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.
It wasn't apparently, without warning. It is school policy and as such, every responsible parent should be aware of school policy. EVERY PARENT. The consequence for a food fight was known, cheese sandwich or not. Don't take it out on the school, take it up with the children and the their parents.
We've become too much of a society of not holding each other accountable. There is always an excuse or a reason to "forgive" so we end up blaming and taking it out on establishments like schools, businesses, governments, etc.
The rule is the rule, the consequence was known. No need to complain. Teach these kids the laws of actions and reactions. And yes, group discipline is a good thing. It teaches us that we are all responsible for ourselves and the good of each other as a group.
Im one of 5 kids. When one of us would act up, at times we were all punished. Ive been on teams when some of us were goofing off, sometimes we all got the consequence. Keeps people realizing we are accountable to each other as well as ourselves.
I see nothing wrong with what the school did. And as I teach my kids, we might not like the rules, we might not agree with them, but when you are aware of them, and have to follow them, you respect them while they exist . Feel free however to try to change them in the proper way but until them, it is what it is.