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Children embarrassed by lunches

post #1 of 22
1/27/09 at 10:41am
Thread Starter 
http://www.koat.com/cnn-news/18562804/detail.html

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Monday night the Albuquerque Public School Board will decide whether to continue the controversial cheese sandwich policy.

Under the program, students who have racked up too much lunchroom debt are served a cold cheese sandwich instead of a hot meal.

A.P.S. started the program after racking up a $140,000 debt in unpaid lunches. And since the program started about three weeks ago, A.P.S. has collected around $40,000.

Some parents have spoken out against the program, saying it singles their children out. At the last board meeting one mother said, "She is embarrassed to go to school and talks about it every night when I am getting her in the bathtub and it just hurts."

"They all go through the same line. They all receive the same food regardless of whether the pay for their meals or receive them free or reduced," said A.P.S. Food and Nutrition Director Mary Swift.

Swift said most of the debt is built up by students who pay full price for meals. She's encouraging parents who need assistance to sign up. Applications are available at your school's cafeteria or go to the "Seen on 7" section of this Web site.
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post #2 of 22
1/27/09 at 10:45am
Thread Starter 

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

I think that just plain stinks

My school offers cheese sandwiches if there is nothing on the menu that day that the kids want and Kel thinks it is cool and I keep trying to tell her that I refuse to spend 1.75 for two slices of bread and 1 slice of cheese. But I bet she wouldn't think it was cool if her school only gave them to the kids whose parents aren't paying the bill.
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post #3 of 22
1/27/09 at 10:50am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

That does stink! Our school serves PB&J instead of the main lunch if they want it.
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post #4 of 22
1/27/09 at 10:53am
Thread Starter 

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

We used to have PB & J but with the peanut butter mess they switched to cheese.

But really how embarrassing to know that cheese sandwiches are only for the kids who don't have a current lunch tab.
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post #5 of 22
1/27/09 at 11:00am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

Our school does (PB&J) if you get more than $20 in the hole... I don't like it.
But... I also know that a note goes home if the lunch account goes to zero. I would rather they feed them something than nothing at all, which is what some schools do. My only issue I have ever had with it has been when they didn't tell me there was no money in the account. I don't track that, so I need a note from the school to let me know the money is low.
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post #6 of 22
1/27/09 at 11:05am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

Ally's school does that. Things were so tight a few weeks ago and I kept sending in what I could (I don't kke much cash on me), but they weren't processing the money to her account for 2-3 days at a time. Some times the money neve got posted (cash), and she had to get a cheese sandwich (which she hates and won't touch). I was furious! In all the years Drew and Ally have gone to that school, this is the fist time I have EVER gotten behind in their lunch account. Normally if it's getting low, i make them take their lunch, but I didn't have anything to send! I called and complained, but never heard back. Of course Ally didn't eat that day.
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post #7 of 22
1/27/09 at 11:10am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

I never ate lunch at school... well I did when I was in kindergarden but got the paddle from the principal EVERY DAY for a good year.

See I was raised on Korean food only and the switch to nasty cafeteria food made me really sick so I would throw up , then get sent to the principals office and get my daily "spanking" I tried and tried to get the greasy food but by stomach couldn't handle it... and ever since then I have never eaten lunch at school. I would usually just get a bag of chips to munch on from the snack shack thing.
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post #8 of 22
1/27/09 at 11:10am
Thread Starter 

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

See I go by a week to week basis. We look at the menu and send the money and what days they are buying on Monday. So we never get behind unless the school lets them buy breakfast without my permission. They let the kids get breakfast whether we paid for it or not and then nicely send you a bill for the whole year. I don't agree with that...if I fill the form out for lunches, I'd obviously do the same for breakfast. Instead of getting a bill for the whole year they could let me know weekly if they do that so I can tell them to stop. I don't get out of bed earlier to make breakfast to have to spend another 10.00 a week on their crappy stale donuts!
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post #9 of 22
1/27/09 at 11:40am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

They only let our kids got 3 days with an unpaid lunch money account before all the get is a PB sandwhich.

I send in about $20 at a time.. that lasts a while because Austin normally just packs his lunch.
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post #10 of 22
1/27/09 at 11:43am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

That is so embarrassing for those kids. It's the parents job to make sure the account is current, so not fair that the kids have to suffer!
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post #11 of 22
1/27/09 at 12:09pm

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

Couldn't they solve the embarrassment problem by making a sandwhich an option for all kids? I KNOW that there are days when Zach would choose to have a cheese sandwhich instead of the offered main dish.
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post #12 of 22
1/27/09 at 1:47pm

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

Elaine's ida is good. In these times you also an't have a school system going $140,000 in debt b/c of unpaid school lunches. That CAN NOT happen when there are classes with no books. The article also pointed out that most debt was incurred my parents NOT qualifying for fre or reduced lunch--so there in is the problem. They can pay but are not paying.
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post #13 of 22
1/27/09 at 1:51pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

I'm wondering if any of those could be parents never qualified for lunches who may have lost their jobs recently and don't know you can apply anytime. I just learned this at one of the last PTO meetings. I didn't realize you could sign up ANY time. our head teacher said parents just aren't aware that you can sign up anytime. They think it is a once a year thing since that is when you get the paper sent home. If you've never used it, you wouldn't know how it works. i know I haven't a clue how it works other than it is 40 cents and I pay 1.75
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post #14 of 22
1/27/09 at 1:57pm

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

That's possible. But $140,000 of debt from school lunches is ridiculous and I think they are making a point and that parents may just step up and take care of their debt now. JMO. Of oucrse, if they can't, they can't and that will always be apparent to teachers. A good teacher will reach out and tell the parent. Our whole school (district that I work in actually) is free breakfast and free lunch). I volunteered (crazy!) to pay for Zachariah's breakfast and lunch and they told me no. Our cafeteria does not collect money. It is substidized (sp?) from the government because of the percentage of our who live students live at or below the poverty level. Ok, have to run...my free period is over--have to get the kids to ---free lunch! LOL.
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post #15 of 22
1/27/09 at 2:28pm

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

My kids are highly lactose intolerant. I am so glad we are homeschooling and don't have to deal with the whole school lunch thing and kids with food sensativities. I am glad the kids at your school don't have to pay for their meals, Abby. At least you know they are fed twice a day.

I think Wendy is right, a lot of parents have lost their jobs, can't afford lunches, and are embarassed or don't know how to ask for help. I would feel really bad knowing kids may not be getting food at home and all they can get is a lousy sandwich they may be allergic to. Lactose intolerance is pretty common. Instead of pb&j or cheese which a lot of kids have problems with why not an apple or some oatmeal? Oatmeal or rice isn't expensive. I would rather my dd had a bowl of rice than a cheese sandwich on white bread. I am guessing it is white bread and not whole grain.
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post #16 of 22
1/27/09 at 2:32pm

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

I wonder how private schools are? That is where we plan on taking ours too.
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post #17 of 22
1/27/09 at 2:35pm

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

I was sending money in with Thomas but he would "forget" to pay and I would hear the next day that he'd owe money. So after talking to the lunch aide and paying the debt, she told me that I could prepay any amount on line so that is what I did and it works out well for me. She also told me that I should not worry because the kids will NOT go without eating. I told her that I was concerned because Thomas did get money and what he did with the money was a mystery to me!!! She said a lot of kids have the same problem and not to worry.
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post #18 of 22
1/27/09 at 2:36pm

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

FYI, my state is removing all the snack and juice machines from all public schools because of the obesity epidemic. They have also cut the lunch size in half. I understand the price has not changed though. One high school where the majority of the students are bused around 1.5 - 2 hours each way everyday had a huge student walk out in protest. It didn't do any good. The officials just went on and on about the students being fat and all the money they were saving cutting the meal in half. Can you imagine? A kid gets on the bus at 6 am probably eating before that because I don't think they allow eating on the buses. Then no meal or a snack or even a juice until noon then nothing more than water until 6 pm when these kids get home. Then the school cuts the meal they do get in half! I'd be mad too.
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post #19 of 22
1/27/09 at 3:07pm
Thread Starter 

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

IMO...if that school has 140,000 in debt because of lunches then it is part THEIR fault as well as the parents. I mean come on?? 140,00 at 2.00 a (I estimated high) well that is a lot of lunches they let go.

My school's lunches are crappy and I hate when Kel wants to buy. Christian hates to buy. But the lunches are made at the high school earlier that morning and the bused down for a 20 minute ride to be there at 11...first lunch with 3 grades starts at 11:15. until the last starts at 12. Icky is all I have to say!
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post #20 of 22
1/28/09 at 2:48am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

DO you haveany idea what the income limit is to qualify for free lunches? Pitifully low. Drew got them for 1 year when Rick lost his job and as out of work for 8 months. That's when he was in kindy. Now, 10 years later, the limit has only increased by $2000 a year! So here, you have to make LESS than $18K - and that's if you have 3 or more kids. Rick makes over $60K, so even tho times have gotten hard, there is no way we would ever qualify. Yet he only bring home less than $45K a year after ins and taxes. I know, because I asked about it. Things are hard for everyone these days. I pay over $4K a year to the school district, yet they feed my DD a cheese sandwich (which she hates) and 1% milk (which she won't drink). And her account as less than $5 overdrawn!

We have an automated system that calls and tells you when you childs account owes money. But when I tried to call to find out where the cash was going, it took 30 minutes and me talking to 6 different people only to find out that "You should have sent a check or done it online". When I pointed out that I have yet to receive her PIN (afyer 3 requests), I was told, "Well, you'll just have to make her lunch then." Excuse me? I still haven't heard back about the "lost" money, which amounts to almost $20. Ally didn't take it - she's the world's worst liar, so I'd know!
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post #21 of 22
1/28/09 at 9:18am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

We don't don't have a lunch program like that here.
Each month the school sends a form home for the upcoming month. You have to pay in advance.
My kids have hardly ever gotten their lunch this way though. I am just too cheap, and even though I dispise making school lunches, it is more healthier.
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post #22 of 22
1/28/09 at 9:35am

Re: Children embarrassed by lunches

My children are on the free lunch program. Thank God, because there is no way in the world I could afford an additional $4 per day so my kids can eat lunch. I live in a rural county where the economy is horrible and I gross less than $15000 year.
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