No Soup for You: School Serves Up Cold Lunch As Punishment
by Amy Hatch
Bridgett Reed is upset that her child and other students at Atlantic City High School are being punished by only being served cheese sandwiches for lunch. Credit: Anthony Smedile, Press of Atlantic City
Some New Jersey high school students learned that revenge is a dish best served cold when they got nothing but cheese sandwiches for lunch as a punishment.
Cafeteria workers at Atlantic City High School served a limited menu of bread and cheese for two days after students there engaged in a food fight coordinated by cell phone, the Press of Atlantic City reports.
Superintendent Frederick Nickles tells the paper that when kids throw food, the school's policy is to supply only the basic lunch requirement.
"It's been the policy of the school board for many years that if there is a food-throwing incident, what occurs is we will supply the basic food requirement," Nickles said. "It's been effective over the years."
One parent was enraged by the punishment, and even snatched a cheese sandwich from the cafeteria to use as evidence when she confronted school officials.
"It's a prison meal," Bridgitte Reid tells the Press. "They can't do this."
Reid was most upset because she claims her daughter did not participate in the food fight that precipitated the punishment. "Why should my student be forced to eat this?" she tells the Press. "There's nothing on this. No mayo, no nothing. It's disgusting."
Nickels noted that students are welcome to bring a lunch from home. He adds that it is "unfortunate" that some students who did not participate in the food fight were subject to the bare-bones menu.
Consequences for their actions! Lesson learned. Class dismissed.
