School Throws Away Hot Meals Of Over 40 Students, Reason Why Sparks Outrage

Note: we are republishing this story which originally made the news in November 2019.

In a regrettable turn of events at Richfield High School, a lunchtime policy was disastrously enforced, impacting dozens of students. Richfield Public Schools Superintendent Steven Unowsky acknowledged the improper implementation of the alternate lunch policy by the nutrition staff. Approximately 40 students had their hot lunches removed and replaced with cold options due to outstanding lunch debts exceeding $15.

Unowsky expressed concern over the multiple failures in handling the situation, emphasizing the need to address the issues promptly. “Our job is to fix it. Primarily, in the manner in which we interacted with our students. We should never leave kids with the feeling they had from the experience,” he stated. Richfield High School Principal Latanya Daniels also admitted to the wrongdoing, highlighting the importance of handling failures gracefully and working to rectify mistakes.

The proper course of action, according to Unowsky, involves allowing students to keep their lunches if they are in the line with a tray, regardless of the balance at the register. The balance would be noted electronically, avoiding public disclosure, and parents would be informed later. Students could then be approached privately by a social worker or guidance counselor to assess their needs. Alternatively, students with negative balances would be discreetly notified before entering the lunch line.

The leaders at Richfield High School acknowledged the total failure in this instance, offering apologies to the affected students and pledging to prevent such incidents in the future. However, the issue of lunch debt remains a significant challenge for the district, with an anticipated unpaid lunch bill of $20,000 by the end of the school year, despite nearly 65% of students qualifying for free lunch.

This situation has sparked discussions among lawmakers in Minnesota and other cities regarding potential legislation to address the growing problem of lunch debt in schools. The leaders at Richfield High School are actively working to find solutions, ensuring that no student faces humiliation or distress due to lunch debts in the future.

While acknowledging the missteps in enforcing the lunch policy, the school’s leaders are committed to learning from these errors and implementing changes to prevent similar incidents. The focus is on creating a supportive environment for students, irrespective of their financial circumstances, and ensuring that lunch debts do not become a source of embarrassment or hardship for any student in the district.

In conclusion, the incident at Richfield High School has prompted a reevaluation of lunch policies, with a commitment to fostering a more compassionate and considerate approach to handling students’ meal debts. The leaders are determined to turn this unfortunate incident into an opportunity for positive change in the school’s policies and practices.

Sources: KARE11