When students brought home-packed meals, they were made to get the free lunch food for the teacher

[Demovictory9]

Four teachers have resigned from North Joshua Elementary school after they made students, who had home-packed meals, use their school lunch card to get food from the cafeteria and then give it to certain teachers to eat, the school district said in a social media statement.

Joshua Independent School District said this year its students had the option for free lunches under the National School Lunch Program to assist families affected by COVID-19 or food insecurity. Four teachers admitted to abusing the program by telling students with packed lunches to use their lunch card, go through the lunch line and get a free lunch for staff members.

“This practice occurred consistently throughout the school year and was captured on District security cameras,” Joshua ISD said. “The teachers then voluntarily and of their own volition admitted to this behavior and resigned from employment. Not one teacher chose to fight potential termination, but again, admitted guilt, and voluntarily resigned.”



https://www.yahoo.com/news/four-teachers-joshua-school-quit-154113893.html

After meeting with the staff members involved, the school district is also considering future legal steps.

“While many in the community have stated the students were performing ‘an act of kindness’ and that this was one mistake which should not merit a separation of employment, such is not the case,” Joshua ISD said. “The act of receiving federal free lunches which one is not entitled to is fraudulent behavior, abuse of official capacity, and theft of federal funds, carrying with it criminal sanctions.”

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. Were the teachers living with food insecurity?

[obamanut2012]

2. I was wondering this, too

They still shouldn't have done it, because of the power dynamic, but most teachers get paid horribly.

[gab13by13]

3. A possibility, it's Texas.

[HAB911]

5. that's pretty much a given

here they have to beg for supplies outside the school system.

People give them their kids all day but refuse to pay them a living wage. But then, Tom Brady is compensated quite well.

[The Magistrate]

9. This Is Flat Ridiculous

The thing is presented in terms appropriate to embezzlement of a quarter of the district's operating funds over a dozen years, achieved by threat and intimidation.

What it actually is eating about a dollar's worth of food each day.

The school district's people here need to find less destructive hobbies. I would wager a good deal the real problem is that the school district hates the free lunch program and wants to raise a stink in hopes of discrediting it.

[Me.]

13. My First Thought

[Nikossitti]

4. They were stupid

This was a stupid move on their part, but makes me shake my head, nonetheless. This is the shit we criminalize. Meanwhile….

[RockCreek]

6. In a school-wide free lunch program like this

In a school-wide free lunch program like this, teachers and staff should all be included in the program. Minimal cost. Reduces any stigma (although already low as open to all), and builds community when they are sharing the school lunch experience with students.
Not to mention that in many places teachers and staff are obscenely underpaid. Some likely have as much need of the program as many students.

[dixiechiken1]

7. Very well said.

[Solly Mack]

10. Thank you. Well said.

[jimfields33]

8. What ever happened to "don't ever do that again teachers!"

And get back to work. I just don’t see it as that horrible a thing. Did they give higher grades for the act? If so then for sure, but to just give a lunch? Nope.

[Pisces]

11. This is just ridiculous. We need teachers and we are firing them for being hungry??? Pay them and

Maybe they won’t be looking for a free lunch!! I don’t think reasonable people using common sense would demand their resignations. How about we find out their circumstances. Teachers should qualify for the free lunch anyway. Where does the unused food go?? Probably in the trash. Is the trash preferable to 1 person getting a free lunch that doesn’t qualify.

This story makes me angry.

[hunter]

12. What is it that causes "conservatives" to freak out about free school lunches?

Why do the children even need to carry cards?

Are free lunches evil socialism?

Schools themselves are free and attendance mandatory because universal literacy and critical thinking skills are essential to the function of any modern society. That's what keeps the lights on, the water in the taps, the food on the table, and the roads in good repair.

Our schools have been serving free lunches to anyone seventeen and under for more than thirty years. There isn't even any mechanism to collect money from children who could easily pay for lunches. Children just stand in line and pick up their lunches.

This was pretty handy for me as a parent whenever my kids forgot to take their lunches. Most of the time our children packed their own school lunches so they could eat what they wanted.

Adults pay for school lunches and the prices are minimal, comparable in cost to bringing a basic lunch from home.

There's simply no good reason for children or teachers to be hungry in school. No good will come of that, no lessons will be learned. Making sure everyone is fed is just common sense. Free lunches are one way of accomplishing that.