Help please, need advice, what would you do if this happened to your child??

[Goes4ever]

ok first off my wife was called into work a couple hours early, and in her mad rush to get ready she forgot to send my son's lunch money with him, we normally pay 2-3 weeks worth at a time. Well today she forgot to check his account online and did not realize he was out of funds.

well fast forward to his lunchtime.......he gets in line, gets his lunch and makes his way to the cashier, hands her his card, they swipe it and say there is no balance left, and take his lunch away from him and inform him there are NO charges allowed in the last month of school. SO HE WAS NOT ALLOWED TO EAT ANYTHING. So not only was he embarrassed to have his lunch taken away from him in front of the other kids, but he went with no food all day!
No one bothered to call my wife nor me to let us know he needed money. One of us would have ran him out money or something to eat if lunch was over.

Now to make things worse he is first on the bus and last off at the end of the day, so he eats breakfast at 6:30am, and does not return home until 3:50pm
how would you like it if your child had to go all that time without any nutrition??

my wife was so upset she was in tears, I am going to call the principal in the morning when I get up. How do I handle this? My wife thinks our son was neglected and is just extremely upset. I am really upset myself that the school neglects children this way, pretty pathetic behaviour coming from a school system.

 

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[Shortstack]

I would probably end up in jail after an upclose and personal conversation with the Principal.

 

[trish76642]

First of all, you have a right to be mad, i'd be furious!
Usually the school will let them charge it and send a note home to the parents..
Yes, you make sure you call the school! They may not even be aware of how the cafeteria worker handled the cituation.

 

[mikeofaustin]

Sadly, the school will probably say "Sorry", and hang up.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

If that happened to one of my kids, all you on TNet, would have been able to hear me!

I'd be at the cafeteria, the Principal's office AND the friggin' school board - not to mention the newspaper.

(probably just before I got to jail)

B

 

[Cynangyl]

I would at least press them to explain why you were not informed! I would think they could come up with a way to take care of this in a different manner as to not have the child embarrassed as well. At the very least you calling should make them rethink how it was handled plus maybe plan to let parents know in the future so things can be taken care of.

 

[Goes4ever]

well I spoke quite sternly with him and as I thought, he tried to pass the buck onto the cafeteria people, he claims they are a separate entity and they make their own rules. I was transferred down to talk to the head cafeteria lady and the same thing, run around the bush she blamed the school and the principal.

My wife wrote a letter to the paper, our only hope is that they print it so everyone in town can read how our tax dollars for the school are being spent. I am quite frustrated to say the least!!!

 

[bootybay]

Oh I would be livid, go in asap and see that principal...and have this never happen again..but I sure as heck would be pissed to hell n back.. they could of called, sent a note home saying he owed money.. but no, let a child go hungry all day.. but you can bet those that are low income, their kids sure get the free lunches now don't they. its a disgrace.. go in and let em have it..

 

[Cynangyl]

I am afraid I would have told the principal no passing the buck, I entrust the care of my child to the school....that means you! What are you going to do about it? Of course I was never the favorite in the school office when my kids were growing up either!

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Talk about the true meaning of "out of the mouths of babes" - taking food from a child.

Geez, wasn't there at least ONE responsible adult there to pay for his lunch?

Ok, this is going to bother me for awhile, and its not even my child.

Let's start a "write-in" program to your local newspaper and school - and make sure EVERYONE knows about it.

B


UPDATE question: How much is your child's lunch every day?

 

[Goes4ever]

what is a
"write in program"

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Letters to the editor, and letters to the school.

B

 

[Goes4ever]

my wife wrote a nice long letter to the editor and dropped it off today, lets just hope they print it!

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Good for her!

I hope you keep us updated.

I had modified my last post - don't know if you caught it - how much is your child's lunch every day?


B

 

[Goes4ever]

$2.00 per day

 

[MD Dog]

I'd sue them to make them change their policies so it would never happen again.

 

[WindHarvester]

This is one of the many ways the American educational system has been failing the folks that fund it.

I too would be furious, if it were me I would do my homework and not let it get swept under the rug.

Lonnie

 

[roswellborn]

well I spoke quite sternly with him and as I thought, he tried to pass the buck onto the cafeteria people, he claims they are a separate entity and they make their own rules. I was transferred down to talk to the head cafeteria lady and the same thing, run around the bush she blamed the school and the principal.

My wife wrote a letter to the paper, our only hope is that they print it so everyone in town can read how our tax dollars for the school are being spent. I am quite frustrated to say the least!!!

Okay, here's one more thought (i.e. probably worth only 2¢ anyway)...

Write another letter, pretty much like what you sent to the editor, and send it to the principal, with a CC to these folks also: the school board, the school superintendent, each newspaper in town, the local tv stations (all of 'em). Make darn sure that each one of 'em knows the others are also getting a copy of the same letter!

You WILL get a response!

good luck,
Nan

 

[bigfish31]

I'll bet they threw away more food that day than he could ever eat!

 

[RON (PA)]

I would be flipping mad too. I find it amazing that an adult would not give up $2.00 so that a child can eat. These teachers are not of the same caliber as the teachers that I had in school. Also in this age of computers, you would think that you would get an e-mail, letter in the mail, etc, that you account is running low.


Just an idea, if you want give us the name of the school and we will write letters to the principal, food service, director, etc.

Hope it helps.

They should have let your child eat, call you explain the situation, and I'm sure being the good parent that you are, you would have brought the money up to the lunch lady that day. To not even call you, that is dispicable.