My poor baby has to eat cheese

[shortbun]

I think their consequences made perfect sense and if parents and non-involved students don't like it, they should put pressure on the culprits who threw the food.

 

[Mary•Poppins]

I know that having the cheese sandwiches without warning is an issue, but unfortunately this is life.

When a few of my colleagues at work ... started to "bend" the expectations of their job ... we all suffer (ie. coming late, leaving early). When our boss had enough, she announced that she will speak to you personally if you arrive late to work. I am not usually late, but perhaps 2x a year, I have a hard time ... for whatever reason (usually revolves around my children and something happening 5 minutes before I have to leave for work). I have a great relationship with my boss and I know this is not an issue. However, do you think I am POed at the people who drove her to make this announcement ... you bet 'ya! I feel that she should have spoken directly to the people who had the problem ... but that is not what she did. Will I be late to work without calling ahead ... nope.

So, do I have to live with it ... yes. Do I like it ... no. This is life and it isn't always fair.

 

[shortbun]

OMG

This is too much. Really. I can't take it any more.

Why, oh why, are we feeding people with taxpayer dollards if they can afford cell phones?

Enough is enough

When will we get our country back

I know of parents who go without shoes, food and other things to give their child the trappings of their peers. It's a real shame children have no idea that their families are poor enough to get 'free lunch' or what that even means because they(the kids) have phone, 100dollar shoes and pocket money.

Then there are the really, truly poor who can afford shoes for anyone.

 

[hentob]

It's a real shame children have no idea that their families are poor enough to get 'free lunch' or what that even means because they(the kids) have phone, 100dollar shoes and pocket money.

I agree.

You SHOULD know that you are poor. Believe me, it will NOT kill you! It will make you stronger.

You will NOT want to follow that pattern of life.

You should not be shamed, but you also should NOT have a cell phone or a pair of $100 sneakers.

Believe me. I know.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

One parent complained and said that her child was not involved in the food fight.

Some (maybe a lot) of kids who live in this area may be getting free or reduces lunches because their parent(s)/guardian(s) may not be well off.

The fight may have been started with a couple kids using cell phones.

How in the world we jump to the conclusion that these kids are going to wind up in prison, the parents drink and smoke even though they can't afford a sandwich, and they all have cell phones even though their parents are getting food stamps is beyond me

Of course, I'm not referring to the poster who personally knows every single one of these people and their individual stories and because of that is clearly able to make judgments about their gold teeth.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

if parents and non-involved students don't like it, they should put pressure on the culprits who threw the food.

Yes, the quiet kids who are behaving themselves should absolutely get themselves beaten up over a cheese sandwich.

 

[Planogirl]

A cheese sandwich is prison food? I always like them so who knew?

 

[Ceila]

This is what I want to know too. If they were told this was the consequence, fine. But if the fight happened and then the school sprung it on everyone the next day -- regardless of involvement? I'd be upset too.

It wasn't "sprung on them" at all:

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."

The policy was already in place: if there is a food fight, there will only be a basic lunch served the next day. The kids knew that there was a food fight, so they would have known that there would be no hot lunch the next day.

 

[hentob]

Of course, I'm not referring to the poster who personally knows every single one of these people and their individual stories and because of that is clearly able to make judgments about their gold teeth.

Sigh.

You were wondering about the child that is allergic to cheese and what he should do. I said his mom may have to feed him for a day.

Are you familiar with Atlantic City? I am. Many of these children are products of welfare recipients that choose luxuries over feeding their own children. It needs to stop.

This particular school has 47% of the children receiving free/reduced lunch.
So, the fact that they are complaining about a cheese sandwich is pathetic.

They should be happy to be receiving a free meal

 

[Cornhusk]

A cheese sandwich is prison food? I always like them so who knew?

Within that quiet exterior is a rebel.

OK, seriously though. So what? They got a sandwich and had to clean the place up. Boo hoo. Sure it sucks for the kids who didn't do anything but guess what, it is only one afternoon of cheese sandwiches.It's probably a lot more nutritious (sp) then the chips and other crap he eats If my kid came whining to me that he didn't even do anything and had to eat a sandwich I would of laughed and told him to quiet down and do his homework.

Since when is a cheese sandwich "crumbs"? What a twit. (jk)

 

[luvmy3]

Guess I'm in the minority here.

I thought schools had to provide balanced meals? Yes, I realize they're not always healthy but I don't think a single cheese sandwich is enough sustenance to get you through the day.

What if the kid is allergic to dairy? They aren't gonna eat? I know around here, the school is required to give the child a lunch even if they forgot (or "forgot") their money to pay for it... so I'm surprised that they're allowed to do this. The blanket punishment things drives me batty, too, as I was always the well-behaved child and I would be livid if I were being punished because of someone else.

IMO, withholding food should not be a punishment. I have a feeling this won't go on for very long.

And obviously, kids make stupid decisions sometimes. Even good kids who know better. That doesn't mean they're all going to wind up in jail.

It isn't, they still get food

Yes, but what if they decided they wanted to buy their lunch that day, then find out it was this cheese sandwich thing? Did they know beforehand?

I quoted early and see someone already answered, its school policy. Maybe this should be a lesson for parents to make sure they know how such things are handled, that way they will know beforehand.

 

[Mermaid02]

One parent complained and said that her child was not involved in the food fight.

Some (maybe a lot) of kids who live in this area may be getting free or reduces lunches because their parent(s)/guardian(s) may not be well off.

The fight may have been started with a couple kids using cell phones.

How in the world we jump to the conclusion that these kids are going to wind up in prison, the parents drink and smoke even though they can't afford a sandwich, and they all have cell phones even though their parents are getting food stamps is beyond me

Of course, I'm not referring to the poster who personally knows every single one of these people and their individual stories and because of that is clearly able to make judgments about their gold teeth.

When I said that about being in prison later in life, it was a joke.

 

[Minnesota!]

Wow. Now I think I have seen everything. A parent actually flipping out because their child was forced to eat a cheese sandwich for 2 days?

I would love if that was the biggest concern in my life.

Me and my kids eat them regularly (had one for lunch today, AAMOF!).

I cannot believe anyone is actually defending the lunatic mom who is ranting about this.

Bunch of cake eating brats is what we seem to be raising the next generation to be.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

One parent complained and said that her child was not involved in the food fight.

Some (maybe a lot) of kids who live in this area may be getting free or reduces lunches because their parent(s)/guardian(s) may not be well off.

The fight may have been started with a couple kids using cell phones.

How in the world we jump to the conclusion that these kids are going to wind up in prison, the parents drink and smoke even though they can't afford a sandwich, and they all have cell phones even though their parents are getting food stamps is beyond me

Of course, I'm not referring to the poster who personally knows every single one of these people and their individual stories and because of that is clearly able to make judgments about their gold teeth.

Stereotyping aside b/c it isn't fair to those kids and doesn't really add to the conversation...

Students in general do not have a say in the menu of the school. It is a privilege that schools provide the options that they do. They don't have to provide "options"--they can just provide one meal.

When the privilege of options is abused, that privilege is taken away. With a mob mentality of a food fight--it would be impossible to discern who was part of it and who was not. So yes, the whole group gets punished.

But the cafeteria is still offering a meal. They just didn't extend the privilege of making it anything special. They removed all options and gave the kids only one option.

Free lunch or not. Wealthy kid or not. It doesn't matter.

The kids still were given food--a well balanced (meeting the minimum requirements set so that it is balanced). Nowhere is it required that it has to taste good, that it has to be everyone's favorite food.

And perhaps next time, less kids or maybe even no kids will partake in a food fight.

The schools socio-economic status is rather irrelevant. The kids had a meal option still--it just was cold. That isn't child abuse even though some of the little snowflake parents would try to convey it as such.

 

[MushyMushy]

I wonder if this school has problems on a regular basis if they even need for this to be in the handbook. Personally, I'm not a fan of punishing all for the actions of a few -- if this is, indeed, an issue at the school, then they need to have cameras in the cafeteria so they can *soundly* punish the offenders and not let them off with a cheese sandwich.

 

[aristocatz]

I don't think it is fair for the kids that didn't do anything. They should have told the students that they would be serving this meal and they could have brought their own lunch if they didn't want it. My old school would punish the whole cafeteria even if it was just a handful of rowdy students and I never thought it was fair.

But anyways the mom was over-reacting.

It may not be fair, but group punishment is usually pretty effective. My guess is the kids who did start the food fight got so reemed out by their peers, who were not involved but still had to reap the consequences, that it will decrease the chances that they will do it again. Kids are so influenced by their peer's reactions, it was probably way more punishment than a cheese sandwich.

 

[aristocatz]

And most of the parents have enough money for smokes and booze

They also get food stamps and WIC, yet can't make a lunch for their children

Wow, what a simple and naive statement...have you ever personally worked with families like this?

I have issues with people that cant afford to feed their children a sandwich.

I also know for a fact that many of these people have the money to do other things, but will refuse to feed their children for ONE day.

Why have children if you can't afford to feed them?

I truly believe if you can't make a sandwich for your child that is allergic to cheese for one day, Children and Youth Services need to get involved

I'm not sure how this thread's topic got moved to poor families affording to make their children lunches-I thought the article was about a food fight and as punishment the school decided to serve a boring lunch.....we have no idea what the financial status was of the specific kids families who started the food fights and even if we did, no one was ordering these families to make their kids a sandwich from home

Anyways, for many of these families, DCF IS involved, but they are not giving out money to these families to pay for them to make a sandwich. DCF also is only able to offer a certain amount of assistance. These workers have very large caseloads and do the best they can, but please don't assume that DCF is in any situation to turn things around all together.

I work for a very large, poor urban school district & we offer free breakfast and free or reduced lunch for all students whose families make under a certain income level. I would have zero problem serving them a boring cheese sandwich and some fruit if they were taking advantage of the system by throwing food. That is how they learn to make good decisions in the future.

Anyways, most of the parents I come in contact with are single parents. Many are uneducated and/or moved here from a different country because of horrible circumstances. The 70 parents I work with all have at least one child with severe special needs. One woman fled here from Puerto Rico where she was in an abusive relationship and her children were in a very unsafe situation. Other parents are very young mothers who had to drop out of school to raise their kids & come from a long line of young mothers.

Please remember that not everyone is born into situations of opportunity. Many are never taught to know their rights and how to dig themselves out of where they come from. Many have horrible circumstances & are doing the best they can. & yes, many others do drink their money away because they were never taught any better. Bad parenting and bad decision makers come in all shapes, sizes, color, and financial status.

 

[mhsjax]

I know that having the cheese sandwiches without warning is an issue, but unfortunately this is life.

When a few of my colleagues at work ... started to "bend" the expectations of their job ... we all suffer (ie. coming late, leaving early). When our boss had enough, she announced that she will speak to you personally if you arrive late to work. I am not usually late, but perhaps 2x a year, I have a hard time ... for whatever reason (usually revolves around my children and something happening 5 minutes before I have to leave for work). I have a great relationship with my boss and I know this is not an issue. However, do you think I am POed at the people who drove her to make this announcement ... you bet 'ya! I feel that she should have spoken directly to the people who had the problem ... but that is not what she did. Will I be late to work without calling ahead ... nope.

So, do I have to live with it ... yes. Do I like it ... no. This is life and it isn't always fair.

A cheese sandwich with no warning would be a hugh issue for me, as my child is allergic to cheese. I would love to see them deny my kid food because all they were feeding them is a cheese sandwich. Luckily I live in an area where the kids have a little more common sense and there are always multiple parents and staff in the cafeteria, that place is run like a tight ship. If they even get too loud they have a gentleman there that makes an announcement that they have to have a certain time of silence. But I stand my my statement that if for some unforeseen reason they tried to give my child a cheese sandwich with no alternative, there would be hell to pay.

 

[mhsjax]

It isn't, they still get food



I quoted early and see someone already answered, its school policy. Maybe this should be a lesson for parents to make sure they know how such things are handled, that way they will know beforehand.

Yes but how do the parents know that there was a food fight, do you think that all of these kids go home and tell their parents?

 

[M5ward]

I live about 10 miles outside Atlantic City..the high school has sending districts that are fairly affluent (Margate and Brigantine..Longport has very few kids.) This was obviously a co-ordinated food fight effort using cell phones (probably facebook, etc. too.) This punishment is a school policy. Unfortunately, those not involved have to pay a price thanks to the actions of their peers. And, yes, at ACHS I wouldn't be getting in anybody's face because I got punished for something I didn't do; lots of not nice kids there (not generalizing, stating fact.