The proposed policy change would allow an unpaid balance to go to $75 before parents are called in for a meeting and kids would be restricted in their breakfast or lunch, according to district spokeswoman Barbara Wilson.
“They may choose from the meal of the day,” Wilson said. “Under the new policy, they’ll be able to choose whatever meal is on the menu for that day. But they may not choose snacks and a la carte items off the menu.”
The current policy, which is not being enforced, calls for tuna fish as the backup meal, which some parents considered shameful since it would make their kids stand out.
“The board did listen to the community concerns about that and decided that it would be better not to be offering the alternate meal,” Wilson added, “not to be having children identified as having an account in arrears by being served a tuna fish meal.”
The district has already forgiven $25,000 in outstanding food bills, but now there’s an $18,000 bill involving some 350 families, about five percent of the district. The revised policy could be adopted at the board’s next meeting Oct. 15.
By the way, tuna fish is on the a la carte menu, and Wilson says some kids actually like it.