Child Refused His Lunch At School

[mikey4444]

I have seen this on the BBC website this morning ::

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-22855011

Did the school handle this is in the best way ? It seems to me that common sense went out the window when this young boy wanted his lunch. Yet the school seems to be entirely unfazed.

[horselady]

I think the parent has gone a bit over the top by going to the press when he knew he owed money. Having said that, I was a school dinner lady for years when my kids were young and there is no way any of us would have let a child go without a meal in a situation such as that.

[~Wingnut~]

I'm a primary school cook (on sick leave, hence why I can post at this time on a morning!) Theres no way we wouldn't have served him or any child that is behind on their payments. The school wouldn't allow for us to do this anyway!
Their excuse is they were abiding by school rules! One of their rules is to upset and allow a child to go hungry? Why not chase the money up afterwards? Or if they knew he was in arrears why not check to see if he has brought in a packed lunch first thing, if not ring parent to bring in a packed lunch and that the bill needs settling!

[THECORBYLOON]

As he was a governor there, would you not expect him to have ensured he had paid on time? The school has said the parents were telt three times about the money owed and the consequences of not paying. He is upset about the policy so did he raise any objections about it when it was first proposed or at any subsequent times? It is unfortunate the wee boy had to go without a meal but it is the parents' fault not the school's.

[andres]

What happened to school dinner tickets ,paid on a Friday for the coming week's dinners.

[ludwig]

// Ryanair however are a different kettle of fish. It's now a £70 (not £30) penalty (per passenger per leg) for not printing your Boarding Card //

Surely that's discrimination against the able bodied?

[THECORBYLOON]

Are they running Boarding Schools now?

[youngmafbog]

It says at the bottom of the article they were told of the debt. They failed to clear it.

As a governor he should have known better. I suspect there is more to this story than meets the eye.

[emmie]

i expect there is.. ^

[bednobs]

idiot parents. They were informed THREE times that there was no credit, yet still didn't pay, Idiot 11 year old who CRIES because he didn't have any lunch, Idiot dad for going to the press, resigning from governers and pulling both children out of school (presumably till he finds a school that'll let his kids eat their food for free)

[elliemay1]

Typical of the media to blow this out of proportion. Taking into account what we know it's the parent's fault, not the school. But never let the truth get in the way of a good story!

[modeller]

If true I think this says it all :
// "significant numbers of previous occurrences of late payments and bad debts on school meals".
It went on to say: "Mr and Mrs Lynn were notified on three occasions prior to the mealtime of interest that their debt was due and that their son would not receive a meal if the debt remained unpaid." //

[Uriah Heep]

For £1.75 this is shocking. To do this to a child beggers belief. It takes us back to the days of debtors prisons. I am restraining myself.

[elliemay1]

I still insist that it's totally the parent's fault. He's doing his children no favours by taking them out of school.

[yogasun]

It's funny how people are so different. I like to think that I wouldn't have been in debt in the first place, and if I had a letter I would have been mortified and rushed into school to settle the debt so as not to embarrass my children.

[elliemay1]

I agree, yogasun. He said no teacher told him of the problem yet the school says he was informed 3 times. Who would you believe? Some parents just can't accept responsibility and pass the buck. Maybe because he was on the Board he thought he was above the rules.

[emmie]

i rather favour the school.

[EcclesCake]

I'm really struggling to understand what the underlying issue is.

School have notified the parent who is also a Governor that money is owed. Parent takes no action despite being advised of consequences. Child gets no lunch and cries.........and this is all the schools fault????

There really must be much more to this report.

[emmie]

which is what some thought from the beginning, not nice for the child caught in the middle of course

[cazzz1975]

If I were the school I would have called the parents and told them that today's meal would be the last meal given and tomorrow there would be no more, the ball would be in the parents court, it could have been sorted out without the lad going through all that.