| December 2, 2002 |
| Dear Editor, |
| According to an article appearing on the front page of The Inter-Mountain (Nov. 9, 2002 - Vol. 110, No. 35) and continued on page 7A, the Randolph County Board of Education has established a new lunch bill collection policy in which they propose to serve cold lunches to those children whose parents are delinquent in paying school lunch bills. Perhaps the members of the Board of Education should ask themselves who is to blame for the past due bills and, therefore, who deserves to be punished. They also need to consider the effects that this proposal may have on the children whose parents do not respond. |
| Little Johnny, only six years old, is headed through the lunch line with his best friend, Billy. He and Billy are excited because hotdogs and French fries are on the menu for today (their favorite). When they reach the lunch counter, Billy eagerly grabs his hotdog tray and Johnny's eyes swell up with tears as he stares down at the dry peanut butter sandwich that has replaced the hotdog on his tray. Then Billy notices Johnny holding the tray with tears starting to drip from the corners of his eyes, and he, in a not so quiet voice, asks, "Why aren't you eating a hotdog, Johnny?" Johnny just shrugs as the tears begin to roll fiercely down his tiny cheeks. A couple of older children, noticing the commotion, points at Johnny and starts whispering. One yells out, "Look, that kid is poor." (Snickers all around) Billy, not wanting to be embarrassed because of Johnny, utters as he walks away from him, "stay away from me." By now, Johnny is in distress. |
| To begin with, grade school children (primarily the younger ones - k-3) are highly unlikely to understand why they are being treated unequally. Their feelings become hurt...they believe they are being punished...they don't feel as important as the ones eating 'pizza.' Imagine this scenario: |
| When children are placed in this sort of predicament, they may face more of a struggle in the development of self-esteem as well as academic achievement. Is this the way children should be treated because of the parents' neglect? It is not the fault of the little ones that there are overdue lunch bills. Further, they have no means of paying or making their parents pay. |
| Although middle and high school students have a better understanding as to why they are served 'peanut butter sandwiches' instead of 'pizza,' they may still be negatively affected by the lunch policy. When these adolescents are greeted with such differentiation, they will probably choose to go hungry. In addition, they will likely become angered and lash out at teachers and fellow students as well as their parents. They may begin stealing money to pay for their lunches. This is not a situation that needs to be impacted upon them. These kids have enough to worry about with peer pressure and schoolwork, without having to deal with why their parents aren't paying the lunch bill. |
| All students challenged by the embarrassment and/or disappointment brought forth by the new lunch policy may become more apt to bully others, steal, and feel unworthy. They are more prone to low self-esteem and possible depression (especially teens who are already predisposed candidates for depression). Some of these children - typically the ones who are neglected at home - may look forward to eating at school, as that may be the only hot food they get during the week (possibly the only food). |
| Perhaps it is not the responsibility of the school system to provide a hot lunch for every child whose parents or guardians neglect to pay. However, instead of taking action against innocent youngsters, the caregivers need to be punished for their own crimes. Hence, if Johnny's parents sit in the county jail for a few days, they may place more importance on that lunch bill and Johnny won't be left to cry over his peanut butter sandwich. |
| Concerned Parent |
| Cold Lunch or Jail Time? Who Should be Punished? |
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