'Lunch shaming': school district changes policy for students who owe meal debts
Source: Guardian
A controversial policy that would limit students to a simple sandwich drew widespread criticism against the Rhode Island
Adrian Horton
Fri 10 May 2019 02.00 EDT Last modified on Fri 10 May 2019 08.32 EDT
A Rhode Island school district, facing mounting lunch debts, has reversed a controversial policy announced earlier this week that would limit students owing money to the school to a sunflower-seed-butter-and-jelly sandwich.
The policy drew widespread criticism for lunch shaming, which critics say unfairly puts a childs economic situation up for judgment in the notoriously ruthless social environment of the school cafeteria.
After Warwick public schools announced the policy, which was set to go into effect 13 May, the schools Facebook page received more than 1,000 comments, most expressing outrage at the district publicly burdening students with unpaid lunch debts. The new rule would have required any student who owed money to Warwick public schools to forego other hot meal or a la carte options and instead have the cold sandwich until the money was repaid or a payment plan established.
The district walked back the policy Wednesday evening, with the school policy subcommittee recommending that the Warwick school committee allow the students their choice of lunch regardless of their account status, wrote Karen Bachus, chairwoman of the Warwick school committee, in a Facebook post.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/may/09/lunch-shaming-school-district-changes-policy-for-students-who-owe-meal-debts
onecaliberal
(32,489 posts)RandySF
(57,659 posts)YOHABLO
(7,358 posts)Richest Country in the World? F...k Republicans.
rpannier
(24,304 posts)And the US has too many whiny, cheapskates who don't wanna pay a penny for anything that doesn't directly benefit them
It's depressing to think that a mere sixty years ago people like my grandfather and his siblings were talking about the importance of building for the future, so he was okay with taxes and such. And now people like my cousins snivel about paying for 'give aways to the poor.'
CottonBear
(21,596 posts)In addition, Pre-K to 5th grade after school programs provide a snack and drink to all children who attend.
Codeine
(25,586 posts)Its just simpler and more equitable to give everyone free lunches. They get breakfast if they want one as well, though its usually a breakfast burrito or similar, which he hates.
JI7
(89,182 posts)or whatever they have these days where parents have to prove they qualify.
appalachiablue
(41,054 posts)'Please, sir, may I have some more?' --Charles Dickens, 'Oliver Twist.'
rusty quoin
(6,133 posts)marble falls
(56,359 posts)this wouldn't even show up in the also rans column.
What we don't do in the name of fiscal responsibility while pouring billions into a deep dark hole of "defense" and into corporate welfare pockets is shameful.
If they can pull several billions for a useless wall, they can feed kids at schools.
LuckyLib
(6,814 posts)Turbineguy
(37,212 posts)we pay a lot more in school bond interest than school lunches would cost. When I went to elementary school in Los Angeles in the mid 1950's, lunch was part of the deal.
Now, education is another highway to transfer wealth.
EarthFirst
(2,877 posts)Theres a spare 1.5 billion to be found in the Pentagon for a fucking border wall.
We afford can feed kids while theyre at school!
Codeine
(25,586 posts)is bitching about the cost of cafeteria-quality spaghetti or a plate of mac-and-cheese.
Sancho
(9,065 posts)...because undocumented parents don't want to fill out the application, even if the kid is born in the US - but sometimes the kid is undocumented too...
It's not only shaming, but a tool to deport the undocumented.
In Florida, about a third of the residents were born outside of the US.
demigoddess
(6,640 posts)heaven knows if they will get much of a dinner.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,154 posts)From Sicko I believe. Damn that evil socialism!
JI7
(89,182 posts)Evolve Dammit
(16,632 posts)Zero reason kids shouldn't have proper nutrition, and free regardless of need. We can do health care too. And how about education? Maybe someday, we'll catch up with Slovenia. Or Finland. Or France. Or UK. Or Belgium. Or Spain. Or... oh fuck it.