School lunch worker quits after being forced to refuse hot meal to poor student

[Tsiyu]

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/school-lunch-worker-quits-after-being-forced-to-refuse-hot-meal-to-poor-student/ar-BBwoZd7?li=BBmkt5R

“As a Christian, I have an issue with this,” said Koltiska, of Canonsburg, Pa. “It’s sinful and shameful is what it is.”

Rather than continue to enforce the policy at Wylandville Elementary School in Eighty Four, Pa., Koltiska tendered her resignation last week. Koltiska said in an interview that she had worked for the school district for two years. She said she was stunned by the new policy, which began this fall.

Students who were refused the hot meal instead got a sandwich made of two slices of wheat bread and a single, cold slice of “government cheese,” Koltiska said. The contents of the hot lunch, such as chicken nuggets or corn dog bites, were thrown away, Koltiska said, even though parents would still be charged the full regular price of $2.05 for the meal. Koltiska said that she resigned out of a moral obligation.

“God is love, and we should love one another and be kind,” Koltiska said. “There’s enough wealth in this world that no child should go hungry, especially in school. To me this is just wrong.”

Sounds like the parents have to pay for the meal the school refuses to feed the child. So the school is showing children the waste of capitalism. When money is all that matters, common sense takes a long walk off a short pier.

Is there no adult in that entire school district who has the means to help families who are poor but do not quite qualify for aid?

Are we better as a society when we refuse a kid lunch because $25? Oh, yeah. I'm sure the district needs all the money they can get to make up for tax breaks they give to corporations, developers and large retailers. I forgot how things work in 'Murrica.

[uppityperson]

1. "There has never been the intent with the adoption of this policy to shame or embarrass a child"? BS

Bull

[lpbk2713]

2. How the hell can they say that?

If they even considered that statement for two seconds they should see how wrong they are.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

3. I find it easy to imagine, if I were a cafeteria worker,

that I'd pay for lunches rather than see students go hungry or eat such garbage.

It's appalling that people are fired for being compassionate.

[Sherman A1]

4. I believe it is now time to do some serious

shaming of the school, the district and those who instituted this absurd policy which was certainly designed to shame the students who could not pay.

[Tsiyu]

9. Yes

There are some universal traits all "normal" humans should express, in my opinion.

If you have lost the humanity and compassion to reflexively want to make sure the younger generation is well-nourished -- or even simply to tolerate the notion -- your society is gone.

You are North Korea, with malnourished school children growing up to be stunted adults so Dear Leader can have MOAR. You are a society that's doomed.

Look at the wealth in this nation.

And we resent giving a kid lunch.

Maybe one will trickle down on him if we give corporations and churches more tax breaks.

[jmowreader]

5. Can't these people move the pay station to BEFORE the food line?

When I read these tales of woe, I remember my carefree days at ould Heyburn Elementary School in St. Maries, ID.

This place...



(well, except that when I went there the lumberjack guy in front had a solid red shirt and no axe, the freezers weren't there and the front yard was fenced in because the playground equipment was out there. The playground behind the school was paved.)

Our lunchroom was in the basement, which was one of the city's numerous public bomb shelters. You'd go down this very long staircase and, before you ever got close to food, you had to pass the lady who took lunch tickets.

WHY can't these asshole school administrators do that?

[madokie]

6. Better yet

Why can the asshole rich pay their fair share of taxes so all kids could get a good nutritious meal at school
The rich not wanting to pay taxes and not being forced too is the problem here

[lostnfound]

8. Because American children have no intrinsic value to Americans unlike the French

Who treat their children with this:

[Tsiyu]

10. But Freedom

We can't serve our kids wholesome, nutritious meals because Freedom.


But seriously, the French apparently love their children. We resent ours, by the looks of some US school lunch programs.

[lostnfound]

20. Kind of ironic from country that generated "Let Them Eat Cake!"

[Codeine]

22. Damn that's some overcooked broccoli. nt

[Tsiyu]

25. Some kids have trouble eating raw veggies

because they have braces or teeth being lost or growing in. Softer foods are sometimes prepared for kids for that reason.

Better to lose a bit of texture and nutrients than not be able to consume the food at all.

But that is pure speckalation as relates to the pic at hand.

[philosslayer]

27. Better yet, why can't a meal be free

For whoever needs one. Why are we forcing children to PAY for lunch? Lunch (and breakfast) should be free.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

7. The school should check with the parents

and find out their financial situation. They should qualify for free school lunch (or at least reduced price). There's a pretty simple form that needs to be filled out.

A better deal is when the school districts can provide free breakfast and lunch to all students. They still need the forms filled out to provide to the feds for this though. If there is a high enough population of poor students in the district, they can do this. I know they do this where I live. I would like to see this just be a universal thing... all school districts offer free breakfast and lunch, regardless of percentage of poor students because some people don't fill out the forms. Have the cost of the meals rolled up into the cost of education because feeding the kids shouldn't be looked at as an optional expense.

[dembotoz]

16. our school lunch account was always in the red cause my youngest treated the lunch as an all you can

eat buffet.

long hockey practice before school sometimes did not have breakfast
cause lord knows getting ready for school was something he did not do quickly.

body the size of a football lineman but he loved ice over the turf.....

not fat but big
couple weeks back we had to move some stuff....damn that kid is strong

alas hockey and high school are over and he is finally learning portion control....but damn when he is in the mood....

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

31. It is nice when you can check that online

Some school districts let you see the student account balances online. I know before they did that it was hard to have any idea how much money they have. Sometimes my kids would eat breakfast at school and sometimes they wouldn't. Once they get to middle school they have regular meal options plus a la carte stuff. I told my son he is eating the regular lunch and I'm not paying for the a la carte because that is mostly pizza and french fries and things like that. That reminds me I should check his account balance sometime. I set up a weekly notification for the grades, so I don't sign into the school site much anymore.

[gratuitous]

11. Kim Davis: This is how it's done

You don't want to do your job? Quit. Whether it's issuing marriage licenses to all citizens who apply and qualify, or acting as a collection agent and public shamer for a school that doesn't know how else to manage its lunch program, if your government job offends your religious sensibilities, quit your government job.

Also, this school district needs to re-examine its heartless policy, and quit making its lunch line workers act as the muscle for its collection efforts.

[LWolf]

12. As a PERSON, I have an issue with this.

Of course, to be honest, I don't know that the bread and cheese are any less nutritious than chicken nuggets or corn dog bites.

I have two issues with school meals:

1. Breakfast and lunch should be no charge available to all.

2. The food served should be local, fresh, sugar and empty-carb free, nothing over-processed, and prepared in a real kitchen right on site, served on real, washable plates, with real, washable utensils, washed and re-used.

[Tsiyu]

13. You know what will freak you out?

Watch a video of Japanese school lunchtime routines. Great food, group activity, used as a method to teach teamwork, responsibility, food safety and as a way to socialize.

Can you imagine teaching our kids to celebrate food and shared meals? Nope. This is "murrica, where we herd you into a room, plop some slop on a tray and tell you to shut up.

Honestly, I thought the same thing about the nugget/sammich, except some kids don't do well with the dairy/wheat combo, and it's not enough nutrition for a growing child who may not be getting enough to eat at home.

Any child that ever came to my table was fed abundantly. That's the way I was raised. We had a dozen kids or more sometimes at the table, and I can not imagine ever telling a single one they didn't deserve to have a full belly. It would crush me to do so.

But I'm the crazy liberal, right?

In 'Murrica, it's nuts to have an instinctive sense to feed the next generation properly.

[LWolf]

14. I've seen that.

I've seen what many other countries do, that is so much healthier in so many ways.

I'm old enough to remember when we did have real kitchens and real food in public schools, although we still charged them a fee.

Having worked in public schools since 1983, and seen what is offered on a daily basis, and had the "school lunch food" conversation with my students for so many years, I'd love to change it. And, having had so many children who needed to eat, whose parents didn't pay for them to eat for whatever reason, I'd NEVER turn a student away from a meal, whether or not somebody judged that they could "afford" it.

[philosslayer]

28. Real washable utensils?

Including knives? You are aware of course that many schools have zero tolerance rules when it comes to knives. ANY knife, even a butter knife, is grounds for potential expulsion.

[LWolf]

30. Yes, I'm aware, and yes, real knives.

Butter knives, so that when a real piece of chicken, for example, is served, it can really be cut into bite-sized pieces.

Zero tolerance has run it's course, and we're seeing the light on the horizon.

[lonestarnot]

15. When someone is hungry, I guess they will eat the slop slung onto paper plate by school cafeteria.

To deny hungry children dog food is what were about in schools. That's what teachers eat on salaries they are payed while we pay sportsters millions. Now we depriving hungry of the dog food.

[Tsiyu]

17. Same school district approved $1.2 million for a new football stadium

Go America! A shining beacon to the world.

http://www.observer-reporter.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20150507/NEWS01/150509538

[lonestarnot]

18. No doubt and let them eat footballs aren't they pork made?

[eppur_se_muova]

19. Good for her, for speaking out publicly in a very effective way.

As a non-Christian, I also have an issue with this policy. I just think every American should have an issue with it, whatever their beliefs otherwise.

[Tsiyu]

21. Agreed

but I thought I would highlight a Christian who is living her faith, not just mouthing it.

Thanks to all above who commented and rec'd

May you never know hunger

[eppur_se_muova]

29. I can also admire that, especially contrasted with right-wing "Christian" hypocrisy. nt

[Codeine]

23. Fuck. A hot meal should be part of the cost of educating a kid.

A child ostracized and hungry isn't going to be a learner and thus represents wasted money from a purely fiscal standpoint. You'd think these fuckers would at least understand a basic economic truth even if they aren't human beings.

[Tsiyu]

24. This video shows the modern "pragmatic" view of how

to treat hungry children in America.

"If those sniveling little poor kids can't feed themselves, screw 'em. It's survival of the fittest. Their parents suck, and that's not MY fault. Football is God's sport, you commie!

"And, oh, yeah, doncha fergitt, we're a CHRISSCHUN nation so don't offend me with your liberal bleeding heart compassion fer poor sucker kids!"

This is the fantasy world of some in this nation.

Our school administrators and municipal leaders are devolving into barbarians so they can have expensive sports stadiums, so retailers can have tax breaks.

It's acceptable to permit adults to utilize the school systems for their entertainment needs using tax funds.

It is UNACCEPTABLE to use school tax funds to ensure that a hungry child is nourished so that they can concentrate on their studies.

This will end well.

[NaturalHigh]

26. Good for her.