[DiamondSmiles]

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Action News Online

Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - January 30, 2014 (WPVI) -- Parents say about 50 elementary students in Salt Lake City had their school lunches thrown out because money was owed on their food accounts.

The lunches costing about $3 were taken from the children on Tuesday as they arrived at a pay station after cafeteria workers had given them the food.

Parent, Erica Lukes, said the action was humiliating and demoralizing for students.

The Salt Lake City School District said the move came after it realized a lot of students at Uintah Elementary owed money for previous lunches.

District spokesman, Jason Olsen, said cafeteria servers were not able to see who was in debt until lunches had already been given to students in line.

He said the lunches were thrown out because they couldn't be served to another student. Students whose lunches were taken away were given fruit and milk.

DESPICABLE! 10 year olds, by the way!

[Shadedwill]

What a fucking waste.

[Zambini]

That's uncalled for, the dept had should be fired and made to pay for all those meals as restitution

[DiamondSmiles]

Originally Posted by Zambini ↗

That's uncalled for, the dept had should be fired and made to pay for all those meals as restitution

At the very least! How embarrassing for the children!

[rapeWhistle]

Parent, Erica Lukes, said the action was humiliating and demoralizing for students.

Erica Lukes' child should be more 'humiliated and demoralized' that their mother didn't pay for him/her to eat.

[Kelseecat65]

I don't understand how parents can get behind in keeping money in the account. It's a pretty simple thing to factor into the monthly bills

Jake's is all done online...and I just transfer the money from my checking to his lunch account at the start of each month. I get a reminder when it reaches $10 and can check the balance anytime. So, this is on the parents too.

As for the staff throwing away the food...that is bullshit. Feed the kids, then tell them tomorrow you get no lunch if there is not money in your account.

[K9Grip]

Originally Posted by Kelseecat65 ↗

I don't understand how parents can get behind in keeping money in the account. It's a pretty simple thing to factor into the monthly bills

Jake's is all done online...and I just transfer the money from my checking to his lunch account at the start of each month. I get a reminder when it reaches $10 and can check the balance anytime. So, this is on the parents too.

As for the staff throwing away the food...that is bullshit. Feed the kids, then tell them tomorrow you get no lunch if there is not money in your account.

Here, they can't deny the child a lunch - which I think is appropriate, punish the parent, not the kid. It's not the kid who is at fault here. They send notices home with the child and an email plus a phone call to the parents.


If they account still goes unpaid, they will "punish" the parent by contacting CPS and having CPS send a notice to your home. If you ignore that, they contact your employer. I'm not sure what happens after that, but I'm pretty sure your employer isn't going to enjoy being contacted by CPS for any amount owned on a school lunch account.

[Zambini]

The worst thing you can do to kids is embarrass them in front of their peers...

[K9Grip]

Originally Posted by Zambini ↗

The worst thing you can do to kids is embarrass them in front of their peers...

Exactly! Plus, we're talking about elementary school aged kids. I don't think holding a 7 year old responsible for his or her parents not paying their lunch fee's is even remotely acceptable.

Plus, in this country milk and fruit actually cost more than a regular school style lunch.

[Azimuth]

Wow. Pretty fucked up to say the least, those poor kids.