eat is a form of punishment IMO or at least it is for my always starving teen! If I forget my lunch I can take money out of my account and buy something but kids at school can't. For that reason I don't see why the schools can't just send a bill.

Yes, but this particular kid "forgot" more than 3 times it seems...he was $7 in the negative, so they have let him charge when he "forgot" before! He is old enough to go home the 1st time and say hey mom I need some lunch money for the week. He obviously didn't do that and just kept getting a free meal. Apparently the school cafeteria worker decided that enough was enough.

Also, he didn't get suspended for taking the lunch, he got suspended for insubordination, when he was told to hand over the lunch, he refused. If he is playing with a ball and is told to hand it over and refuses, he will get in trouble then too. I'm sure if he was respectful about the whole thing, the prinicipal may have said you know what let him charge it this last time and then he could have had a talk with him.

How frustrating to be a school administrator and have you authority questioned and then be refused an order by a 15 year old! Then to top it off you have mommy running to the media about how horrible this guy is for being mean to her little snowflake!!! Get real!

As my DD would say, just build a bridge and get over it! lol

 

[MushyMushy]

What did some of you think about the fact that the school board member's son owed money on his account, but the dad didn't know about it until this all came out?

I happen to like this particular school board member and his family, but that's just WRONG. The kid has the right last name and he gets a pass?

 

[DizBelle]

I just don't agree with you. Maybe your family was responsible, but mine was not. I don't like the idea that little kids who aren't old enough to get their own jobs should be made to fend for themselves when there is so much waste all around them. The school system is supposed to be about them & for them, not the professionals it employs but you wouldn't think it to look at the news. Somewhere along the line this little truth has been forgotten. Not for me though, but I have no need to change other people's minds and nothing is going to change mine. I'm good with agreeing to disagree, the world would be such a bore if we were all the same.

The school system and the tax payers were not in the bedroom when he decision was made to conceive any children. They were also not in labor an delivery when they came into the world. Why are the school system and taxpayers being burdened with raising children for which they had no decision in making?

If people are not going to raise their children and be responsible for them, why are they choosing to have them?

 

[happygirl]

The school system and the tax payers were not in the bedroom when he decision was made to conceive any children. They were also not in labor an delivery when they came into the world. Why are the school system and taxpayers being burdened with raising children for which they had no decision in making?

If people are not going to raise their children and be responsible for them, why are they choosing to have them?

Wow, I hope you never fall on hard times.

 

[Ephany]

The system here doesn't have a way to check your balance online and I really miss that. Her old school did and it company only charged you if you added funds via Paypal, not if you sent in cash or a check directly to the school. DD rarely buys her lunch, so I'll send in $ every couple of months and try to keep a running total of how much she has left. I messed up once and she was 35 cents short, they let her get lunch and I got a slip of paper sent home. I'm not sure what happens if it's a ongoing thing, but she's never mentioned someone in her class not having a lunch at all. When's she's older, she'll certainly be responsible for knowing her own balance and giving me a heads up if she's running low.

 

[HelenePA]

I agree with this. I have no sympathy. Parents need to pay closer attention to these things. The kid also is responsible. If his parents are not responsible enough to pay the money, then he could take care of himself by bringing food from home and sticking it in his locker for emergencies so he won't have to worry about being hungry. This looks like a case of bucking the system to get a reaction.

Okay my kids are almost ALWAYS in the negative.. why? well first of all because they carry their lunch almost everyday. There are days while in school they decide they want to eat what the school is having. I do not know they are eating until I get a bill sent home. We can not check their accounts online. If I put 15$ in there and they aren't telling me they are eating in school how the heck am I supposed to know they need more money?!? It annoys the crap out of me! But what can I do? I pay once I find out they need more. We pay 1.50 for full price lunches. I think reduced are .60$ I'm not sure we dont qualify for it.

 

[Mellie2162]

Our schools will give the kid the lunch and tell them to please bring a check tomorrow. I usually send a check in with them to put on their account. When it gets low the lunch lady will tell them its low, but if I forget to send money in she gives them the lunch and reminds them to bring a check in. We can check the account online and I usually stay on top of it.

About the kid who got his lunch thrown away in front of him...well IMO it was sleazy to do that, whether that kid was poor or just a brat he was a hungry kid and that was a waste of food. No excuse for it. Sorry.

 

[DizBelle]

Wow, I hope you never fall on hard times.

Those who temporarily fall on hard times should absolutely get help. I don't have a problem helping those that are truly in need. I'm talking about those that seem to permanently be in a situation of "hard times". Those that refuse to do anything to help themselves get far less sympathy from me.

 

[jen0610]

I know in both the middle and grade schools here, the will only let the kids charge one lunch to their account. If they don't get that meal paid up, the next time they try to purchase a meal, it is a PBJ or Ham and Cheese sandwich and milk only.

When their account amount gets down to the cost of a meal or less, there is an automated message sent to your home phone and if you have one, your cell phone. They send an e-mail to you as well. It tells you your childs name and that they have a low meal balance. If they have charged a lunch, it will tell you that they are in a credit balance and no other lunches will be allowed to be charged to their account.

I don't know what the high schools do, but would have to guess it would be similar, as whatever money they have in their account at the end of 8th, will transfer over to their high school account.

 

[xoprincessmomxo]

The school system and the tax payers were not in the bedroom when he decision was made to conceive any children. They were also not in labor an delivery when they came into the world. Why are the school system and taxpayers being burdened with raising children for which they had no decision in making?

If people are not going to raise their children and be responsible for them, why are they choosing to have them?

Harsh! So because their parents are idiots, children should suffer is your mentality? I can't even fathom that cold hearted line of thinking. Hope you sleep well at night....