Low-income children shamed by cheese sandwich policy

[ccharles000]

Faced with mounting unpaid lunch charges, Albuquerque Public Schools last month instituted a "cheese sandwich policy," serving a cold cheese sandwich, fruit and a milk carton to children whose parents are supposed to pay for some or all of their regular meals but fail to pick up the tab.
There is a lot that is troubling about this policy, but the main thing is the idea of making kids suffer because of their parents financial situations. Not only would this policy have a nutritional affect on the kids (since they don't get the variety offered by the hot lunch options) it also has a shaming affect, singling them out and making it clear to their peers that they are poor.

Tactics like this are becoming necessary in a worsening financial environment but it's sad to see that low-income children are the first to suffer.

What do you all think?


http://www.feministing.com/archives/013922.html

[ogneopasno]

1. If parents can't afford the regular priced lunches, they can get free or reduced priced lunches. If

they forget to pay the bill for a few days or even a couple weeks, the kid can get the cheese sandwich.

This is the fourth time I've seen this topic posted here, BTW. They turn into huge threads.

[pnwmom]

5. Do you know how many minority children are lactose intolerant?

This is not a solution.

[ogneopasno]

8. Why single out minorities? I hope those parents read the handbook when it comes home where it says

"If your child's account has no money in it, the child will get a cheese sandwich" and the parent can send a note in saying, look, if my kid forgets her lunch money, could you give her peanut butter, or baloney-only, or whatevs, instead?

ETA: Cheese sandwich and fruit is a lot healthier than a lot of those crap-filled lunches anyway. Unless you're lactose intolerant, of course.

[pnwmom]

48. Because there is much more lactose intolerance among African and Asian

Americans. It was probably a white person who thought a cheese sandwich would be a good idea.

[acmavm]

72. Yeah, them damn white people picking on lactose intolerant minorities.

I'm sure that's the deal, lunchroom racism by the white lunch powers that be.

And don't come back with any lame shit. I got reduced lunch in school. I worked in the lunch room during grade school. I can personally vouch for the fact that no one was just waiting for a black or asian kid to step up to the counter so the could kill 'em with a cheese sandwich.

[pnwmom]

75. You can't vouch for the fact that no one might have unintentionally

chosen a food that many children would have problems with. Can you?

[shari]

78. give it up

that racism thing isn't going to work here.

[pnwmom]

83. I haven't accused anyone of racism. I doubt that it's common knowledge

among white people that minorities are more likely to be lactose intolerant. And I'm not blaming them for that.

[shari]

85. yeah....

I was being kind of snarky and you do have a point, but I do seriously doubt that it's intentional and there are alternatives offered at most schools for students who are lactose intolerant.

[pnwmom]

96. I agree -- it wasn't intentional. Just unfortunate. I hope schools do offer

alternatives. But from my own experience (wheat allergy and gluten intolerance), I've had little reason to expect that.

[buzzycrumbhunger]

192. Milk does NOT do a body good.

I don't know where you get your facts and I don't know the statistics on lactose intolerance in general, but at least 80% of people of northern European stock (i.e. white folk) are lactose intolerant to some degree. The sad fact is that most of us simply don't realize it and just chalk it up to indigestion.

The whole crap lunch in general is the issue and I don't understand why there should even be separate food for certain kids. If anything, these are kids who might not get a proper meal at home at all and so they should be getting something with dense nutrients to compensate. WTF?

[acmavm]

91. God that's stupid.

[pnwmom]

95. I'm sorry it's beyond your comprehension. n/t

[acmavm]

98. What is wrong with you? Are one of these nuts here

that see racism and white people trying to kill minorities in everything? Even a cheese sandwich?

Crap, your life must be a real mess. I mean, with all the conspiracies surrounding you, it must be hard to stick your head out of the house what with all these evil whities trying to kill everyone. Hey! Maybe you're on the list too, as a sympathizer.

Don't eat any cheese sandwiches girlie. Who knows, the Klan just might be trying to take you out for your liberal tendencies and because you spilled the beans on their plans on ridding America of all those pesky black and Asian people.

edit: Just to let you know that I definitely bookmarked this thread. I doubt anyone will EVER post a dumber conspiracy theory than yours.

[pnwmom]

166. You have an interesting way of grossly overreacting.

Nothing I said deserves all this excitement.

[acmavm]

173. Of course it does. You used one of the cheapest and most disgusting

ploys in the book. Cry racist and see how much attention you can draw to yourself.

I just wonder, are you that stupid or are you just that starved for attention? You really expected a different reaction, didn't you? You thought it would really make you look like Ms. Liberal Heroine of Friday, Feb. 27th. Did you think that nastiness would fly, really?

[pnwmom]

174. When did I "cry racist"? n/t

[acmavm]

175. Now you're just trying to be cute. I'm not the only one who called you on

your cheap shot.

And by the way, that stupid response answered my question.

Here ya go, this is YOU

<SNIP>
Because there is much more lactose intolerance among African and Asian
Americans. It was probably a white person who thought a cheese sandwich would be a good idea.

[pnwmom]

176. There is nothing in that quote or in anything else I've written to support

your reaction.

Minorities are more likely than whites to be lactose intolerant. I therefore thought that a white person would have been more likely to come up with that particular menu than a minority person. I never said that anyone did this ON PURPOSE. In fact, in another post I specifically said that I thought is was unintentional.

All your sound and fury signifies nothing.

[acmavm]

177. Ok so you made the remarks out of ignorance. I can understand that.

Like I said, there were only two choices.

[pnwmom]

179. Get a grip. n/t

[WolverineDG]

135. And you can't vouch that they did

D'OH!

dg

[Lance_Boyle]

200. *ahem*

As if we weren't getting enough whine with our cheese (sandwiches)...

[ogneopasno]

94. Are African- and Asian-Americans completely incapable of telling the school to not give their kids

cheese sandwiches? Are you mad about the cheese sandwich or the "shaming" lunch? I can't tell.

[acmavm]

101. Nah! It's just one great big plot. By the way, would this mean

that cheese sandwiches can be classified as a WMD? Just think, we could bump off whole nations just with lunch.

[closeupready]

112. Wow you are a piece of work, aren't you? You're like Jessica Savitch on a bender.

If you don't have food allergies, then you need to STFU with this derisive tone.

[acmavm]

123. I don't have to STFU ever. Not because of you. And yes you

clown, I AM lactose intolerant. I didn't know that was a requirement to post here.

I love it when people like you start trying to throw their weight around, telling people to shut up. It's like you think it's really gonna happen. Even better, like you have the right to tell people to STFU.

If I were you, I'd take some of my own advice.

[closeupready]

124. Hey, Nebraska - you got running water yet?

What about cell phones?

[TwilightGardener]

126. Um, yeah, Nebraska has running water and cell phones. We're actually

pretty advanced out here, thanks.

[acmavm]

155. Just one of our resident morans. Pay no mind.

[acmavm]

127. I am soooooooo impressed and hurt! I guess I'll just have to go

sit in the corner and cry because you're upset. Why, I just don't know how I'll get through the day now.

The one really good thing about Nebraska? It doesn't have you.

Toodles. I think I'll go play with people who can raise a blip on an EEG.

[JuniperLea]

184. You might pay attention instead of this...

Whatever it is... there are a lot of kids of a lot of colors who are allergic to dairy, or are lactose intolerant. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the amount of melanin in their skin.

[closeupready]

196. If you believe that there are 'black people' and 'white people'

and others traditionally identified by skin color, then you can't just dismiss research which has demonstrated that black people have a higher degree of lactose intolerance than white people.

[WolverineDG]

132. Oh man, I thought there were live ones on the other thread

but this has got to be the most insane thing I have ever heard of.

dg

[AngryAmish]

139. Are you denying the lunchroom racism plot?

[WolverineDG]

143. Most definitely nt

[pnwmom]

167. Where did this talk about a "plot" come in?

All I said was that cheese sandwiches were not a solution, because a number of children, especially minority children, might not be able to eat them.

And a white person probably made the mistake, since lactose intolerance is unusual among whites. I never said, nor have I ever thought, that anyone was trying to hurt minority children with this food choice.

[JuniperLea]

186. I am

I know you didn't ask me... that could be cause for a royal smackdown by some here... lol!

[AyanEva]

141. This minority says...

Most of us only become lactose intolerant as we get older. My sisters and I were fine with dairy when we were little. It was only when we reached adulthood that it became a problem. Cheese sandwiches are prefectly fine and I don't think they were trying to be insensitive to minorities by deciding to use cheese. I'm just sayin'...

I can only speak from an African-American perspective, I might add.

[JuniperLea]

182. 'Scuse me...

But my white kids were alergic to milk products as children too. White kids can be poor as well.

[bulloney]

79. "crap-filled lunches" is right.

Have you seen what they try to pass a a nutritional lunch? Daily intake of breaded, deep fried crap that's more breading than meat. Between that and schools cutting physical education, it's no wonder you see a bunch of obese kids in school.

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. And those kids will get a different sandwich

We have a list in our cafeteria of all the food allergies and those kids are never given a food they are allergic to. I am sure this is a standard procedure in most schools.

[pnwmom]

6. Do you know how many minority children are lactose intolerant?

This is not a solution.

[madmom]

144. There are a lot of kids with peanut allergies too...so let them eat bread? No

wait gluten or wheat allergies. Now days every body is allergic to something.

[JuniperLea]

188. Indeed...

I blame all the synthetic chemicals and pollutants in our environment. My whole family is allergic to milk... my whole MILKY WHITE family.

I'm pretty sick of this thread.

[madmom]

191. You and me both, I would be tickled pink if some one gave my kids a cheese sandwich if

I forgot their money or sack lunch.

[JuniperLea]

187. Do you know how many white kids are?

All three of mine were... and I was, so was my brother and two sisters... and my mother... and her mother. Granny raised goats so we could have milk and cheese that didn't come from cows. They were poor too... yes, there are poor white people.

[leftstreet]

2. It'd be a whole lot cheaper to just sew a scarlet letter on their shirts

I'm thinking 'P' for 'poor,' since 'I' for 'impoverished' would be too respectful.

[JuniperLea]

183. I say P for Poor...

Because poor kids are less likely to understand a five dollar word like impoverished.

This is class warfare, no question. I'm a little fed up with the few here who are trying to make this a race issue... ugh. My white babies were all allergic to milk as infants, toddlers, and on into childhood. Thankfully it doesn't bother them much now. Ugh... I'm just disgusted with DU as a whole today I think.

[TBF]

3. I've said this before about the homeless -

with all the money we have in this country you'd think we'd figure out how to feed children. Particularly before we give the banks another $750 billion to lavish bonuses on one another (see Reuters tonight for that story).

[pnwmom]

4. Stupid, nasty policy. And the minority children who are often lactose-intolerant?

I guess all they can eat is some bread and a piece of fruit.

[acmavm]

107. I'm 'white' as 'white' gets and lactose intolerant to boot. And you're

gonna beat this ignorant shit to death, aren't you?

[closeupready]

113. Is that Kansas in your avatar?

Figures.

On edit, I see it's Nebraska. Well, same thing. When they said what's the matter with Kansas, they could have said the same of you.

[acmavm]

114. Well, if isn't that a lot of relevant info to this post. What's got your

knickers in a bunch sweetie? The fact that you and you bud are fools and you don't like seeing a fellow fool called on their stupidity?

[closeupready]

118. Your extremely derisive tone. This is supposed to be a friendly board, not one

for taking shots at fellow liberals/Democrats. Are you trolling for a pizza or something?

[acmavm]

119. I KNEW you'd be back. Like a lemming looking for the shoreline,

here you are.

This is supposed to be a 'friendly' place? How old are you? I think you've got this place confused with My Space or something else.

Trolling! That's funny.

edit: Ah yes, the friendly part. How friendly was your bud accusing whitey of a plot to poison Asians and blacks? We won't even go into the stupidity of it. Just the 'friendly' part.

Are you 2 related?

[pnwmom]

168. Please quote me the part where I accused "whitey of a plot to poison

Asians and blacks." You can't because I never did.

You're really going off the deep end. Maybe you had too much coffee at lunch.

And no, the person defending me isn't my friend. Just a neutral person viewing your posts, who thought your tone was way over the top.

[lonestarnot]

7. I one little kid has to eat a cheese sandwich, they all should have to eat cheese sandwiches. Who

came up with this stupid fucking idea anyway?

[proud2BlibKansan]

19. I honestly don't understand the outrage over this

If the kids weren't being fed at all, then you could be outraged.

[hfojvt]

58. I guess lots of DUers don't like cheese

and don't think anything should be done about deadbeats.

[JTFrog]

69. Yea, so many deadbeat k-12 students out there these days.

Are you fucking serious?

JFC.

[hfojvt]

153. it's the parents who are deadbeats

The article says the program has collected about $50,000 and also signed up another 2,000 (if memory serves) for free or reduced-price lunches, which means more federal money for the district. I think it is too bad, myself, that eating at home is not an option for K-6 any more.

[JTFrog]

156. "Revenge is a dish best served cold."

That is your comment down thread about not serving these kids hot meals. I don't think you could insert your foot much further.

[JuniperLea]

189. Not if it's a sign showing one kid to be different from another

And no kid should be punished because his or her parent is a freaking deadbeat either!

Jesus... this place is wallowing in the stupid today.

[jhrobbins]

99. What is 'lactose intolerance' exactly? How does it manifest? I read that it

is something that is WAY more prevalent than when I was a kid and that was about 40 years ago.

[pnwmom]

170. In most people, it's symptoms like indigestion, gas, colon pain, etc.

Babies are born being able to digest lactose (the sugar part of milk), but most people naturally lose that ability as they grow older. However, most caucasians continue to be able to consume dairy products without a problem.

Nowadays, there are some enzyme products that are said to help. I can't take them for various reasons.

[WolverineDG]

133. No kidding nt

[EFerrari]

9. They can play football with bundles of cash in Iraq but we can't feed school children.

What a farce.

[lumberjack_jeff]

10. In washington, the threshold for reduced price lunch is higher than I thought.

I don't think that schools should be obliged to feed kids whose parents neglect to.

Poor kids get reduced-price or free lunches.

[EFerrari]

11. And I think we feed the kids first and sort it out later.

We feed the banks first and sort it out later. Why not our kids?

[lumberjack_jeff]

12. Perhaps the "sorting out" would involve a visit to the home of parents who don't feed their kids.

If parents refuse to either send or purchase a lunch for their kids, it's reasonable for CPS to check into their home life.

[EFerrari]

16. How well do you know CPS? They're nothing to write home about.

They lose kids and stuff. And, it's cheaper to give the lunch than it is to remove the kid and try to place them elsewhere, right?

I don't know how old you are but when the world was new and I was in school, if there was something going on with me and I didn't have lunch money, someone would notice and try to figure it out. If my mom had not been an English speaker or if we were poor and there was a program for us, someone from the school would have called and talked to my mom. I don't know that there's anyone who has time to hook parents up with resources any more.

And I don't get the automatic assumption that a parent is "refusing" to feed their child. It usually doesn't happen that way. Most people are pretty decent and if the kid isn't eating, there's usually an issue that can be addressed.

[lumberjack_jeff]

100. In my area, on the first day of school, the student brings home a reduced lunch form.

They push hard to make sure that any low-income families are identified because it makes a difference to the district for funding.

FWIW, this year my kids qualified for free lunch. The youngest has sensory integration problems as a result of his autism, so despite qualifying for free lunch, we almost always pack him one.

Communication is great, but it's ultimately my responsibility that he eats. My district takes as much responsibility to assure that this happens as they can be reasonably expected. I think their responsibility stops short of taking a collection to mitigate for parent failure.

[Ms. Toad]

129. Thank you for being a voice of reason n/t

[EFerrari]

158. That's fine in theory. In practice, we're talking about children, not livestock.

If you "fail" in your responsibility on Thursday, that kid still needs to eat. You may fix it on Friday but that doesn't really help the kid on Thursday. That's when the community needs to step up -- remember, that whole "it takes a village" idea? This is that idea.

And frankly, I'd rather your kid get that lunch and do well and stay in school so that in five years, I don't have to call the cops because some dropout is stealing tools out of my garage. Calling the cops (a socialized service, too!) is much more expensive than that lunch would have been in the first place.

I think the difference in our viewpoints is to you, that lunch signifies some kind of parental failure first. To me, it first signifies filling a kid's need when the need arises and must be met in order for that kid to be in a safe enough environment.

I have no trouble with the idea that you feed the kid and deal with parents separately. But, I'd handle other stuff in the same way. If my ex dropped my kids off on Sunday night with fistfuls of candy and they were sugared up and climbing the walls, I'd deal with it and later, give HIM hell for putting them (and me) in that situation.

[Missy Vixen]

25. Sure

They can put it on the list right behind the kids who are currently being abused, neglected, and various and sundry other horrors. Did I mention that CPS is massively understaffed and underfunded as well?

There's been a study in the past six months stating that poor nutrition=lack of learning is a serious issue and causes issues inside the brain as well.

I'm with EFerrari. Feed the kids. Sort it out later. Feeding them is pennies on the dollar compared to waiting for a CPS worker to get around to every kid's house who can't afford lunch.

[proud2BlibKansan]

20. Okay I will stop at the grocery store tomorrow morning and buy some bread and cheese

Cause just feeding all the kids is not as easy as it sounds. Unless someone pays for the food, it won't be there to feed the kids.

Yes we have screwed up priorities in this country. But we can't just feed the kids and sort it out later unless we have food. And more food is not in our school budget this year.

[EFerrari]

22. Let them eat bailout!

How are you doing tonight?

[proud2BlibKansan]

23. Bailout with cheese!

I'm okay. We finally settled our contract and we're getting a little raise.

But seriously school districts are practically broke. It's getting scary.

[EFerrari]

24. They were broke twenty years ago. You all must be keeping things together

with spit and grit.

It's pretty scary all over.

[omega minimo]

13. Why don't they just put crowns on the kids who paid?

[shari]

14. OMG.

How hard is it for a parent to pack a lunch for their kid. I raised four kids and there were times when we didn't have lunch money for them and guess what....we packed a lunch for them. Most of my kids preferred a sack lunch because they didn't like the school lunches anyway. If you want them to have something hot buy a little thermos and send hot soup along with a sandwich.

[Lorien]

15. At least grill the damn sandwich

leaving it cold does add insult to injury.

[proud2BlibKansan]

21. Maybe there isn't a grill

Most school lunches are made at a central kitchen and delivered to the schools. I have worked at schools that had no stove in the kitchen.

[omega minimo]

31. grillin' costs extry

[hfojvt]

59. really? Because I would rather eat a cold sandwich than a greasy one.

What is this obsession with hot food DU seems to have. Revenge is a dish best served cold.

[JTFrog]

70. Revenge?

On those deadbeat k-12'ers?

Holy shit.

[madmom]

146. I love cheese sandwiches,eat them all the time. My SO and i used to argue about

it being a proper sandwich.

[dkf]

199. I loooove grilled cheese sandwiches.

If I could have eaten that every day for school lunch I would have been in heaven.

Instead they made us eat some hideous slop we called alpo.

School lunches were pretty bad anyway.

Trying to stigmatize kids is pretty awful though. That is simply not nice.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. I think the kids are getting a well balanced meal

and their parents need to be knocked upside the head for failing to either fill out a free lunch application or pack a lunch for their kid.

[Cid_B]

26. Cry me a river...

"I want free food cause I can't pay for my child!"

*gives a sandwich and promptly gets it thrown back*

"He doesn't like this, what else do you have? The selection here sucks!"

[wroberts189]

27. I say send the parents a bill... parents can then prove hardship or neglect.

why take it out on the kids?

[EFerrari]

32. That's a good idea.

[Ms. Toad]

131. They've been doing that - and it wasn't working. n/t

[Ms. Toad]

28. This policy was implemented only after

the unpaid bills mounted to $140,000 - with the expectation that they will reach $300,000 this year. Elementary school kids are given the regular lunch for two weeks (and some have been getting them for free a lot longer), before being switched to the equivalent of a sack lunch.

$300,000 would pay for 2-4 teachers, depending on where they are on the salary scale and the cost of benefits in the district. It is unconscionable for a struggling school to lay off teachers for lack of money when there are federal funds available to pay for the lunch program if they can motivate those who can afford to pay to do so, and those who can't to apply for the free or reduced price lunches.

I have no problem with making exceptions for individual students who fall through the cracks - or providing an equivalent alternate lunch for lactose intolerant individuals - but any school that finds itself in this situation has a responsibility to all of it students to find a way to stop the flood of money going to pay for programs for which there is federal money available.

The school had not made progress until they implemented this policy - and they have already collected $40,000.

As for being made to stand out - when my daughter ate school lunches she had special meals 4 days a week because she is allergic to poultry - and poultry is currently a staple of school lunches. The meals generally consisted of peanut butter crackers (those sugar/fat filled snacks with virtually no nutritional value). When she got tired of it, she started packing her own lunches. Other students had the crackers for other reasons (including not being able to afford/forgetting their lunch money). I have asked her since these threads first started appearing whether it bothered her personally and how other students reacted - according to her, no one paid any particular attention to who got crackers and who got regular meals.

[SmileyRose]

29. Who the hell is telling these kids eating a sandwich and fruit is a BAD THING?

And why the sam hell aren't they getting low income kids on the free lunch programs instead of traumatizing them or their parents?

And if the people with enough money to not qualify for subsidized lunches don't bother to pay, tough crap.

[omega minimo]

30. Carnivores

[EFerrari]

33. Too bad we don't have a dictator here so our kids could have a morning snack

and a hot lunch as a matter of course.

[omega minimo]

35. mmmmmmmmmmmm

Dictator Tots

[SmileyRose]

36. snort

[omega minimo]

38. hey there, pass the Victory Gin

[omega minimo]

34. HOW CAN YE 'AVE ANY PUDDING EF YE DON'T EAT YER MEAT??????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(sings) : We don't need no education, we don't need no thought control...............

[flvegan]

37. Low income. Might be the best meal they get that day.

Anyone think of that?

And please, playing any "nutrition" card here is weak.

[omega minimo]

39. Yes and valuable lessons in public humiliation and rejection for the crime of being poor

[flvegan]

47. Really. Why is it public humiliation?

I think this comes down to nutrition for a child.

[omega minimo]

53. how is it not? do you remember school? you like a scarlet letter or yellow/pink triangle to wear?

sack cloth and ashes?

[Ms. Toad]

136. According to my daughter,

who was served the equivalent 4 days a week (peanut butter crackers) because of a food allergy - along with the kids who had no money. According to her, it was not big deal; she didn't care and neither did anyone else.

[EFerrari]

54. Because kids feel badly when they stand out.

If everyone was eating hot tar and glass shards, they'd want to eat the same thing. That's how kids are for a number of years.

The trick is to balance that need to fit in so they get socialized against the time when their comfort level will enable them to become independent thinkers.

You asked. lol

[shari]

56. Hmmmmm....

I remember working really hard at teaching my kids to NOT think like that. Anyway, there's a simple solution...they can pack their lunch. If they're low income they must qualify for food stamps and can surely afford to make a sandwich that they like. In fact, why even bother with reduced lunches, just bring their own lunch and avoid the problem altogether.

[Forkboy]

103. I can't believe you can't see how it wouldn't be.

[omega minimo]

40. Depends. Is it Gubmint Cheese?

[leftstreet]

41. I'm drawn to the classism in these threads like a moth to a flame

Let Them Eat Cold Cheese Sandwiches!

[omega minimo]

43. If they're bad, it's Cold Cheese Food Product ----- from a CAN

[WolverineDG]

142. A cheese sandwich is better than nothing

and more than some school districts do.

dg

[Iwillnevergiveup]

42. Am re-reading "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"

which is unfortunately appropos for this thread.

I've taught in 3 districts in CA, and came to the conclusion that there are wide, wide variations in the whole cafeteria scene. All of the schools I've encountered serve mostly free lunches. On some campuses, trays are pretty much thrown at the kids...on others, there's a smile and a greeting. Lunches leave a lot to be desired - nasty pizza, under-ripe fruit.

Invites comparison to my old school cafeteria - $.30 for the "federal" hot lunch,(turkey, spaghetti, meat loaf, baked chicken, roast beef, burgers, macaroni & cheese, fish sticks, etc.), choice of salads, jello, pudding and a slice of delicious cake was $.07 with the federal, $.15 without. Also, 3 different kinds of sandwiches, a couple of different choices of fresh fruit and ice cream. There was much more choice. Even in high school, some kids brought their lunch. TWINKIES!!

Part of this I believe is kitchen capacity - stoves, microwaves, etc. Lotsa schools have lunches brought in - one for all, all for one.

[1]

44. if i were hungry at lunch, i would appreciate a cheese sandwich...

plus fruit and milk?

yum...

[JTFrog]

71. What if you were lactose intolerant? Would you appreciate it then? n/t

[GoCubsGo]

125. It's one of my favorite lunches....

I don't understand why cheese sandwiches are being derided like this. (I am talking about the sandwich, not the policy--that I understand.) Granted, I throw a slice of tomato (in season), a little bit of onion, and maybe some sprouts on it, and some avocado if they're on a good sale that week. Usually, it's just cheese and onion. They got me through many a field work day, where I had to carry my lunch along with me. That, and a piece of fruit...mmmmmmm good!

[cynatnite]

45. It's crappy, but what is the school expected to do?

They're stuck. Either allow the charges to continue to mount or find a way to feed the kids without adding to what the parents owe.

I would suggest that they begin working with those parents on trying to at least get the meals reduced or on the free lunch program. Some parents might be too ashamed to take the step.

[omega minimo]

46. Figure out a way to not intentionally ostracize impressionable youngsters?

[1]

49. here's a thought. feed them all fucking cheese sandwiches...

lowest common denominator and all...

does that work for you?

[omega minimo]

52. That's not "lowest" -- that's VEGETARIAN

[cynatnite]

51. Give them all cheese sandwiches. n/t

[InvisibleTouch]

50. That's not a bad lunch.

Not once in 12 years of school and nearly as long in college did I buy lunch at school. Even in grad school I packed my lunch. A lot cheaper that way! "Cold cheese sandwich" was a very common lunch for me, and a thermos of milk or a can of pop (in later years). Fruit? Fruit was a luxury. So I can't offer too much sympathy for what is a pretty balanced meal.

And honestly, I always regarded the cafeteria food on my friends' trays with mild revulsion. Maybe a hot meal would have been more satisfying sometimes, but ... not those hot meals!

[GoCubsGo]

137. I always packed a lunch, too...

In grades 1-8, I did not have a choice. We didn't have a cafeteria. The only thing we could get was milk, and that was paid for monthly. The only exception was on "Hamburger Day", which we had a couple of times a year, where we paid ahead of time for the McDonald's hamburgers and potato chips that were brought in. Otherwise, if you forgot your lunch, you did not eat, unless you could mooch something off of some of your classmates. I started making my own lunch in the 4th grade.

My high school had a cafeteria. My choice was to pack my own lunch or use my own money to buy it. I opted for the brown bag. My lunches were way better than the slop they served in the cafeteria. I feel the same way about eating out even now. I would rather have a cheese sandwich than fast-food crap any day.

[shari]

55. when I was a kid

I was taught to eat what was placed in front of me and to be thankful for it because "there are kids in China who would be happy to have it". Anyone else remember hearing that?('course I'm old now and that was a long time ago). I've watched two more generations grow to adulthood since then and what a change. This one refuses to eat something because it has onions in it....that one refuses to eat it because it has peas in it... and on and on, and their parents cater to them. People have become so picky and ungrateful. When my kids tried to pull that I told them fine, don't eat it, but it won't be replaced with something else, or depending on my mood, sometimes I made them sit there until they ate it anyway. I might sound mean but there was a lesson to be learned there....be thankful for what you have because there will always be someone, somewhere, who would love to have it, and in life you never know when you will have to eat something that isn't exactly what you would like to have. As far as kids being humiliated, well, if they don't already know it, which they probably do, There will always be others who have more than you, and there will always be others who have less than you. I suspect that the problem here isn't the kids, but the adults. I can't even comprehend the idea that someone else is "obligated' to feed my kids. Must be a generational thing I guess.

[BamaGirl]

57. I really hate this idea

First, I think if we're legally required to send our kids to school, they should be fed there. The system as it stands now just seems really dumb to me. Beyond that, my husband and I are certainly not 'well off' but we don't qualify for free or reduced lunch and we can't afford to pay school prices either. It's much cheaper for us to do packed lunches so that's what we do. But we know people who can barely afford that or can't always afford that and are still over the limit for aid. In our district, if you can't pay, you get nothing. New policy. Used to be you got pbj. I hate to think, to know really, that there are kids not eating cuz of this dumb ass shit. One of my girls always packs two sandwiches, one for her friend who never has money or lunch. I can do that now. I'm sending 3 sandwiches a day. What's 1 more? But I always worry about the kids who aren't covered. I always worry that one day I won't be able to send that extra sandwich.

[Mind_your_head]

60. Oh bullshit (yes, I'm just gonna say it)!!!!

The public school was NEVER set-up to FEED your children. Parents are supposed to feed their children....and if you can't manage to do that then their are agencies, programs, etc. that will help you do that.

The public school system was set up to EDUCATE your children. Let me say that AGAIN, "EDUCATE" your children. Way back 'when' citizens noticed that SOME children were uncared for and coming to school hungry. SO, these kind citizens said, "hey, we could feed these children breakfast (and even lunch)....and so they did. Thankfully.

And now SOME parents have grown to think that it's the SCHOOL's RESPONSIBILITY to feed their children, when it is NOT! This is a "kindness" that has been shown to shore up irresponsible parenting.

Parents have to be 'parents' and feed/clothe/house their own kids. It's ALWAYS been so! If you are having trouble, their are people willing to 'help out', but don't expect a 'free ride' or the school district to take over your basic responsibilities!

And be very thankful that your child gets bread, cheese, fruit, milk...and a reasonably full belly for a meal, b/c YOU (mom/dad) sure aren't doing anything! If your child has ANYTHING to be embarrassed about, maybe it's b/c YOU aren't providing....and if you don't like working 3 jobs at minimum wage, then STOP VOTING REPUBLICAN AND STAND UP FOR YOURSELVES AND YOUR FAMILY!

[shari]

61. Well said.

My sentiments exactly. When did people start thinking like this...that schools are obligated to feed their children? The years just go by so fast I somehow missed it.

[EFerrari]

62. Way to completely miss the point that this measure doesn't address the parents at all

but pushes off the problem on the kids.

[shari]

63. No,

The kids can take their lunch (make it at home) and avoid the problem altogether.

[EFerrari]

64. And you are also pushing the problem off on the kids. n/t

[Mind_your_head]

65. Kids are just adults 'waiting to happen'.....and they often LEARN

by having to do for themselves.

And there is NOTHING wrong with that! They'll be an even better generation for the experience, imo.

[EFerrari]

157. Giving kids the opportunity to be responsible is not the same

as making them responsible for the mess ups of the adults around them, though. That's crazy making for the kid and doesn't really solve the issue.

[shari]

66. Whatever.

It's been over 40 yrs. since I had any kids in school and no matter how poor we were I managed to at least feed them. 'yep, lots of years the lumber mills shut down and we and our four children lived on unemployment . Lots of ground pork and rice in those days, and lots of sack lunches too . We survived.
meant for EFerrari

[Mind_your_head]

67. Shari, you're right!

You gave your kids the best that you had....and you all survived You all did very very well.

There's some folks that turn up their noses at a decent meal. I guess they would prefer 'no meal at all' (how silly is that?!)

[shari]

68. Thank-you

Looking at the hard times our country is facing I'm really frightened when I see the mentallity that thinks someone else is 'obligated' to take care of them. There are going to be some hard lessons learned.

[EFerrari]

162. You've missed the entire point of this thread, starting with the Subject line.

The meal isn't the problem. It's the shaming of the kids that's the problem.

There is no reason on God's green Earth to shame children. And any adult that does that should be ashamed, themselves.

[EFerrari]

161. I survived, too, and raised a brother while I was at it.

That doesn't mean that should be the standard we shoot for, does it?

[lib2DaBone]

193. the kids can't even tie their shoes... let alone make a lunch..

you are talking advanced systems here...

[shari]

74. The problems of the parents

ARE the problems of the kids. At least that's the way I've always lived. My kids ALWAYS understood that if we couldn't afford it they couldn't have it. They also understood that their needs came before ours. They were always first, and they knew exactly where we stood financially. If we couldn't afford school lunches they understood that and happily packed (or I did) a sack lunch. No problema. That's life. We were a unit that worked together as a family.

[EFerrari]

154. Well, no, they're not. It's one thing to teach your children consideration

or cooperation and it's another thing to make them responsible for your adult issues. The former is teaching; the later is an abdication of responsibility commonly called "parentifying" your children.

[JTFrog]

73. It isn't about the kindness of feeding them. It's about stigmatizing them.

If the issue is with the parents as you so claim, then how is taking it out on the child the correct solution?

All the caps lock in the world isn't going to convince me that kids should have to stand public humiliation because their parents haven't or can't provide for them.

[shari]

76. Still the fault of the parents.

Parents need to teach their kids that they are not ENTITLED to anything. And I seriously doubt that the schools make it a point to purposely 'humiliate' the kids. If they are concerned about that then just bring a lunch from home.

[JTFrog]

77. Sorry, that caps lock thing still isn't working for me.

And I don't subscribe to the republican notion that kids aren't entitled to anything. Food, shelter and health care top the list.

[shari]

80. so....

isn't that the responsibility of the parents? As a parent I always thought it was my responsibility. Was I wrong?

[JTFrog]

81. Again, the child shouldn't be punished for the responsibility of the parent.

You're wrong in thinking that all parents are like you and able to provide the sack lunch or even cognitive enough to realize that their child needs it. For all the reasons that I could name, very few would be the fault of the child. If this was about a kid being too lazy to pack a lunch I could see your point. But apparently the big picture is lost on far too many people. At DU of all places.

[shari]

82. Then

If the situation is that severe I think that the child needs to talk to a school councelor to see what can be done about it. I do understand what you're saying but I just don't agree that the school has the responsibility or means to provide free lunches for a large percentage of the students. At some point the parents do need to accept responsibility or it needs to be referred to whichever agency can deal with making sure that the child is getting proper nutrition. The school system is not set up to do this.

[JTFrog]

84. Again, you're trying to make it the kid's responsibility. There are adults at the school.

Perhaps if they are seeing that the meals aren't being provided by the parent they should have a counselor or social worker intervene instead of putting the onus on the child.

The school system should be 100% setup to do that. They sure seem to be aware that the meals aren't being paid for and that a child needs to be fed. Are you telling me that humiliating the child is a better approach?

Give me a break.

[shari]

86. I'm under the impression

that the schools offer free lunches, reduced lunches and have a decent 'grace' period before offering the alternative lunch. As it is the schools budgets are really suffering and if the parents who, for instance, are getting the reduced prices are having a problem with that then the parents need to work it out with the school. There is nothing wrong with a sandwich, fruit and milk for a childs lunch by the way. May I ask you at what point do you consider it the parents responsibility?

[JTFrog]

87. At what point do you consider it the child's responsibility?

I have not once argued about a parent's responsibility in this thread and will not answer your misleading question.

Why not give them the choices that are available to the other children if they are going to feed them? Why isolate and humiliate them? What about allergies? What about lactose intolerance (which has risen at an alarming rate over the past decade)?


Why is this going over so many people's heads?

Yay... you were a great parent and didn't subject your children to this. Wish all the other kids out there could be so lucky.

[shari]

88. well

I wasn't trying to be misleading. All over the world, including here, as we know, kids are directly affected by the actions or capabilities (circumstances) of their parents. That's really sad because not all parents are GOOD parents. We all know this. But the school system is not set up to handle this. If we don't like how it is then we need to work to change it. Until that time I would say that we should be grateful that at least the children do receive a nutritious lunch. I seriously doubt that the schools set out to purposely humiliate the students....what would be the purpose afterall, they are at least offering an alternative lunch that is a strain on their budget. Are children humiliated if they have holes in their shoes? Are they humiliated if their clothing is from salvation army? Are they humiliated if they are fat, or skinny, or tall, or short or have to big or small of a nose? Are they humiliated if they are not very smart, or too smart? There really is no escape from that.

[shari]

90. I'll tell you something....

I made it a point to do my best with my kids as a direct result of the way I grew up. Poor...9 kids....logger...horrible violent alcoholic that beat my mom to a pulp all the time..horrible. Believe me, I know humiliation, and growing up in a bad environment,and poor, and holes in my shoes, one time one of my teachers bought me a dress even, and guess what....we survive. And sometimes we are stronger for it, and we learn and we try to make sure that we do better for our own children, when the choices are our own. Believe me, it's not the end of the world to have to eat a cheese sandwich with fruit and milk.

[Forkboy]

105. I knew someone would play the "I had to go through it, so can they" gambit.

[EFerrari]

163. LOL! My poor brother had to live through my 12 yr old cooking for five years.

He's now a great cook. See? It all works out! These people should just pull themselves the eff up!

[acmavm]

160. Oh cry me a river. I guess we need to erect a shrine to you.

There ARE some things that everyone is naturally entitled to. Food, water, and a place to lay their heads (a home in other words).

So you were 'deprived' when you were young. I bet I can beat your sob stories hands down without even trying and I worked in the lunchroom for my lunch. But I'll tell you one damn thing, no kid should go without a decent lunch. No one's kids deserve to go hungry. And they do not deserve to be punished for being poor. Only a disgusting, wretched person would ever even try to intimate that they should.

[LanternWaste]

102. Sins of the fathers are the sins of the sons, I suppose.

" Still the fault of the parents."

Sins of the fathers are the sins of the sons, I suppose...

At least, that's what more and more people seem to want these days. And I imagine the visceral, ersatz, and simplistic comfort we get from that is better than no comfort at all.

[Forkboy]

104. Punish the children for their parent's mistakes.

I'd say welcome to DU, but fuck it.

[madmom]

147. Are they "stigmatized" because they don't have name brand sneakers. or the latest video game, or

game console. They don't have a cell phone? This is total bullshit. Kids are not as judgmental as adults or if they are they are taught that by their parents.That's the lesson needed here not "it's bad to be poor"!

[donco6]

89. If they're poor, why don't they apply for free/reduced?

I don't get it. My district is 70% F/R. We feed all the kids under 6th grade. Once they get to 7th, they get three freebies, then they need to bring money. We can't afford to subsidize lunch service with General Fund money. Parents can pay online with a credit or debit card, or just send the money.

If the feds gave us more than $2.59 for a free and $2.19 for a reduced lunch, we could probably swing it. As it is, we have to pay people a very low salary to make ends meet with this kind of reimbursement. And no, kids don't have to take the milk. We offer juice and soy milk (which is far more expensive than regular milk, but we get the same reimbursement for it.)

[michaz]

92. Any time you "single out" or make a child or children different from their peers in a

manner like this, it is simply wrong and encouraging problems. At the very least, you are "making them feel different" and causing self esteem problems. It also encourages teasing. Something like this should not even be a possibility in our schools. It needs to be addressed now and fully.

[proud2BlibKansan]

93. They aren't being singled out

The outrage over this is just mind blowing. If they weren't fed at all, then we could be justifiably outraged.

[kickysnana]

97. We are in the middle of an economic crisis. Time to stop pretending this is 1980.

People who at one time made fun of the cheese sandwich crowd now find themselves joining them and learning a valuable lesson. This is really a mixed blessing given that Rush is a national icon.

Not feeding hungry children is an outrage.
The fact that schools do not have the resources to give out anything but cheese sandwiches, (or books or classrooms) is an outrage. Parents need to find another way if it is untenable to them.
This is not a minority thing.

As my Aunt, who was born in 1936 and who's family lived through the great depression that it was tough then to wear "government shoes" and it is tough today to eat cheese sandwiches. Parents need to talk to their children. Schools need to talk to their students and too many here on DU still need to get a clue as to who should receive our rage.

[TwilightGardener]

106. That's actually not a bad lunch at all. I will say, as a parent, that I often FORGET to pay

for my kids' school lunches, and they get ink stamps put on the backs of their hands to remind parents to pay up when their account has run out of money. I don't consider it shameful at all, even though my kids are walking around with a stamped hand that tells the world their parents are lunch-account DEADBEATS, LOL!

[omega minimo]

108. that's really cheesy

[TwilightGardener]

109. Booooo....hissssss......

[fed_up_mother]

110. I'm been a lunch account deadbeat a few times

Frankly, my kids like the sack lunch they get from the school when I've forgotten to send a check. It's definitely not a big deal at our school.

[TwilightGardener]

111. Not a big deal here, either--my kids honestly don't care, they just

tell me I need to write them a check, and that's it. I think they also get a cold sack lunch of sorts, as well, if it's been more than a few days with an empty account, but they're not all that crazy about the hot lunches anyway.

[Lyric]

115. "I don't consider it shameful at all"

Well of course you don't. *You* aren't the one walking around with a ridicule-me-now sign stamped to your hand.

I was a poor kid. The ridicule and shame of being forced to say "Free lunch" out loud every day was so bad that I often went without lunch in order to avoid it. They've changed that policy in most schools now, but the same stigma about free lunch remains. Give kids a way to pick out the poor kids from the rest of the herd, and they'll come down more viciously than you can imagine.

I say feed the kids, and then send home both a bill AND a copy of the Free/Reduced Lunch form, with the areas that need to be filled out pre-circled. A lot of these kids have illiterate (or illegal) parents, especially in the Southwest. Their parents either don't understand the paperwork, or can't fill it out because they aren't technically supposed to *be* here. Why should the kids of illegal immigrants and poor illiterates be singled out like this? It's downright shameful.

We do not punish children for what their parents do. Singling them out for potential ridicule, and giving them lunches that are of lesser quality than what the other kids get, just reinforces the herd mentality notion that poor people/minorities are "inferior."

[fed_up_mother]

117. There's no stigma for free lunch in our school

All the kids have to punch in their ID number in the cafeteria, including the kids who receive free lunch.

Thankfully, some things have improved greatly.

[TwilightGardener]

121. Nobody is ridiculing my kids (well, not for the lunch thing, anyway).

They don't care, no one cares, except the school, which understandably wants its money from us--which we can AFFORD to pay, but sometimes simply forget. I grew up somewhat poor, too--was on the reduced price lunch for a while, and I didn't get treated differently. That's a separate issue from parents who CAN pay for lunch but simply DON'T, or won't pack lunches. I just don't remember school lunches being traumatic, except for the bad food. My kids don't pay attention to what other kids eat, either, or judge them because they're poor/their parents don't pay/whatever...

[I Have A Dream]

150. I agree, Lyric. I also was a poor child.

People who've never gone through it have no idea what they're talking about. Would it bother all poor children? No. However, it would bother many. I was one of them.

[slackmaster]

116. A cold cheese sandwich, fruit, and a milk carton sounds a lot like what I ate for lunch as a child

Sometimes it was a slice of bologna on white bread.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

120. Too Bad So Sad. I Think It's Great They Even Get The Sandwich.

It boggles my mind that some are so outraged over this. The kids are getting fed. Ever hear that beggars can't be choosers?

Life is rough sometimes. We know that. What makes one have character is how it is handled. That means being grateful for the free lunch they're getting, instead of bitching, groaning and poor meeing about the more expensive lunch they're not.

[bahrbearian]

194. Gee look how lucky your are Kid ,, You got a cheese sandwich , isn't 'That Great!'

Only in Amercia?

[Mother Of Four]

122. I wanted to give you a thoughtful response-

Without any kneejerk reaction.


I took some time and looked up nutritional data for the infamous "Cheese sandwich lunch"



As you can see, it's really not that bad of a lunch.
This is simply to put the nutritional arguments to rest. Is it perfect? No, I'd love to see less sodium- some veggies and wheat bread instead. Some more Iron, and about 10 g more protein by tossing a turkey slice on there. However, it's free so I don't see why so many are turning their noses up at it.

For the people saying "Well why don't kids just pack a lunch?" I made it a point this morning to quiz my kids really quick while waiting for the bus what the "sack kids" bring to school most times.

Various answers were:
Little debbie snacks
chips
Cookies
Cheese sandwiches (GASP!)
PB n J
Baloney (Barf- do they even know what's in that crap?)

When I asked "What about carrot sticks, celery, oranges?"
I got this really cute "Wow mom you're naive" look, and the reply of "Nope" from the chorus of kids.
So then I pressed "Well, do they at least bring a juice box or something?"
Smiles this time, I could feel them wanting to pat me on the head I swear ..."No mom, they get the 20 cent sodas"


As far as the stigma goes with having a "poor kids lunch"...you can see by my name I have four of my own. There are many times my kids forget to tell me they need lunch money until they have racked up 3-5 days of credit on their accounts. After the third day they get the simple lunch, which is very similar to the cheese lunch we are talking about in New Mexico. I get a nice phone call from the cafeteria lady after the fifth day, and a check gets sent in the next morning.

Wanting to be sure my research was complete, I also asked my kids if I should apologize for "making them" get the simple lunch sometimes by relying on them to tell me when their money was out. Their response? "Uh...apologize for what?"

"Well, for you guys getting teased about lunch of course!"

"Mama, I don't know who's been telling you that but we never get teased." (From my 14 yr old girl) "Yeah...it's all fine mom" (from my 12 yr old.)

My 16 and 18 year olds just looked at me funny.

Yes, this is written with humor- because the thread is entirely blown out of proportion.

It is much worse to let the kids go hungry than to give them a simple lunch, hunger leads to an inability to focus, foul mood, and emotional upset. Grades drop, and kids end up feeling worse than just hungry. When my kids hit middle school, they didn't want to bring a sack lunch anymore. It was the sack lunch kids that were singled out, not the simple lunch kids.

Should any child be singled out? No, it's a rotten thing to do. I'm just stating that in our families experience, teasing about what you get in the lunch line just doesn't happen. In fact, there has actually been a time or two when kids with regular hot lunch (Mac and cheese with this beef in it) have asked the kids with simple lunch to trade. That was something I also found out this morning.

[Ms. Toad]

140. Similar response from my daughter

when I questioned her about any stigma.

[EFerrari]

164. So, contrary to many reports on these threads, if it didn't happen in your experience

it didn't happen? Am I reading this right?

And the nutritional value of the lunch isn't the issue.

[Mother Of Four]

169. Are you intentionally misreading?

Hrm. I had written a whole huge post responding to you, and then I realized you have your hackles raised over this and any explaining I would try to do right now would add fuel to the fire. If you truly want a response, feel free to PM me and I'll explain till my lips (or fingers) turn blue.

[EFerrari]

172. No, I asked a question because I didn't know if I was reading you right.

But thanks for projecting all over me. lol

[Mother Of Four]

185. Hokley dokey-

(takes a sip of water and goes a-HEM)

I was saying that it's never happened to us, but since I can only comment and such about what HAS happened to us....yada yada yada etc.( <--- that was the comment I wrote. See how it neatly compacts into a short summary.. It's awsome! )

That if a kid is getting singled out, that's a rotten thing. Something needs to be done about it. (Smacks table)

We haven't had that happen HERE, about the lunch thing picking on gobbeldy goop, not that it doesn't happen other places.


But uhm..I'm also a proponant of school uniforms because I despise the teasing done to kids due to "fashion" so don't mind me.

(finishes wiping all the projected stuff up, makes you look all sparkly and clean...)

All good?



(Oh..and the nutrition thing was for the people who were aghast that it was a cheese sandwich...which I happen to find delicious myself )

[EFerrari]

190. I think school uniforms may be a good solution in a lot of settings, too.

Get that burden off the backs of the kids and let them be kids.

[w8liftinglady]

128. in my kid's school,this is called an "If you forget your lunch money"thing

no stigma.Kids forget their lunch money all the time.

[dropkickpa]

130. Here in Pittsburgh

Many of the schools in the city school district (41 of them) now give free lunch to all students (all schools give free breakfast).

Nice one Albuquerque.

[bunnies]

134. My Mom wouldve slapped my head off for complaining about free food.

I can almost hear her now "You ungrateful little shit... be glad youre getting anything at all! The nerve of you complaining about free food. You're grounded!"

But then again, cheese sandwiches and fruit were a perfectly acceptable lunch for us then. Tuna, PBJ, cheese. Ah, the classics. And if you didnt bring in your lunch or hot lunch money for the week, you starved.

Free food is better than no food. At least they get something.

[SmileyRose]

151. you made me spit iced tea. You, me and Bill Cosby must have had the same Mom.

[Javaman]

138. In a nation were we throw out millions of tons of food annually due to

"spoilage", I find it odd that we can't give all the children of this nation a free lunch regardless of financial status.

[donco6]

148. I'd love to, but sadly, food costs money.

I get $2.59 in reimbursement for a lunch, which has to pay for labor, food, supplies and equipment. I get nothing for a kid who doesn't qualify under the federal guidelines. They get letters and notes up the yazoo, reminding them to apply for free/reduced status. We call home; we have the principal call home; we have the teacher give them a note card. For a few (maybe 5 to 8 per year), nothing seems to get through until the kid doesn't get to eat anymore.

If our free/reduced reaches 80% (we're at 72 now), we can apply for Division 2 lunch, which gives free lunch to all kids. However, about $700 of our state general funds per pupil are generated by the free lunch status count. If we give free to everyone anyway, no one actually applies anymore, so we could end up with a huge net loss in funding.

Under federal School Lunch Program guidelines, we cannot accept any food from outside. So the fact that we have food waste elsewhere doesn't really benefit me.

But to reiterate: I would love nothing more than to be able to feed every kid in school, no matter what. I just can't make it work.

[EFerrari]

159. It sounds like the game is rigged to deny you funding.

Good grief.

[donco6]

180. We've fought it for years and years and years.

What we'd really like is the elimination of the "reduced" lunch category. It's pointless. If they don't have the money, they just don't have it. We end up eating (little pun there) the balance between the free reimb. and the reduced (about .40/meal). When you serve hundreds of thousands of lunches a year, it adds up.

We went to DC twice during the Bush reign of terror to lobby our congresspeople, to no avail. Maybe we'll have better luck now.

We actually had reps tell us "Parents should make lunches at home." So, that tells you a little about the attitude back then.

[Mind_your_head]

197. The cheese sandwich, fruit, and milk IS a free lunch

it's just not what SOME posters here on this board would 'prefer'...and they're trying to hide that under the guise of "some kids feel humiliated".

[cherish44]

145. My daugher's school does something similar

only it's PBJ not cheese. I pay for 20 lunches in advance and sometimes forget when it's time to buy more. She'll purposely not tell me she's out of lunch tickets just so she can have the PB and J.

[donco6]

149. We don't do PBJ because of the peanut allergy thing.

Glad she likes the PBJ! That's pretty funny.

[gollygee]

171. That's what my daughter's school does too, unless the child has an allergy

PB&J, or a cheese sandwich if there's an allergy. I asked my daughter about this and she said no one cares if someone's eating that for lunch.

[Amelie]

152. I got a note from my daughter's school after I went a week w/o paying

Saying that if I didn't send her to school with a check the next day, she would get a roll and water.

[snappyturtle]

178. Did the school ask why you hadn't paid? Did they ask if you needed

assistance? I think the roll and water thing is a vile threat. I was a teacher and saw enough wasteful spending to think that if a school district had any priorities they would protect the children and not hold them hostage for food.

[Amelie]

198. Nope

Just a typed note with her cafeteria number on it. It happened to several of our friends, and we got together and complained. We were pretty insulted. Bread and water. I didn't know our schools had turned into prisons.

What they do now is send a note home saying that their cafeteria account is low; please send your child with a packed lunch or $1.35 to cover tomorrow's lunch.

It *is* vile. That is the perfect word. Just the idea of sending my four year old through the cafeteria line, only to get a roll and water while her friends were feasting on nuggets, pudding, fruit, salad, and milk was enough to make me dig through the sofa cushions, car, sock drawer, etc. to find five dollars to get her through the week.

[snappyturtle]

201. I am so sorry you've had to experience this lack of concern for

the children.

[AlCzervik]

165. I bet the kids don't mind the sandwiches but it does let everybody know who's

having money troubles.

School might be a refuge for some of these children and the sandwich could take that away.

[JuniperLea]

181. Class warfare

Those precious kids...

[santamargarita]

195. There is no shame in coming from a poor family

It's sad but not their fault.

It's that Goddamn Bush and Reagan's Fault!