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Let's Take it Out on the Children!

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cheese18jun18,0,7344584.story?coll=la-home-center

:disgust1:

On school menus: cheese sandwiches, parental debt
By Richard Marosi, Times Staff Writer

June 18, 2007


'I don't think an 8-year-old should be tasked with reminding their parents to pay.'
— Raegan Edwards, mother of a third-grade girl
CHULA VISTA, CALIF. — When too many parents fell behind on paying for school lunches, the Chula Vista Elementary School District decided to get tough — on the children.

They told students with deadbeat parents that they had only one lunch choice: a cheese sandwich.

The sandwich, served on whole wheat bread, came with a clear message: Tell your parents to pay up — or no more pizza and burgers for you.

Cheese sandwiches and other "alternate meals" have been added to menus in school districts across the country as they try to take a bite out of parents' lunch debts.

The strategy worked in Chula Vista: Lunch debts in the district fell from about $300,000 in 2004 to $67,000 in 2006. Some angry parents say success came at too high a cost, however.

The cheese sandwich, they say, has become a badge of shame for the children, who get teased about it by their classmates. One student cried when her macaroni and cheese was replaced with a sandwich. A little girl hid in a restroom to avoid getting one. Many of the sandwiches end up untouched or tossed whole in the garbage. Sometimes kids pound them to pieces.

"I think it's an infamous cheese sandwich," said Frank Luna, whose son, Christopher, just finished the sixth grade.

A year ago, he said, a cafeteria worker took away Christopher's pizza and forced him in front of his friends to pick up a sandwich instead. A similar incident occurred when Christopher was in the third grade. "The kid was humiliated," said his father, who added that he did not realize he owed money, $7.50
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
I would like to know what efforts the school district took before taking this action. At some point, this becomes a reasonable solution.


That said, I believe school lunches should be free and healthy. Also, NO soda or junk food sold anywhere on campus. Vending machines should provide quality snacks.
 

valve bouncer

Master Dildoist
Feb 11, 2002
7,843
114
Japan
In Australia they all got their knickers in a knot because the tuck-shops sold Coke. Their idea- replace the Coke with fruit juice which has more calories than Coke. F*ck me.
Now the Japanese have a bit more of a clue. Everybody gets the same school lunch and it's often things like tofu, miso soup, noodles, salad etc. If you want a drink you get green tea or water, every now and then milk. No crap and kids can't bring their own food. In a school of a 100 or so kids there are maybe half a dozen fatties although some of them would be called svelte by Western standards.
 

jimmydean

The Official Meat of Ridemonkey
Sep 10, 2001
43,594
15,828
Portland, OR
I remember in junior high, we had GIANT peanut butter cookies for $.10. I used to get 5 for lunch and pocket the rest of my money to buy bike/skate parts. Talk about a balanced meal!
 

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
At some point, this becomes a reasonable solution.
Humiliating children? :disgust1:

We had little punch cards that our parents would have to purchase in advance. No card, no food. Or you could pony up the 40¢.

Feed the kids and send a letter or two home, then threaten legal action, but leave the kids alone dammit.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Well, parents are irresponsible, the kids still get a meal. Shame is a great idea.
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Well, parents are irresponsible, the kids still get a meal. Shame is a great idea.
If I knew my kid would get a free cheese sandwich, why would I pay for lunch? Is his self esteem going to take hit? Awwwww, boohoo. Put on your pro wings and get on the bus you little sh*t.
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
You're an idiot.
Hypothetically... the school district asked parents to pay what they owe many times, then sent several letters privately saying, "If you don't pay, your kid gets only a cheese sandwich." And the parents do nothing, don't contact the school asking for help, just ignore the letters.

Well, if extensive effort was made, then it falls to the parents. If everyone knows that a cheese sandwich means your parents are idiots, then I don't see how that falls on the school. If the parents care, then they should pay or ask the school for help.

In my day, there was no credit. No money... no food.
 

BurlyShirley

Rex Grossman Will Rise Again
Jul 4, 2002
19,180
17
TN
Seriously though,
It really pisses me off that schools are being made responsible for all the shortcomings of these parents. Locally, schools have been under some heat because they've got these "isolation rooms" where kids who are flipping out, unruly, off their meds, etc. are put to keep them away from the other students when they go apesh*t. The rooms are the size of a closet, but are ventilated, have a window and cant be locked...yet the parents are all pissed off wanting to sue because their kids are "subjected" to such "torture."
How about, if your kid isnt a total ****up, he wont go in there. Also, kids who are total ****ups like that should be somewhere else. Schools are learning institutions, not daycares. Teachers shouldnt have to be disciplinarians. They shouldnt have to dole out cheese sandwiches or put kids in isolation. If the parents dont hold up their end of the bargain by paying for lunch....no lunch. If the kid has special needs, he needs to be in a special school. If he's just a little sh*t, he ought to have some other options like alternative schools or one of those wilderness camps. Cheese sandwiches 3x a day.
 

stinkyboy

Plastic Santa
Jan 6, 2005
15,187
1
¡Phoenix!
Well, if extensive effort was made, then it falls to the parents. If everyone knows that a cheese sandwich means your parents are idiots, then I don't see how that falls on the school. If the parents care, then they should pay or ask the school for help.

In my day, there was no credit. No money... no food.
Were extensive efforts made? Were letters mailed or stuffed in the kids backpack?

How much more does a slice of pizza costs compared to a cheese sandwich?

Like I said, communicate with the parents and threaten legal action instead of making a kid hate school even more.
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
Were extensive efforts made? Were letters mailed or stuffed in the kids backpack?
I don't know. What I do know is that article FAILED to mention any efforts or lack thereof. Sounds like that paper/journalist had an agenda.

Like I said, at some point in time, giving a kid a cheese sandwich and the shame that goes with it is reasonable.

Also, none of the schools I went to gave out free or on-credit meals unless you filed hardship paperwork in advance.

If I was that school, I would've just shut down the free meal program with plenty of advanced and direct notice.
 

LordOpie

MOTHER HEN
Oct 17, 2002
21,022
3
Denver
ha!

I didn't realize there was a page two to that article. (WTF, page2? It's the internet, not a physically limited size piece of paper)

All students are encouraged to avail themselves of the unlimited salad bar, where they can spice up the plain sandwiches with garbanzo beans, pickles, mayonnaise and lettuce.
Sounds good to me!
 

Secret Squirrel

There is no Justice!
Dec 21, 2004
8,150
1
Up sh*t creek, without a paddle
"All students are encouraged to avail themselves of the unlimited salad bar, where they can spice up the plain sandwiches with garbanzo beans, pickles, mayonnaise and lettuce."

Apparently, they're catering to the pregnant teenage mothers....

mmmmm...grilled cheese and PICKLES!!!
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Were extensive efforts made? Were letters mailed or stuffed in the kids backpack?

How much more does a slice of pizza costs compared to a cheese sandwich?

Like I said, communicate with the parents and threaten legal action instead of making a kid hate school even more.
The difference between paying your cell phone bill or car payment and paying your kid's school lunch tab is that Verizon will turn off your phone or GM will repossess your car. A public school cannot deny your kid lunch.

You think that parents did not realize they owed money for their kids' lunch? A letter from the principal is necessary? How about personal responsibility by the parents to pay their debts?

A cheese sandwich lunch is designed to remind the family to pay up on time. No lunch would be an even better reminder, but that is illegal.

And Stinky, do you think calling me an idiot is a good way to start your next ban?
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
P.S. The reason why I started this is that recently a kid was messing with someone else's bike at my the shop. I started to give a kid a lecture (which was a mistake to talk to a kid like that). His father said, "if you are going to give my son a lecture, talk to me".

I looked at him and said one thing, "You break it, you buy it".

Later that guy gave me all kinds of excuses about how it our shop's fault for leaving the bike out. I apologize for lecturing his kid but I told him unless you were going to pay for that guy's bike if your kid broke it, then the lecture was very necessary. My only regret was not mentioning the words, "personal responsibilty".
 

ohio

The Fresno Kid
Nov 26, 2001
6,649
26
SF, CA
No lunch would be an even better reminder, but that is illegal.
Is it? When I was growing up, you either brought your lunch, paid for it, got a subsidized lunch (by signing up for assistance in advance), or went hungry. The school was under no obligation to feed a kid that forgot their lunch or their money.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Lunch debts in the district fell from about $300,000 in 2004 to $67,000 in 2006
$233,000. A lot of school books with that money. Or maybe they should fire 4 teachers?
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
I'm banned because you're butthurt about being an idiot?
This is the thing: if someone is willing to engage me in argument, I have plenty of respect for whatever they say.

If someone wants to start name-calling, then I am not going to respond in kind but rather come at them sideways.

I really don't care if you call me an idiot. I am going to throw a line out there and let you hang yourself on it.

However, if you disagree with my opinion, I would rather hear your counter argument.
 

Echo

crooked smile
Jul 10, 2002
11,819
15
Slacking at work
If calling someone an idiot were a bannable offense, there would be about 3 people left posting on RM. And they would all be idiots, but they would be afraid to say anything.