Lunch Room Drama

SLM

The Velvet Hammer
Mar 5, 2011
29,151
3
36
London, Ontario
Salt Lake elementary school trashes lunches over unpaid fees

The image of Oliver Twist comes to mind when hearing about this lunchtime travesty that occurred at Uintah Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday.
Approximately 40 students had their lunches revoked and dumped into the trash moments after being served because their parents had not yet paid their cafeteria balances.
Yes, let’s punish the children. After all, it is their fault that their parents hadn’t cleared up their school food financials, right?

According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Jason Olsen, a Salt Lake City District spokesman, said that the child-nutrition department became aware that many students had outstanding cafeteria debts and therefore made the decision to seize the children’s lunches.
"I think it's despicable,” Erica Lukes, mother of one of the children, told the Tribune. ‘These are young children that shouldn't be punished or humiliated for something the parents obviously need to clear up,” she added.
Olsen says the decision to rob the students of their lunches came after authorities attempted to contact the parents of the children who were behind on payments.
A formal apology on behalf of Uintah Elementary School was issued, but the damage had already been done. Parents are in an absolute uproar about the whole situation on the Salt Lake City School District Facebook page. Who can blame them?


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FFS.

Uintah Elementary School lunchroom staff-gives your heads a shake. Parents of children in the lunch program-clear up your overdue fees.
 

damngrumpy

Executive Branch Member
Mar 16, 2005
9,949
21
38
kelowna bc
What a message punish others for sins that have nothing to do with them.
Second the waste of food. This is the dumbest thing I have heard of ina
long time. Imagine a group of adults with the same mentality as Justin
Bieber
 

EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
44,168
95
48
USA
I was going to post this yesterday when I saw it but I was a little betwixted myself.

The parents that refused to heed the warnings that their kids cards are empty and they won't get lunch are just as much to blame for them not being served.

We put money on the boys cards for lunch. One time my son came home and he was out of money (on his card) but they gave him lunch regardless. But "Ooops"... we went right on line and added more funds. It is easier to put money on a School ID than lay out cash each morning. But it is also easy to forget how much the balance is.

But it was the poor kids that were embarrassed because of a money war.

IMO the school shouldn't have denied them lunch but the parents who are complaining have only themselves to blame.

What a message punish others for sins that have nothing to do with them.
Second the waste of food. This is the dumbest thing I have heard of ina
long time. Imagine a group of adults with the same mentality as Justin
Bieber

Yes... the waste of food was a ridiculous idea as well.
 

lone wolf

Grossly Underrated
Nov 25, 2006
32,493
210
63
In the bush near Sudbury
I remember hearing a Small Claims Court decision that if the bill collector embarrassed a third party, the bill was null and void. If that be truth there, I betcha lawyers are circling over that school....
 

taxslave

Hall of Fame Member
Nov 25, 2008
36,362
4,337
113
Vancouver Island
I wonder if it ever occured to any of those rich government employees that some parents might not be able to afford to pay? I know that it happens here because our Lions club helps fund a lunch program for kids that come to school with no food and some of them didn't get breakfast either.
 

EagleSmack

Hall of Fame Member
Feb 16, 2005
44,168
95
48
USA
I wonder if it ever occured to any of those rich government employees that some parents might not be able to afford to pay? I know that it happens here because our Lions club helps fund a lunch program for kids that come to school with no food and some of them didn't get breakfast either.

Well there are programs for Free School Lunch. They had that program when I was a kid and it is much bigger now and a SNAP (oh a pun) to get accepted.

I am quite sure the kids who were on the Free School Lunch program sat down to a tasty and filling lunch that afternoon. They did not suffer a bit.