Student Ordered to Throw out Lunch

Madison County High
School students tweeted out a photo of 15-year-old
Dominic Russell who refused to obey cafeteria staff.
I was in
the hole $26, and I think and I had already gotten my lunch and I had walked
back to the table, said Russell.
Because he
owed the money for past unpaid lunches when he got to the cafeteria register
with his tray Thursday, he said a lunch lady laid down the rule now being
enforced.
They came
to my table, and got me and made go back up and throw it away, said Russell
who refused o throw out the fresh food.
Classmates
held up signs in support protesting staff penalizing kids who owe for debt on
lunches.
The lunch
lady had been throwing away food that hadnt been touched because people have
built up a debt on their account, said Ragen Treadway.
I think it
was humiliating for the kids that didn't have the money to pay for their lunch,
said Angela Riddle, whose daughter attends the high school.
As for Russell,
students began chanting Let Him Eat sparking a mini-protest on Twitter.
They never
told me I had a negative balance until today, said Russell.
But
principal Steve Bowlin tells News 13 each time a student eats they're told.
At $15 dollars,
they start really informing them tomorrow make sure to bring in your lunch
money make sure you bring in your lunch money,
They've
never sat with a trash can telling people to throw their lunch away, said
Hanna Farmer, an 11th grader.
I think its
completely insane, said Gabi Smith, a 10th grader. You shouldn't
make a student throw away his lunch just because he's behind on funding.
I just
pulled out a five, gave them the money and told them to keep the change, said
Russell.
Dominic
ended up paying for his lunch, but feels the issue of food getting wasted has
now been exposed. What happens next is now up to administrators.
If this is
a North Carolina policy, which Im told it is, I think they should re-evaluate,
said Riddle.
Administrators
are trying to clamp down on a huge annual student lunch debt with students accruing
bills that never get paid. Madison County students say this is the first time
they've witnessed lunch staff ordering students to throw out their lunches. The
staff will offer them a peanut butter and jelly sandwich but not the regular
lunch.
The
principal has already planned a Monday meeting with students to see what other
ways they could deal with students racking up cafeteria debts that ultimately
end up costing the school.by Kimberly KingFollow Kim on Twitter @KimKingReports
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[@pughub3867]

I had this happen to me back in middle school. I had 0$ on my lunch account. The lunch lady literally took the tray out of my hand and gave me a tray with a pb&j. I told her I was allergic but she told me to go sit down or that I'd have to serve a detention everyday until I could add money into my account. I threw away the sandwich, I was allergic to it. The lady got mad and said I had detention later. I didn't get a chance to make a call home to my parents. So later my mom came inside the school looking for me. At first she was mad and thought I did something. Then I told her what happened and hell broke loose between my mom and the teachers....

[@Kburd-wr6dq]

You should of ate that sandwich and then sued the lunch lady/school

[@BlackRose85789]

I agree but then she at risk of dying, that kinda scucide but pretty bold if you got balls to do it. Instead of eating the sandwhich, sue them for hostile or possible murder or attempted murder since they were threatening her for refusing to eat it. That peanut allgery ain't nothing to fuck about or if it's a jelly allergy,the throat closes up and they can die.

[@Kburd-wr6dq]

Jewell Ashley True, but you could of said you didn't know, ad all schools have epi pens

[@BlackRose85789]

Imma Turkey I don't know man, I'd kinda be scared shitless cause of them pens costing now at 500 dollars a pop and also I'd be to chicken shit at taking the risk and suffication.

[@isabelmitty4370]

In my school (it's in England) if you don't have enough money you have to put the food back and you don't get any

[@rowdycat]

Let me get this straight, kids are required by law to attend school and the parents have to pay for their lunch or pack one for them. Prisoners get 3 meals per-day and it's funded by taxpayers. Something is seriously wrong with this picture.

[@winlose9336]

Because one, Prisoners have NO MEANS of paying for it, being locked up and all. 2. Prison food is terrible. Worse than school food for sure, therefore cheaper. 3. There are food programs for school for free/reduced lunch if you are poor enough. If he wasn't poor enough, he has to pay for food. Why is the concept of a free person having to pay for products with scaling prices from parents salary a problem?

[@proteinsmann4889]

that's not true in America prisoners meals cost more than student meals

[@johnwu3489]

We shouldn't drain even more of taxpayer money into school lunches, in fact, we already do. There are specific financial aid programs dedicated to parents who can't afford school lunches.

[@andrewritz7334]

Win Lose no

[@sillyslimes4222]

rowdycat ikr

[@justinreyez5561]

I'm gonna start selling lunches out the back door on the black market

[@janesimmonds8845]

my daughter was told she cannot bring a bag lunch to school she had to buy it from the school well my husband is a lawyer who told the school that is illegal that if a person do not want to eat their food you cannot force them to eat that food if they bring in their own food to school we won that case the next week they kick our daughter out for having a PB and Jelly sandwich well to bad for them we now suing the school under the anti monopoly law that is a Federal law they are going have a hard time showing that their lunch dept is not a cash making monopoly for the school In economics, a monopoly is a single seller. In law, a monopoly is a business entity that has significant market power, that is, the power to charge overly high prices. ... Monopolies can be established by a government, form naturally, or form by integration. In many jurisdictions, competition laws restrict Definition of 'Monopoly' Definition: A market structure characterized by a single seller, selling a unique product in the market. In a monopoly market, the seller faces no competition, as he is the sole seller of goods with no close substitute. ... He enjoys the power of setting the price for his goods

[@janesimmonds8845]

so were is a family coming up with that $13,500 a year per kid tell one kid they cannot eat because the other one is

[@angeleyesgreen1586]

My son's school doesn't let you register for the next school year if you owe any money, or still have books from the previous school year. However, they also don't let you have any lunch, even an "alternative lunch". They failed to process a payment for my youngest and he ended up eating ramen that he got from the secretary. I never received a call. I spoke to the principal the next afternoon, he apologized, and the lunch issue was fixed. No child should go hungry. Some families eat once a day, and that tiny school lunch is it. Shame on them, and shame on our government for spending so much money on war and prisons, and so little on our future.

[@bobbyhempel1513]

Amen

[@Yzzami]

angeleyes green I agree. We can cut down on prison expenses by giving rapists and pedophiles the death penalty

[@breathlesshaste]

My kids’ school in Georgia provides free cheese sandwiches or peanut butter sandwiches and fresh fruit for kids who are more than $30 in debt on their account, but they never make a child go hungry. I don’t know if it’s just our school system or a statewide thing.

[@dajb90]

Feed your own kids. If a family is only eating once a day the parents aren't doing their job idc what you say. You don't pay, you don't eat. Be a responsible parent and make sure you kid has lunch money. It's not hard to do the math and know how long the money will last. Lazy parenting, playing the victim.

[@angeleyesgreen1586]

@@dajb90 oh, so you're one of those poor people don't exist types. Feel free to exit the conversation as you have nothing constructive to add. I would also recommend some empathy training, and maybe some volunteer social work to help open your closed mind. Not everyone can have the prosperous life you clearly have had. I have the money to make sure I have shelter, food, and clothes for my children. This does not mean my neighbor has access to the same. It is why food pantries, low income housing, and other similar services exist. I pray for your enlightenment. Edited to correct auto correct 🙄

[@dodobrain2620]

wasting food definately defeats the purpose

[@i_am_a_crybaby_and_i_am_pr2882]

scarlett Ikr

[@evelynturner6843]

That kid is an angel. When he's forced to throw out his lunch, he gives them 5 extra dollars and says, "Keep the change." He's awesome 👏👏👏👏

[@LilPoopsie]

Evelyn Turner they probably put the rest towards his account.

[@RobAntDen]

So if he had the money to give her, why not just give the $27 and that would be the problem solved, clearly the kid has money, so instead of acting like a "rebel", pay your damn debt. In the real world, if you don't have the money, you don't get what you want, kids should be taught that.

[@Ihold8stars]

RobAntDen the kids aren't the ones who refill it.. parents do online or on phone by credit card to the lunch ladies. Many times they do not tell the kids either until they are over the maximum limit. What's sad is many kids don't qualify because their parents both work but they fall into the We make enough to pay our bills but can only afford dinner. The guidelines need to reward those trying to make.. the actual tax payers but instead if you don't work you get free food, free money, free phones, free transportation, free medical, free housing.. seriously things need to be reevaluated. Without a doubt help those in true need bit don't punish the ones barely hanging above the bread line!

[@XFizzlepop-Berrytwist]

Shy Kiagana Well that’s the thing, we need to be harsher on illegals that come here, and Canada gets by just fine, and so does most of Europe, Europe was fine until their government betrayed their citizens, and in some ways that’s how I feel about the US gov, I consider myself a bit of a nationalist, but the way the gov does things is not only unconstitutional but also not necessarily in the best interest in what makes a country succeed, economically, Socially, and gives proper care to citizens. So I kinda go by the phrase love the country hate the government. Haha And in countries like that though, if it’s serious you do get taken to the ER, if it’s not too serious yeah you may have to wait a little, but it’s better than being punished for being poor, not everyone can afford health insurance and if you can’t afford it here they force it out of you anyway. Same with property taxes, the gov does the very thing the Brits did to us in the 1700‘s and now we have an extortionist government literally look up the definition of extortion that’s how they treat us, pay us or we take your shit. We literally went to war over this shit.

[@XFizzlepop-Berrytwist]

Shy Kiagana You summed up a lot of my thoughts personally, The US one of the richest countries in the world has the ability to make the switch to Uni healthcare, but don’t because of the wastefulness of our gov, stop aiding foreign countries, lower the military budget, stop letting the illegals in, if we did those things and cut wasteful programs, we wouldn’t have a problem with healthcare at all, not that we ever should have had this anyway.

[@vickieself4762]

This happened to my daughter when she was in kindergarten in a Madison County School in Alabama. It absolutely blew my mind. It was her favorite lunch that day, breakfast for lunch, she got her tray with her food, and got to the register and had a negative balance of less than $3, but they took the tray and threw it away and told her she had to have a turkey sandwich instead, but all they actually gave her was a hoggie bun with a slice of cheese on it.. It was my fault I forgot to put money in her account, and even though she's in 3rd grade now, it still hurts my heart that she had to go through that. I can't understand the logic behind this policy at all.. They have programs here where they send bags of food home for poor families and children for the weekends and holidays, and yet they waste the food that the school has to pay for regardless bc of a parents mistake or inability to pay.. We are not poor, we most definitely are not rich either. It was my fault not hers that I forgot to add money online to her account but regardless this policy needs to be addressed and changed.. It's absolutely absurd..

[@faloves]

Sad, how is your daughter now?

[@blahblahblahlogan7061]

That reminds me of how I would have to spend the end of my kindergarden days in detention because of arriving late to school

[@ekaterinalokshina2043]

In a kindergarten? That's horrible.

[@ryangutro6795]

Sad how they care more about poor bums from other places and even countries but can't feed their own school's kids lunch that's just ridiculous

[@tristanneal9552]

1. Don’t give them food if they have a debt. That’s way better than throwing away a good meal. 2. Don’t allow students to take on debt at all. If they forget their money they aren’t eating from the cafeteria that day. Pretty simple, teaches them to be responsible for their own lunch and prevents debt from building up. 3. There should always be a free lunch program for those kids unable to afford it.

[@starandfox601]

kids aren't responsible for their food.it's their parnets job to feed their kids.so punishing kids for their parnets mistakes is unfair and accomblishes nothing.

[@angelanebedum1749]

Hey dumbass, the kid wasn't the one who racked up the debt. His PARENTS did. Schools these days have some kind of payment system for the cafeteria. The parents pay a certain amount, get a card that day give the kids that lets the kid by whatever amount of food they want using the prepaid card the school gave the parents that has the amount the parents paid the school. The school is supposed to send out notices to parents to let them know when the card is running out of funds so that the parents can put MORE money on it. Didn't you hear the video? I hear some schools make you throw the food out, even if tou are short by a QUARTER on the card. I mean seriously? So what if there isn't 'enough money' on the card? How hard is it to ask the KID themself if THEY had any CASH on themself to help make up the money difference thats missing on the card, and let them keep the food, and have the parents deal with the card later? Or better yet, RING UP the items AGAIN and remove the foods thats on the tray until whatever is left on the tray adds up to whats left on the card so that the kid could have SOMETHING to eat? Or let the kids do what the boy did, which is PAY out of his own pocket money the food? If he has the cash to pay for it without the prepaid card, why don't they let HIM pay for it instead of taking away his food just because the card was $5 short of the FULL amount being charged? If its just $5, then how hard is it to ask the kid if he MIGHT have the $5 on hand so he can add it to the amount thats on the card? They get their blood money either way whether its from the prepaid card, or in good old cold hard cash. I mean seriously? Whats the point of ORDERING the cafeteria workers to throw away perfectly good food that they could allow SOMEBODY ELSE to have instead, just because the person TRYING to buy it didn't have enough funds? And you read articles where schools are accusing the STUDENTS of 'wasting MILLIONS OF DOLLARS in cafeteria food' by throwing it away. What does the school call what cafeteria workers themselves are doing with the food of kids who don't have enough money to pay for the food?

[@tristanneal9552]

I guess from reading the responses I must have worded this poorly, because punishing students was never part of the intent. The first point was made to prevent wasting food. The second step was pretty reasonable honestly - if the students have the money to pay then it is their responsibility to remember it. If you want a service but forget your wallet, you're not getting said service. That's standard practice. And in the cases where the kids are A) too young to be responsible for their lunch, or B) don't have the family resources for a lunch, that's why I included #3, so that no child has to unnecessarily go hungry because of the failings of adults. If the school system is as Angela Nebedum put it, then that's not what I took away from the video but obviously my second point would no longer apply. In the case of a parents card payment system, I still wouldn't allow debt on the card. Instead, I would suggest that parents put a certain amount on the card, and when that amount is used the card recharges by automatically billing the parents' account via direct deposit style system. If for whatever reason the automatic refill does not go through (rejected/cancelled by parents, empty bank account, problem with the bank), I think it would be best if the student were automatically placed on a payment plan or a temporary free lunch plan so that the student could still eat. And if you think I'm an asshole for expecting young adults [who aren't financially disadvantaged, see #3] to take responsibility for their own lunch money, then I'm guessing you have a problem with anyone who expects people to be responsible for themselves. Part of growing up is learning to manage these things and take care of yourself. A debt system just teaches students that it's okay to abuse loans and take without compensation, which isn't doing them any favors towards preparing them for the real world.

[@Arlothed1no]

Tristan Neal at first I thought you were trashing kids who couldn’t afford food then I saw the last one.

[@alishahernandezlopez3599]

kids ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR LUNCH MONEY ...are prisoners responsible for lunch money? nope...fine tax payers like myself do this for them ...there's something definitely wrong here

[@romar1581]

The public humiliation is the worst part of it. Exposing the kids to the mockery of their peers for something they have no influence on. Sitting down at the table with an 'alternative meal' is humiliating already.

[@girunit1387]

How hard is it to mail a bill to the parents when the debt hit the $20.00 mark?

[@jinov191]

how hard is it for a 15 year old to remember to tell his parents that the school informed him that he has only $15 left on the account, quit making it the schools responsibility.

[@janesimmonds8845]

at $15 a day for lunch times by 5 days a week times by 4 weeks a month times by 9 months a school year that is $13,500 that kid would pay a year for their lunch then times that by 13 that is $175,500 for one kid to have lunch each day for each school year from K to 12 and most family have more than one kid in school at the same time think of that I know i do i have four kids all school years age . So were is a family coming up with that $13,500 a year per kid tell one kid they cannot eat because the other one is because that is $54,000 a year that is why i give all four of my kids a bag lunch because my husband i are trying to pay off our school loans his Master is Law my PhD

[@clay8578]

@@janesimmonds8845 Its like 3 dollars a day in america- but again they feed us shit so.

[@jjalltheway3766]

@@janesimmonds8845 where on earth do you live that a school lunch costs $15 per day?

[@jwill6312]

How about "student lunch debt" shouldn't be term that exists at all...especially in the self proclaimed greatest country on Earth.

[@MaroonStorm]

yeah! throw out the food! thatll pay his debt!

[@Mboy245]

@@Adrasdea Yup. It's torture for the sake of greed.

[@lane8376]

America is turning to sh!t

[@weasel1822]

I had my tray taken out of my hands because I was 10 cents short to pay for it in high school. Bunch of kids saw it and only one student offered to give me money to eat. I love how schools think it’s okay to let a child go hungry during school.

[@ryangutro6795]

That should be illegal and schools should provide free meals or face a lawsuit

[@avalps2635]

If you go over 5$ at our school, you get a cheese sandwich.

[@elizalel9415]

AvaLPS same

[@alecedgeworth2814]

And what happens if you have a student who is lactose intolerant?

[@VoynichScript]

Well, there are lactose-free cheeses.

[@alecedgeworth2814]

Yeah but how many schools will bother to get lactose free for anything?

[@TheTrue32]

Alec Edgeworth then pay your bill

[@sammibear1903]

At my school, even if you're $200 negative, they still have to give you lunch. It is outraging that some of these kids have to go through the rest of their day HUNGRY because they were in the hole a few bucks.

[@Smolkim20]

When I was in elementary school and I owed like maybe 3 dollars, the staff would force me to eat a bread sandwich with just cheese and if i didn't, I wasn't allowed to leave. I got the stomach flu like three times from that. I remember being so embarrassed because they never warned me that I owed anything, and i was a very shy kid too. And my kindergarten teacher when i was 5 force fed me a boiled egg, i haven't been able to eat eggs since, and I'm now almost 18. Schools need better food and respect for students.

[@iandickeson3510]

I'm a diabetic that did my shot based on carbs befors I ate and in 3rd grade they tried to do this to me when I went $1.03 in the hole. So I took my jelly sandwich, white milk and orange back to the nurse amd told her I needed help to figure out if I had less or more carbs than I did insulin for. She was PISSED and went and tore the lunch lady a new one. I ate my mediocre American lunch with pride that day.

[@dbvxu8050]

at my old elementary school, if you didnt have enough money, they would still give you money but you had to bring some the next day. if you didnt have money the next day, u wouldnt get lunch.

[@kidthebilly7766]

the teachers gave you money wtf

[@billybassman21]

Seems fair to me.

[@justanotheryoutubechannel]

cat-dono At my school, you can get down to £-5, then you need to put more money on, or you can't purchase anymore.

[@dbvxu8050]

+Overused Meme oops sorry i meant lunch

[@kidthebilly7766]

Just another KZbin channel at my school you can get down to $-8

[@joesr31]

Want to avoid this problem? Just allow food sellers to set up stalls in school and the students need to pay to get the food on the spot exactly like how they would outside of school

[@instinct_benji]

joesr31 EXACTLY!!!! That solves 2 problems 1) The selection. At my school there is nothing good to eat beside popcorn chicken and pizza so it would be way better. 2) It would solve money. The online money system sucks! At my old school I couldn't have lunch 3 days in a row because it took 5 days to transfer the money from PayPal to the frickin lunch account.

[@talksolot]

Sure, that's all America needs, more power for corporations to fcuk the children

[@valerieflores3165]

that's a good idea!!

[@RemixerUltimate]

joesr31 that’s a horrible idea.

[@stormerbuzz352]

joesr31 Yeah cause kids who don't pay their lunch debt have money for upmarket food truck garbage

[@nonyabusi1132]

It's illegal to conduct business with a minor. The parent needs called and a letter sent with the bill. The school is wrong to deny any student lunch or make them throw out a lunch. If these students are required to attend school by law and the school is a public taxpayer dollars school then lunch is free to the student and his family.

[@FishFreddy]

You actually believe it is illegal for a kid to buy things in stores? You believe that!?

[@dorisbain9281]

Actually most school have apps where parents can track how much is on there kids account ! It seem like this kid was pocket him parents money and steal trying to get free food

[@jinov191]

it's not the state's responsibility to feed everyone.

[@janesimmonds8845]

yea my daughter was told she cannot bring a bag lunch to school she had to buy it from the school well my husband is a lawyer who told the school that is illegal that if a person do not want to eat their food you cannot force them to eat that food if they bring in their own food to school we won that case the next week they kick our daughter out for having a PB and Jelly sandwich well to bad for them we now suing the school under the anti monopoly law that is a Federal law they are going have a hard time showing that their lunch dept is not a cash making monopoly for the school In economics, a monopoly is a single seller. In law, a monopoly is a business entity that has significant market power, that is, the power to charge overly high prices. ... Monopolies can be established by a government, form naturally, or form by integration. In many jurisdictions, competition laws restrict Definition of 'Monopoly' Definition: A market structure characterized by a single seller, selling a unique product in the market. In a monopoly market, the seller faces no competition, as he is the sole seller of goods with no close substitute. ... He enjoys the power of setting the price for his goods

[@Mboy245]

@@janesimmonds8845 Holy crap. Your daughter's school is freakin Clueless. Messed with the daughter once and got burned. I guess they are slow learners. Good luck Hope things turn out well

[@sophian9105]

“Waste of food”? I’m way less concerned about wasting food and far more concerned about the humiliation the students must have felt!

[@haydenrodriguez4670]

I never realized how lucky I was to have free lunch all throughout school. It wasn't until I got to college that I realized some people had to pay for lunch lol

[@23magneta]

There are two people at fault here: 1) A 15-year-old kid should be more than capable of keeping track of his lunch account and knowing when to inform his parents of when he needs more money. He was wrong to take a tray of food when he knew he owed money. That is theft. However, if the school did not enforce their rule or give a warning about the debt, then I can understand why he thought he could get away with it. He is a teenager after all. 2) The cafeteria worker should have let him have that tray of food instead of ordering him to throw it away. Then they should have given him a note that said he cannot have another meal until his debt is paid. One way the school could have avoided this issue is keep a list of names of kids who owe the school money. Each kid should be required to show a cafeteria worker their school ID before they can even pick up any food. That way a kid doesn't reach the register with a tray of food.

[@aglover6969]

they shouldnt have to tell him again clearly he knows after like 10 meals without paying he owes money

[@kbarz2930]

well they usually just have whatever amount of money in their account, they student doesn't always know what they're at until the staff tells them. So you hardly ever see someone paying cash up front, it's just enter your pin/swipe the student id and then you go

[@betsycollins601]

It would help if when the student inputs his or her number into the cafeteria keypad, there was a screen for THEM to see their own lunch balance. As it is, only the cafeteria worker can see what's on the screen.

[@michaelkuzmadutton7879]

Betsy Collins yes

[@corn_pea6560]

23magneta what if your family is broke and he can't put money in his lunch account until payday? And I sometimes have no money in my account and they still let me get the tray of food I was gonna get. Ill just have a negative balance

[@josephdiscepolaiii7233]

ABSOLUTELY nobody has an issue with the fact that they allow kids who aren't paying for their lunch to take food to begin with? You're not talking about elementary school kids here. This kid's at least 15 or 16. Plenty old enough to understand the concept of having to pay for food, or bring your own lunch. This is ludicrous.

[@jinov191]

this is the mentality that is pervasive in todays world, it's always someone else's fault or responsibility.

[@thegr8logan364]

At my elementary school if you didn't bring money, they let you go to the office and ask for money and they'll give you some. But you have to bring money the next day. - *Consider it as a Loan*

[@CogniVision]

Building that student loan debt early.

[@BedsitBob]

Was the school a licenced credit broker?

[@katietundra8969]

In my high school, we get free lunch, but I'm allergic to almost everything they serve 😷😷😤

[@valerieking5265]

Then, your parents should be giving you a lunch to take to school with you each day.

[@theintrovertedaspie9095]

@@valerieking5265 I ALWAYS Brough my lunch to school during high school and middle school.

[@mwyedr6429]

that's complete child abuse, is it not? if the guardian(s) of the child don't have enough money to begin with, they should have free lunch. I have free lunch. I grew up with it. cause... well,... I have... *money* troubles. and if kids like me, cain't afford their lunch, then the school should allow them to have free lunch.

[@reneedonaldson154]

He had money to pay for the lunch. instead of being a decent human and paying he riled people up because he wanted a hand out. Did you even listen?!

[@rutututu8098]

u fill out the paper at the begin of the year if my daughter didnt get free lunch i would pack her lunch everyday because it is way to much money it would cost be 80$ a month the way i shop that is about 2 week worth a food

[@BrentsCardsAndCoins]

Rachael Hickman How is it child abuse to make students who don’t have lunch money settle with a pb&j sandwich?

[@azinyefantasy4445]

Rachael Hickman no it isnt. School can be anywhere between 5 to 7 hours. You aren't going to die if you don't eat lunch. Eat a proper breakfast at home and then grab a snack at home until dinner. Skipping breakfast isn't the schools responsibility for a starving child. Bear the pain and remember tomorrow not to go hungry. Simple as that. Even as an adult some jobs will make you work 9 to 10 hours with no breaks. This kid has to grow up some day.

[@jakeg3126]

In schools, parents who don’t make a lot of money get kids free or reduced meal price until the poverty level hits a certain percentage for the school district then it’s free for everyone. If he didn’t have any money, then he was probably in category where his parents should be able to afford it for them. Many big cities kids get free breakfast and dinner regardless to whether school is delayed for cancelled

[@isaacnoe12lh]

where we live they checked the average annual income of parents and realized it was low. now the kids get free breakfast and lunch. it's part of an initiative they started this year. i'm glad they do it. i remember paying for lunch and man after a month it was expensive and my son would pack instead.

[@4lifeEDM]

This happened to me when I was 9 in 1997..I wasn't offered a different lunch. I walked outside and waited for my friends to finish up and come outside first recess. .It fucked with me as an Adult. I used it at motivation for life. That's why I really LOVE eating out at Steakhouses now. I can afford it... Never will someone tell me " no"...

[@statinskill]

Actually they are working on taking away meat from you. You know, "save the planet". Their expectations are you will either pay $200 for a grilled vat-grown tumor or $100 for a steak made from genetically engineered maggots or $50 for a "completely plant based" option that absolutely has to be heated in a microwave, because you can't grill it. And of course you can only go and eat this garbage if you let them inject you every few months with gene therapy mystery shots. If you're rebellish, then this is a great time to be alive!

[@semisemi3343]

i don't like american schools they're so shady and escalated

[@communistjesus]

If the government grew a pair, and began DEMANDING the EXACT amount of taxes from RICH CORPORATIONS, AND THE WEALTHY the state could provide all these programs without any problem..

[@scp049hasbreachedcontianme9]

communistjesus They already do that. Its just that the people in the government are too busy stuffing their pockets to deal with issues like this.

[@talksolot]

The govt is sending taxpayers money to !zrael so !zraeli children can sign "love" notes on b0mbs bound for their neighbors. You can bet !zraeli children are not going hungry as long as there are western tax payers to feed them.

[@jinov191]

and if the government would just tax everyone at the 90% rate or mandated a $50 per hour minimum wage everyone's financial problems would be solved

[@twt648]

Such entitlement at 15 I worked a part-time job to buy my school clothes and my lunches so my divorced mother who did not receive child support for me and worked three jobs to keep a roof over our head and a vehicle running to get us where we needed to go as well as food for breakfast and dinner at home, didn't have to

[@np100]

I am 69 years old. No free lunch program in those days. You either brought your lunch or you paid for pretty crappy cafeteria food on the spot. No upfront payments. Simpler times. But for those whose families are low income, someone needs to do the right thing!

[@donaldfoster81]

Let him eat!!!!!! Wow... He is in school..And asking him to throw it away.. Wasting food? So they rather waste food than let a child eat.. He is a child because he is a minor, by the way. I hate how schools are. And I have heard over and over again they "TELL" them how much they owe... I don't find this true.. They never told my brother while he was in school. Nor my cousin. And there have been a couple of cases on T.V. about this.

[@jinov191]

is a 15 year too stupid to keep track of his account?

[@meganlarino7093]

I agree that the school shouldn't be expected to provide free lunches to kids who can afford to pay for it (meaning if you're not on a free lunch program, you should be expected to bring in money... Although we don't live in a perfect world and many kids who should qualify for free lunch don't). However, if the school is so concerned about kids not paying, they should not permit the students to get lunch without paying, or should set a limit to the debt after which they cannot get food until a payment is made. It doesn't make sense to give the kid a tray of food, then say "you can't have that" and make him throw it out. Why give it to him in the first place?

[@rutututu8098]

well i know now they have where u can pay online and it will send you email or txt saying how much is on your kids account ! more then likly this kid was keep the money is parents gave him for lunch and was still trying to sneak food without paying for it

[@dadscavaliers642]

Megan Larino by law they cant put back open food, and the problem is the register is always at the end of the line

[@DavidJones-ct7fw]

It's to shame them and beat them down, forced compliance training .

[@sabereaseera1384]

You dont have to tell me twice to throw away school lunch thats stuffs nasty

[@Keaton0801]

The cold cheese sandwich thing at my school became the most popular request for everyone, regardless of being in debt or not. It was the one thing they couldn’t fuck up XD.

[@gardengirl21]

Why are they punishing the kids for a bill the PARENTS owe?! There has to be a better way.

[@matthydrick5328]

I couldn't get a water because I owed 86 cents 😂😂

[@valerieking5265]

Don't schools have water fountains?

[@rhiannon3113]

My school says that if you have even one cent due, they wont feed you. They don't charge you at all, you just can't eat. If you want to eat, you have to work for it. The crap they serve there makes me sick (literally) so I never eat it. I starve myself for weeks sometimes. It does sound messed up but it's worth it. I'd rather starve than eat stuff that can make me sick for days

[@ThunderMS34]

Wu Xiao Yu samee

[@i_am_a_crybaby_and_i_am_pr2882]

Wu Xiao Yu God Bless

[@Me34912]

Wu Xiao Yu I agree, your better off making your own lunch, people can be pretty gross and dirty and don't always wash their hands to make a kids lunch, why should they, it's not their kids lunch so they don't care, it's sad and disgusting but true. I don't trust anyone to prepare my food but me, at least I know my hands and food are clean and safe. good luck at school 😷

[@paulajohnson6035]

Yep American school lunch food is nasty and they dare called the stuff food how come prisoners get free food like murders

[@valeriagarcia1776]

MelonSap i do that too but if there is something good I'm eating cause the fried chicken wings at my school is so good 😊

[@josem.figueroajr.4532]

What happened to him should sicken some people. I'm already sickened by it. Don't say anything negative about it.

[@colemanmichael5179]

How is a child expected to learn on an empty stomach. To have to eat a pb and j while everyone around you gets a decent meal!!! How can any adult in good Conscience subject children to food discrimination. Absolutely shameful

[@dionnefrancis-brown1533]

State laws need to be reviewed. The school should have allowed the student to eat the lunch and discuss the amount owed with the parents. The school has a duty of care including feeding the students whilst the students are at school.

[@samantharubypaez6115]

Amen.

[@jinov191]

when did that become a duty of care, was it when liberals decided that the state should pick up the tab for everyone's needs. I went to school for 13 years and not once did the school provide a lunch, if I forgot to bring money or food I was out of luck, it didn't happen twice.

[@alexlifeson8946]

Or, maybe vote in a Democrat for a change, down there.

[@kendallfelix922]

My parents would be ticked if I had to do that and not eat

[@smoothtriston6203]

Yea the world would just stop spinning if your tubby ass missed out on one of your three squares.

[@riner9]

OH EXCUSE ME, THAT WAS SO RUDE the kids are the ones wasting food when they owe money but still try to get it

[@sugarshine]

I always make sure my kids have lunch money. I would be horrified if this happened

[@sanfordflorida7]

Would they be ticked enough to pay the debt?

[@tetsugiux1917]

You should inform the parents of the child that the lunch funds are low, not the child.

[@wendigo333]

Its simple. Don't go after kids. CONTACT THE PARENTS!!!

[@pansyflower9697]

Where are the parents? If you don't have money to spend then bring your own lunch... What about being accountable the kid is in HS for fuc... sake.... In a year he can drive a car.... in 3 more years he can vote....Why are we constantly blaming other people

[@zippyb2447]

I'm going to go to a restaurant and order food then refuse to pay, if they mad I'll tell them the food is already made and it is a waste to throw it out instead of letting me keep it. So stupid. The problem I see here is the school let him take a lunch, he should have had to pay the money before receiving a plate of food.

[@intenselan]

+Zippy B I agree, or giving the kid a card to swipe to clear him before serving him. I blame the parents for not either paying up or signing the kid up on the free lunch program.

[@mistid1485]

A restrurant isnt responsible for you, fucktard.

[@carlosfigueroa2825]

Prisoners get three meals a day.

[@TheDevilishangel123]

you chose to go to the restaurant though... kids don’t choose to go to school

[@MasterDoowaditty]

Children are being forced to go hungry because parents don't have the money to buy their lunches. This is why I support a nation wide Free lunch program for ALL students K-12. We pay billions of dollars for free K-12 education but not for their lunches. The cost of a student lunch is already heavily supplemented by our taxes, why not go the rest of the way. This way no one goes hungry because they can't afford it or their parents are to prideful to put them on the free lunch programs. And WTF PB&J? so many kids with nut and wheat allergies?

[@jamesmendoza7077]

Lol, I remembered when I couldn't pay for my lunch, they said I can only eat PB&J, so I just didn't eat at lunch.

[@isabelmitty4370]

In England (especially in high schools) if you don't have enough money for the food you simply put it back and you get none idk if that's just my school or

[@victoriahumphrey5401]

Cortana why do you hate it ?

[@Yamezzzz]

I'm from the UK and that's how every school I've been to does it, I don't know what the original poster is on about. I've got loads of Danish friends too and visited a folkeskole i Egedal and sort of saw the gymnasium that some friends were going to a few years ago, apart from no uniforms, it seemed so close to our schools.

[@trueblue2236]

In the US once you touch it, it's "contaminated" and can't be resold. This school should charge the kids BEFORE they pick up the food to avoid this situation.

[@fanboyfat1013]

i get free lunch lol.some are good some aren't

[@steppebro]

In my old high school, if you were from a low earning household, you'd get free lunch on taxpayer funds. The other students could rack up debt and still always get lunch, but would have to send a note home and get frequent automated calls forwarded to their parents. You'd be excluded from signing up for prom, dances, and home field sporting games until you pay it off.

[@solaris6096]

My school made me throw out my lunch that i BROUGHT over 10 cents, i hadnt eaten in 3 days and FAINTED

[@PrincessUndertaker]

+RoseTheVampire TV (Rose) Are you ok Now?

[@solaris6096]

Yea

[@PrincessUndertaker]

That's Good

[@solaris6096]

Got a bit sick tho

[@PrincessUndertaker]

Oh No! :(

[@castlecat7913]

In my old school, if you sign a waiver, you don't have to pay for lunch.

[@0011peace]

If he owed the debt why did they give him the lunch in the first place? Makes more sense to refuse to serve than throw away.

[@lazydog282]

They were doing him a favor. School lunches suck.

[@pax8316]

LazyDog still they are wasting food a starving person could eat and it wasn't even touched...

[@bt4350]

Also taught him a valuable real world lesson about the consequences of not taking your debts seriously.

[@AD-nv6jt]

+B T You do realize that his parents control the money not him.

[@user-pn2mo3vu8s]

In my school, if you have below $0 you would get a grilled cheese sandwich, until you get the money on your account

[@Andrew-me2im]

Honestly I would rather that over the crap they server at my school. When I was in elementary if you owed you got a cheese sandwich, not grilled. Now my school will give it to you but they charge you constantly, they also call your parents if your negative every day until you paid. (Once I was stupid and forgot to tell my parents I was negative and they got a call every day during winter break.)

[@taruluver29303]

What people don’t understand about the free lunch program is that your parents can make just enough so you don’t qualify, but still can’t eat.

[@liamwatson5125]

I always brought lunch to high school and nobody ever told me to throw it away. I think this is just pure harassment.

[@barbaracuadra2827]

I think this is so stupid what if a kid didn't have money to eat at home neither their taking away food that could have been their dinner that could be the only meal they have eaten every day some school rules disgust me

[@ljlabradasbro]

wtf that boy can just pay the money wtf.

[@RH-xs8gz]

What a great solution! The kid’s parents owe the school money, so the school wastes money by throwing out food! The logic of some people is staggeringly idiotic.

[@mikeveis6269]

This is illegal in California.

[@greentea4498]

At least put the food back away if it hasn't been touched I mean jeez that's such a waste

[@trueblue2236]

Once the tray is grabbed any open food is considered "contaminated" and can't be resold. Un opened milk and juices are okay to put back it's a US food safety regulation.

[@SoutheastanglerLLC]

Just know that inmates have it better than these kids but if your not paying for something then you should not get it. I think it's a good lesson for these kids. They should know who's behind before they serve the food then it want go to waste and lead to public humiliation. This might help break most kids entitlement now days. I'm sure these kids would not be able to balance a credit card with how they think nowadays

[@levyschroeder8719]

It’s a public school, not a for-profit Corporation.

[@tracigreen4786]

That makes absolutely no sense to throw the food away. You’re punishing a child with the worst punishment, for a bill that their PARENTS owe. That is CRUEL.

[@christinapierrus7340]

Why do the kids in america have to go to school and pay for their lunches there? here in new zealand we have a packed lunch that we pack the night before or in the morning and then at school we eat that while walking around the school or sitting down somewhere in the school. (as for litter there is not one point in the school where a bin is not in sight) and if we want anything extra or its our birthday or we forgot our lunch ect there is like a tuk-shop that we call a cafeteria where you go up, purchase what ever items you want and leave to go and sit normally with your friends. the whole concept of a cafeteria being a building where kids are forced to purchase meals is quite weird. why not just bring some food from home no big deal. i dont get it. its obvious that the school is trying to make money from the cafeteria but to make kids purchase their food from them is plain horrifying.

[@danceswithbears2521]

I have never heard of a school where students are forced to buy lunches. Packed lunches from home are allowed.

[@christinapierrus7340]

oh? ok! lol so would a kid get bullied for bring a packed lunch?

[@danceswithbears2521]

Christina Pierrus Probably. Kids get bullied for everything.

[@regjp6267]

I used to bring packed lunch and no one cared.

[@instinct_benji]

Christina Pierrus You can bring packed lunch but today 70% of children want the fancy "barbecue chicken nuggets" instead of a sandwich and chips.

[@marymanzo9912]

In high school thay need to learn thay need money but give them a snack befor that call thir parents but let them eat

[@spaghettio2199]

Julie Mansell well some kids don't eat breakfast or dinner meaning the only time they eat is at school lunch this happend to some of my close friends a while back and some kids can pass out from not eating enough and all can but some pass out faster

[@igotajopamerica3040]

Not the kids fault.Its the parents. And what happened to cash or lunch tickets. Start these kids young in debt.

[@norma77777]

They would rather throw the food away than to feed students. Ugh who makes these rules. Vote them out!

[@tashalanes1267]

this is so mean how can people be like this

[@raghavinder2161]

How is this mean? The student was warned over 10 times that he was in debt, and his family was probably not suffering from financial problems because he didn't have free lunch. Its his fault for being too lazy to pay up, or its the parents fault for not providing enough money despite being able to afford it. Its also one lunch so its okay.

[@Andrew-me2im]

How is it mean? Its mean because it doesn't matter how much you go in debt, the school is required to have a lunch option for you if you want it. Just because they dont have free lunch does mean they are sitting in stacks of cash. He shouldn't be 30 dollars in debit but he shouldn't be forced to throw it away.

[@Andrew-me2im]

What about people like me? Im allergic to peanuts so unless I want to be in the hospital I cant have that.

[@BrentsCardsAndCoins]

ItzAndrewPvp You can have a jelly sandwich.

[@Andrew-me2im]

Thats disgusting and schools have there sandwiches pre-made. You can't do that.

[@kendallfelix922]

This happens to some kids . They have to go home due someone not allowing them to eat their lunch. This can even effect their education and their future. 😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡😡👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎. This is how I feel about lunch staff and school at this point

[@instinct_benji]

Ksweet### Ksweet### I know exactly where u r comin from I am in 6th grade and last year they would let me even come into the cafeteria once because I had work to finish and I owed money.

[@camelamanfredi927]

I witnessed this before. THIS SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN! NO bad behavior on this planet should result in children throwing away their food! EVER!

[@keedixon]

Kids have to pay for lunch but prisoners get 3 meals free .

[@nerdloser9987]

Lunch is free in my school...

[@tori679]

M4nd9 P1n3s in my school it depends on how much ur parents or care giver makes

[@kaylie5282]

Same

[@kimberlieabrams8499]

lucky

[@ciellaalexandraphantomhive543]

M4nd9 P1n3s If you go to my school, you have to pay about $ 3.00 for school lunch.

handyMandy nothings free, taxpayers are paying for it.

[@marccassis]

at 1:00 this is really funny and ironic, #HungerinAmerica , yeah really americans are hungry haha

[@umok6552]

Yeah over 500k people in America are having trouble with food, money, and housing, "haha".

[@melodytheatre2887]

They’re trying this thing in my school system where all meal foods are free. All of them. That’s right, lunch is free. Milk is free. They give us free breakfast as well. Everything. For every single student. The program is supposed to last 3 years, and honestly I think they should permanently do it in ALL school systems. None of this throw away your lunch stuff, which is just cruel.

[@vibingwithjess9920]

School lunch should be free. Prisoners get 3 free meals a day and sometimes better than then cardboard moldy food students get. That needs to change.

[@missyrose2154]

Something is wrong with our country if schools refuse to feed students! What will throwing the food away accomplish? That is a waste

[@Rose-zt8zh]

I remember in elementary I found hair in my lunch

[@jackcole1014]

Lesson learned. You owe people shit they get to fuck with you

[@angelinahall2219]

They have to stay in school at least 7 hrs a day it's the school s responsibility to feed them

[@Player-xf6tc]

In my school a bottle of water is a *”snack”*

[@goldenhair7195]

Contact the parents for the bill instead of embarrassing the student in front of his class mates and denying him a meal. Common sense..

[@speeddemon7898]

This is absurd why would a school make a student to throw out their food cause they didn't pay yet. This school should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this to happen

[@realar]

Throwing away good food is a plight that needs to END in this country.

[@karenbrown2135]

Something similar like this happened to my daughter when she was in High School. She owed some lunch money and they denied her lunch. So she didn’t eat anything until I picked her up after school. Their is something “seriously” wrong with the schools today.

[@jillmac2000]

Why are they punishing the child for the parents' debts? Why are they publicly shaming the child? Why are they wasting money and food? If they were not going to allow him to eat the food, why did they allow him to take the food? Don't they have free lunches for low income families in schools anymore?

[@serenitym_13]

God I feel bad for people in those schools if we owe debt we still get to eat

[@Zanybandz123]

Throw it away so my school can re-use it for their lunch xD

[@hunteryt7819]

Now remember when we didn’t even have to pay for lunch?

[@jinov191]

remember when schools didn't have free lunches and it was up to the parents to feed their children? why are there so many people who believe that the government has to pay for everything one needs or wants?

[@carolmccullough-kuchar4782]

How is a student who is under age able to pay for their lunch? This is insane.

[@MrBluegreennrg]

Tough love young man; this was a lesson of economics in adulthood. We the people, in this great nation of ours, had more then 3/4 million people file for chapter 8. Our national debt is what it is. Do we need more lessons in budget management for our young adults? If this was a younger kid then no, don't throw it away and some kind of food program needs to be in place.

[@zackpowell4180]

wow thats ridiculous. .how dare someone tell someone to throw out his lunch. ...shame on that school

[@jerrycorrea5974]

this is why we should pay before we get our food like at my school and most restaurants.

[@sir.confident]

Simply put: You don't pay.....well.....you don't have a legal right to a meal. That was just commonsense growing up.

[@mariaolivares2996]

Their no such thing as free ride it's helping them grow faster mentally. Everything cost money grow up

[@mirrorflame1988]

Don't waste food and don't stamp on the dignity of children or anyone for that matter! It has severe consequences. What happened to conscience?! These psychos!

[@theHAL9000]

The more unpopular view might be that this is a lesson to pay one's bill. He didn't appear to be economically disadvantaged and if he was I'm sure there is recourse for him. Harsher lessons will await him as an adult such as- don't make car payments … lose your car, or home, or good credit rating. Why didn't he give that $5.00 he had on him to the staff first … instead of somewhat flippantly offering after the fact with a "keep the change"? Life is a learning experience, and valuable lessons when one is young will have important payoffs later in life. How about throwing a PP&J or similar and a piece of fruit in to a bag before leaving the house and take it to school? More at stake here for the student than just the price of lunch.

[@jenc8121]

Children should not be held responsible for owed school lunch tickets. Feed the kids and bill the parents. Or get donations to cover it

[@alfreddipace3350]

If the kids owed money they shouldn't have given the meal in the first place. Shaming him after he received the tray is deplorable.

[@railfanninginohiowithjessi9844]

we need to stop giving all this money to teachers and staff and put free lunches for all students