yes, but it doesnt say much for the parents who dont pay for their childs lunches, BUCK UP PARENTS

Seldom do I hear a story that dismays and disgusts me as much as this. Do we just pay lip service to the idea that it takes a community to raise our children? Discrimination and penalties against kids who need to eat (irregardless of their ability to pay) is so far beyond the pale that it resembles abuse. Is that the BEST solution the public employees we have entrusted our children to can come up with? If so, perhaps they should seek other employment.

Haven't these people heard about garnishing wages? Don't hurt the kids...make the responsible party (parents) pay. Send them a bill. If they don't pay, then I say, garnish their wages. If the parents "can't" pay, then make them work scrubbing the dishes and the toilets at the schools.

Haven't these people heard about garnishing wages? Don't hurt the kids...make the responsible party (parents) pay. Send them a bill. If they don't pay, then I say, garnish their wages. If the parents "can't" pay, then make them work scrubbing the dishes and the toilets at the schools.

Why should they even provide the cheese sandwich? Since when are schools responsible for feeding our children? That is our responsibility as parents. They can buy a lunch, or bring their own. Are there some facts about this that aren't being disclosed, or assumed?
Are the school systems feeding children for free? I certainly hope that the cost of the cheese sandwich is being added to the bill to the respective families.

Hey there No Free Lunch and a couple others. The children are being punished by a few with clean shirts on and a desk to eat their lunch. Yes it is probably delivered to them and I'm sure THEY don't pay. The tax money sent in ( or lets say a forced issue of stealing ) goes to schools. When I was there i would have been happy with a couple pieses of bread and a slice of cheese. Now they get served up like it's a steak house and it's not being paid for in TAX money ???? I SMELL A RAT !!!! Home school your children,, take back your tax money and let the school district eat all their own leftovers. What a crock !!!! Pay YOU for a LUNCH when you CHARGE so much just to be in school... THIS is not a collage !!!!!!!

Don't punish the kids; punish the parents! That lunch may be the only hot meal the child gets a day! The school needs to find another way.

A parent wouldn't take their child to McDonald's and expect for them to eat for free. The school lunch system is no different. It costs money to feed children and it can't be done for free. I hate having to tell children they don't have enough money to eat but the children always get a sandwich.

If it were a school district that was having financial opportunities I would be more concerned. The Edmonds School District is sitting on huge tracts of empty, tax free real estate. I feel they should continue to feed the children and contact the parents to find out why they're not paying. To take a tray of food from a child and throw it away is ridiculous

I dont feel sorry for the school district. They let this go way to far. The school has state reduced and free lunch applications on hand to send home with children. The forms take all of 4 minutes to fill out and if there is a problem with finances, its a good chance the family will qualify. The principal of the school has a responsibility to track these families, and get them to take action, even if means calling for a mandatory parent meeting at the school to get the form filled out. Not providing for a childs dietary needs is akin to child abuse and should be treated as such with aggressive action such as a meeting.

In the mean time, children are given cheese sandwiches so they dont go without. The bread is whole wheat, four slices of cheese meet the protein requirement to ensure the kids can function through the day and retain what they learn.

Usually the kids hit the cashier BEFORE they get to the trays, so if the schools in question are not set up this way, they may want to reverse their set up so they can quietly intercept children before they touch prepared trays and the trays are not tossed. (MERSA concerns, strict health codes necessitate the throw out..our policy is, you touch it, you take it, lord knows what is on their little hands after a visit to the bathroom..its impossible to make them wash their hands all the time)

Each kitchen gets a count in the morning on how many children are having hot lunches. If children are being served hot lunches without paying, the count gets messed up and often paying children, state funded or not, end up getting less at meal time when the kitchen runs out of food.
We served 20 cheese sandwich packets yesterday, that included milk and wholegrain crackers. I hope that my school will not let our problem get out of hand, we have cut back in our kitchens and as it is, we are paying more and getting less.

So, Edmonds, get a backbone and start calling these parents into the office for a mandatory meeting. The parents in question will never be able to come up with that kind of money to payback, it never should have been let go that far.Call it a loss, of failure to implement procedure and get the kids signed up now for this year. BUT, as long as the child is accepted into the school, they must have food to eat, to be able to function and learn from the teachers we are paying for.

This is an issue of parental neglect, AND school mishandling of the situation.

Feed the children.........in America no child should be neglected or go hungry. To take food away from a hungry child is criminal.

People in the Edmonds District need to be fired. How can they let accounts get to over $200,000? A lot of districts have the policy that once the account is minus $10, a cheese sandwich is provided. I wonder who made up the deficit, parents with higher school lunch prices and taxpayers?

Give the kids lunch. A healthy kid and fueled kid produces better in the classroom. Those kids will have more energy to learn. They will grow up and thanks to hot meals will go to college and get good jobs and take care of their families.

There are plenty of ways to cut expenses and make back the $200,000 without taking it out on the poor kids of poor students.

Don't blame the kids for the parent's mistakes.

We must take care of those less fortunate than us. That is what the bible and all religions of this world preach, and what common sense should tell us.

A healthy humanity is more important than a few bucks.

Yeah but Josh, to have a "Healthy Humanity" unfortunately it does cost money...And I agree with those who say to garnish a parents wage, don't punish a child because their parents cannot pay...that's why these children have a reduced price lunch anyway. And this "$207,000" how many years collectively is that from? A school lunch from what I can remember should only cost about 2 dollars...

I've always thought that there should be a sort of prepaid lunch card that should be invented. That way everything is paid for upfront and this wouldn't be an issue.

My kids receive reduced price lunches and we pay $2.00 per week or $0.40 per day. Each day the children are shown the balance in their account and when it reaches a point of not having enough for another day they are advised to inform their parents. Children are not given credit but are fed with the infamous cheese sandwich and milk. There are times when coming up with money for the kids is hard, but the school accepts pennies and my kids have carried little bags of pennies to get them through a day or two until we get paid.
Children shouldn't be given credit nor should families be given credit. There are means in place to deal with hunger and emergencies causing lack of food or money. Perhaps our government needs to allow school Principals to make short-term emergency decisions regarding feeding the children and then reimburse the school. Many of us 'subsisted' on cheese sandwiches and milk and look where it got us: To the point that we are too dumb to end the problem of hunger in our own country while we continue to feed the world. Dumb, stupid, irresponsible. Go ahead, blame it on the cheese sandwiches.

The person that took the food from the child should be termenated on the spot with no questions asked and there union should stay out of this who is the adult there in charge they should be gone as well

Perhaps we should simplify the way we do business with the school lunch program. No accounts, no cards, no subsidies. Start paying for lunches with cash or bring your own cheese sandwich. Children (and parents) would quickly learn and appreciate the value of the dollar. By using a more simple way of purchasing, the school district and taxpayers would see a further reduction in cost, in that fewer personnel and resources are needed in tracking accounts and expenses. We as a society are starting to require too much from our schools. Schools are responsible for educating kids; parents are responsible for feeding them.

The school adminstrators should be fired for letting this get this bad.

Have CPS visit the parents, not feeding your child is abuse.

All families can apply for Free and reduced priced meals, but not all will be eligible. I worked in a district that only allowed a 5.00 negative (3 days worth) Notes went home 2 days prior to the negative. So a weeks worth of warnings. Still people don't pay. I have personally witnessed a mother (by title) tell the FS cashier to give her kid a sandwich and they will get paid when the get paid. This while she drank a Starbucks coffee and when she left in her car she lit a cigarette. Obviously she had her priorities straight.
I agree a child should not go hungry and they are not. They are getting food, but come on. We need to be responsible for ourselves. Like someone mentioned before, go into a restaurant and see what you get for free.
The district did let this get too far, but now they are trying to correct it. Really, since the expense of those meals was paid for last year and whatever loss attributed to them are history, the District should just let it go.. Washington State has no revenue/expense carryover from year to year so it is a clean slate. They should just start the new policy and enforce it to the letter.
Adults step and do your part. Fill out an application for free meals, send money for lunch or send a lunch. It really isn’t that hard if you take responsibility and don't expect other to do for you.

When I went to school we didn’t get any “free” lunch. My Mom made sure we had something, and it wasn’t easy I’m sure as there were 5 kids and not a lot of money. I’m sure that if we had not had any lunch someone would have been knocking at the door asking why. It seems like now days as opposed to addressing the problem (as in a few idiots with kids that ought not to have them) we take a shotgun approach and feed every kid. I have to wonder if we are giving a good message to our kids-as in “don’t worry; the government will furnish everything you need.” If the parents are on food stamps or such, and have kids in school the school should receive an appropriate amount of the award. I’m not saying that any child should go hungry, or without basics, I’m saying it’s time for us to go after the freeloaders in our society. If you make babies you pay for their needs, even if that means you personally go without. Ticks me off to see a woman in the store, in $120.00 jeans, $100.00 shoes with two kids and a “welfare” credit card buying diet soda and cookies. Whatever became of what my folks told me “If ya play, Ya pay”?

Waaaaaaaaaa. Let the kids eat cheese, maybe the folks might just fill out the paperwork that was sent home... but no, Jerry Springer is on!

So it is a parents responibility to feed there kids. That also includes making sure they have food at school. So if these parents would have some consequences to there actions maybe just maybe they would grow up. So the solution is to turn those parents into CPS. Make them responsible for what they are doing. Maybe then they will start to be real parents that care about there kids..

First off, just to set where i'm coming from, I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH NO COLLEGE DEGREE! Absolutely, the school district is after the wrong culprit here. This is really is sad AMERICA!! This is not what our country is about. #1 of course the children should not suffer because of their parents irresponsible behavior. #2 there are many programs for "free lunch" that they could apply for if money is really that tight. #3 If they don't qualify then that begs one to question, where does their money go? If not for their own child's lunch, then what could be more important?? Housing and clothing? Okay, well then back to the same original question, if they are struggling with housing and clothing (since housing options are cheaper here than where I am from and there is always goodwill or garage sales for clothing, why do they not qualify for free or reduced lunch for their kids? Living above their means maybe? Maybe they are too lazy to fill out a form? Maybe they think they are too good for that and ppl might "talk", well ppl are talking anyway!!!! This is just flat ridiculous these poor kids are suffering, not only health wise, but that is ABSOLUTELY HUMILIATING THEM, the other kids know, and YES they tease, NOT TO MENTION, the affect it is having on the school district and how THAT WILL TRICKLE AFFECT EVERYONE ELSE'S CHILDREN in that district as it will limit other things the school could offer. I say the school is going after the wrong culprit. It's the lazy and INCONSIDERATE PARENTS (what are they having for lunch?), and THE SCHOOL SHOULD GARNISH THEM. For crying out loud, they could pack their kids a lunch even. I do! Egg salad on whole wheat, a few pieces of fruit, small baggie of chips and a water/juice/or milk included, lets see shopping wisely that costs me about $1.00 a day, it's healthy, takes me 5 minutes, my daughter enjoys it more than hot lunch, and yet WE QUALIFY FOR FREE LUNCH. What is wrong with AMERICA's parents??? Make those parents pay! OR, report them to CPS! If they send them to school with no lunch or way to pay for one, why on earth would they supply addiquit food at home? HOW MUCH SUFFERING ARE THOSE POOR CHILDREN GOING THROUGH? Trust me, it happens! I grew up with a mentally ill parent, rarely worked, god was against welfare, so no (electricity, no food, no heat, clothes that fit for 3yrs straight) , no schooling even until 11yrs old, and yes I was abused, not to her intent but, she was sick, and even CPS's occasional visit did no good. Lucky for me and my sister, we had a very loving aunt who eventually took us in, placed us in school and clothed and fed us. What will happen to these kids who don't have anyone to help them? This needs more than just the school district trying to deal with it. PUT THESE PARENTS ON THE NEWS, see how fast they pay up their lunch bills after that, and for the ones that really can't afford it, they'll figure out how to get assistance, and if it's really a sad situation, some gracious hearted citizen will probly step in and help out and feel wonderful about doing it. We should all consider the bigger picture everyone. Sincerely, horrified after thinking this one through! Philana Andreason

First off, just to set where i'm coming from, I AM A SINGLE MOTHER WITH NO COLLEGE DEGREE! Absolutely, the school district is after the wrong culprit here. This is really is sad AMERICA!! This is not what our country is about. #1 of course the children should not suffer because of their parents irresponsible behavior. #2 there are many programs for "free lunch" that they could apply for if money is really that tight. #3 If they don't qualify then that begs one to question, where does their money go? If not for their own child's lunch, then what could be more important?? Housing and clothing? Okay, well then back to the same original question, if they are struggling with housing and clothing (since housing options are cheaper here than where I am from and there is always goodwill or garage sales for clothing, why do they not qualify for free or reduced lunch for their kids? Living above their means maybe? Maybe they are too lazy to fill out a form? Maybe they think they are too good for that and ppl might "talk", well ppl are talking anyway!!!! This is just flat ridiculous these poor kids are suffering, not only health wise, but that is ABSOLUTELY HUMILIATING THEM, the other kids know, and YES they tease, NOT TO MENTION, the affect it is having on the school district and how THAT WILL TRICKLE AFFECT EVERYONE ELSE'S CHILDREN in that district as it will limit other things the school could offer. I say the school is going after the wrong culprit. It's the lazy and INCONSIDERATE PARENTS (what are they having for lunch?), and THE SCHOOL SHOULD GARNISH THEM. For crying out loud, they could pack their kids a lunch even. I do! Egg salad on whole wheat, a few pieces of fruit, small baggie of chips and a water/juice/or milk included, lets see shopping wisely that costs me about $1.00 a day, it's healthy, takes me 5 minutes, my daughter enjoys it more than hot lunch, and yet WE QUALIFY FOR FREE LUNCH. What is wrong with AMERICA's parents??? Make those parents pay! OR, report them to CPS! If they send them to school with no lunch or way to pay for one, why on earth would they supply addiquit food at home? HOW MUCH SUFFERING ARE THOSE POOR CHILDREN GOING THROUGH? Trust me, it happens! I grew up with a mentally ill parent, rarely worked, god was against welfare, so no (electricity, no food, no heat, clothes that fit for 3yrs straight) , no schooling even until 11yrs old, and yes I was abused, not to her intent but, she was sick, and even CPS's occasional visit did no good. Lucky for me and my sister, we had a very loving aunt who eventually took us in, placed us in school and clothed and fed us. What will happen to these kids who don't have anyone to help them? This needs more than just the school district trying to deal with it. PUT THESE PARENTS ON THE NEWS, see how fast they pay up their lunch bills after that, and for the ones that really can't afford it, they'll figure out how to get assistance, and if it's really a sad situation, some gracious hearted citizen will probly step in and help out and feel wonderful about doing it. We should all consider the bigger picture everyone. Sincerely, horrified after thinking this one through! Philana Andreason

Administrators of the Edmonds, WA School District say they owe $207,000 in school lunch money, so they are cracking down on parents who haven't paid.

Read the head line...who is that the district owes the lunch money to?

Hey! I just read an idea above that gave me an idea. How about the news crew from NWCN go door to door to the folks that owe. Knock on the door and put them on TV-ask /tell them you are investigating why people are not paying for their kid’s school lunches and you’d just like to be fare and tell their side. I’d be interested to see how many $500,000.00 houses you’d get to visit. I’ll bet folks would rather pay the bucks they owe than be on TV-wadda you think?

This has started so much discussion in the Progressive Party that we have pretty much agreed to these ideas.
Publish the names of parents who are behind in paying for lunches. Those who can, will.
Do not throw away the food. Let the children eat. They will learn better, and become the civic leaders, doctors, artists etc of the future. One could become a good enough economist to figure out how the keep the US out of messes like we have now.
Get a volunteer parent or neighbor to help the children grow a garden. They will learn a lot, and the food will cut the costs of food production.

This angers me beyond my ability to describe!
The children are innocent victims here and the parents are the ones that need to be humiliated publicly, not the children. School kids can be so cruel and here is the school district giving them ammunition....where does that have any shred of human decency attatched?
Garnish parents wages, take out an ad in the paper showing who owes money, rent a billboard, do ANYTHING other than punish the kids....sheesh people...no wonder there is so much crime in our country, we have lost our humanity!

Send a check. The change/money does not always make it to the cafe cashier. Students lose it or spend it. Some students get lunch or breakfast without telling their parents -even when they have been sent to school with a bagged lunch. Some parents refuse to pay the amount owed. Parents even threaten the cashiers. Yes threaten. Can you threaten the bank for a negative balance in your checking account? No. You have to pay it. This should be the same for school lunch. Pay for your kids lunch. These parents make it harder on others. they are the reason the school lunch department is in the whole.

Philana - please email me re: adoption.com registry!

My email is amylechner@yahoo.com.

I don't agree with it being child abuse! The kids are still offered food. Its just not the food they want to eat. Most of the time when kids are offered a breakfast or lunch they end up throwing most of it or all of it away anyway. The whole idea behind the cheese sandwhich issue is to make it uncomfortable to make the parents pay. They are not starving...unless they choose not to eat. Does anyone know how many schools in any given area are in the hole by thousands because parents aren't being responsible. If the parents would pay everyday then I am sure the quality of the food would be much better than it is now. I also didn't really see where anyone gave any other good advice or realistic solution to the problem. I think a lot more parents need to be involved in the system just know how the schools really do have to function. I think parents need to have their priorities straight. Yes, if parents are having a hard time they should fill out one of the forms at the school. I think a lot of parents are failing at being good parents anymore. They leave it up to the community to take care of their kids. Then want to complain when things don't go well or go their way. Well, my opinion is get up off your butts and take care of your kids yourself. I know there are people that struggle, but come on there are also those people who just think the world owes them! There are some parents that I know that don't pay just to spite the school because their kids are always in trouble there...(again no morals or accountability) so there for they don't think they should pay for the kids to eat at school or any other thing that needs to be funded. Alls I know is there needs to be accountability and responsibility and it starts at home. The schools are there to teach our kids not raise them. That is our job as parents. So those of you that are on here crying, "child abuse" ect...well get involved see what you can do to come up with a better solution instead of being one sided on the story. Make a differnce in the right direction. I know I am trying to. I go to the site council meetings, PTO meetings, board meetings, work, and take care of my 3 kids and home. Some parents just don't want to be involved anymore. We don't have time...I work all day....I can't....well then if your child isn't worth it then don't complain when you have rules that have to be followed that don't meet your expectations. Once again...take the time to: GET INVOLVED TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION!!!!!!!!!