According to CBS News, after acknowledging a failure in the school’s notification system to let parents know balances of the school lunch program’s students were low, the school made the decision at Tuesday’s lunch line to teach these kids a very important lesson. As the kids moved to the end of the line with their food, staff took the lunches and threw them in the garbage in front of the students. Kids said they felt the staff was angry at them, and for reasons they were not aware of or able to understand.
What is easy to understand is that children can not be treated with discriminatory behavior by adults that are supposed to be in charge of their education and well being. To do so in front of other children is even more reprehensible, as it sends the message that there is something so inherently wrong with these particular children that they do not deserve to eat lunch. Kids don’t understand clerical errors and computer glitches, nor should they become victims when a school fails to establish adequate billing or communication systems.
Bully for you, Salt Lake City Elementary School. Let’s hope your program isn’t force-fed to other schools across America.