Disturbing lunch policy
I am very disturbed after reading the article about the lunch policy in Canon-McMillan School District.
I am a not a resident of the district. However, I worked with children for many years and saw many hungry children. The district said the present policy was discussed at the May and June school board meetings. I doubt very many parents attend meetings when the academic year is almost over.
How could anyone take a tray of hot food from a first grader and hand him a tray with a cheese sandwich? The child is not the one responsible for the payment of a lunch account. Why does an account become overdrawn by $25 without contacting the parent? And then to throw away the tray of hot food? I understand it cannot be used by another student, but explain why taking the food and throwing it into the garbage is rectifying anything, but leaving a child with a lifetime trauma. What difference does it make to the school district’s accounts to throw out food and provide a “lesser” lunch? Many students who do not quality for free or reduced lunches can still come to school hungry.
A better policy needs to be put in place, where a child is not punished for a parent’s actions and a child is treated with respect. The Canon-McMillan policy comes close to “bullying” a child over something they cannot control.
I would suggest the people who instituted this policy spend a week in the cafeteria eating cheese sandwiches while others around them have a regular school lunch.
Roberta McElhaney
Avella