Elementary School Kids Have Their Lunches Thrown Away Because They Were in Debt

Up to 40 kids at Uintah Elementary in Salt Lake City picked up their lunches Tuesday, then watched as the meals were taken and thrown away because of outstanding balances on their accounts — a move that shocked and angered parents.

“It was pretty traumatic and humiliating,” said Erica Lukes, whose 11-year-old daughter had her cafeteria lunch taken from her as she stood in line Tuesday at Uintah Elementary School, 1571 E. 1300 South.

Lukes said as far as she knew, she was all paid up. “I think it’s despicable,” she said. “These are young children that shouldn’t be punished or humiliated for something the parents obviously need to clear up.”

After the children had their perfectly good lunches thrown away, they were given milk and fruit, which a Salt Lake City District spokesman says is standard practice in the district when kids don’t have money to pay for lunch. Parents say they should have been notified much earlier about the outstanding balances, and the school district has since apologized.

Let’s remember this story from last year about the school district in Texas that figured out it would save a bunch of money by offering free lunches to all students.

Photo: USDA

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