02-15-2012, 08:46 PM
This was on Limbaugh today - not sure if that's where you heard it Swampy. As usual he lied about what happened and blew it completely out of proportion to reality.
The girl's sack lunch was not taken away. It's not clear what was in that lunch, the school's version and the parent's version don't match. She was offered additional food, which is what USDA guidelines require. The girl chose to eat the school food, nobody forced her to. I agree that with a 4 year old there will be confusion and there should be some sort of discussion about this with parents in advance, the story doesn't say if the school did that, and expectations and policies should be completely clear to all parties so parents aren't surprised if their child is offered supplemental food.
"Sites must provide breakfast and/or snacks and lunch meeting USDA requirements during the regular school day. The partial/full cost of meals may be charged when families do not qualify for free/reduced price meals.
"When children bring their own food for meals and snacks to the center, if the food does not meet the specified nutritional requirements, the center must provide additional food necessary to meet those requirements."
They are required to by law.
I worked in a school where many kids were on free or reduced lunch, but also where kids showed up regularly with corn chips and coke for lunch, or nothing. There was not much the school could do. I get the whole "big brother" thing but we also have too many children in our country not getting good nutrition.
The girl's sack lunch was not taken away. It's not clear what was in that lunch, the school's version and the parent's version don't match. She was offered additional food, which is what USDA guidelines require. The girl chose to eat the school food, nobody forced her to. I agree that with a 4 year old there will be confusion and there should be some sort of discussion about this with parents in advance, the story doesn't say if the school did that, and expectations and policies should be completely clear to all parties so parents aren't surprised if their child is offered supplemental food.
"Sites must provide breakfast and/or snacks and lunch meeting USDA requirements during the regular school day. The partial/full cost of meals may be charged when families do not qualify for free/reduced price meals.
"When children bring their own food for meals and snacks to the center, if the food does not meet the specified nutritional requirements, the center must provide additional food necessary to meet those requirements."
What if the kid had shown up with a coke and a twinkie? Would it be OK for the school employee to intervene?
They are required to by law.
I worked in a school where many kids were on free or reduced lunch, but also where kids showed up regularly with corn chips and coke for lunch, or nothing. There was not much the school could do. I get the whole "big brother" thing but we also have too many children in our country not getting good nutrition.