ND Constitutional measure

[Slappy]

I had gave him a check to pay for lunch. I would pay 2 or 3 month a head. He forgot to take the check to the office.

This exemplifies one of the many reasons I'm opposed to taxpayer provided lunches. The lunch counter life lessons for me in elementary school were responsibility and understanding the cost of living. I learned the importance of depositing that check on time, and I saw how much a simple meal cost my parents to provide for me.

 

[Duckslayer100]

#2 You would think because the program is out there everyone would apply and it would be easy. They don't and many families that do not meet threshold do not pay. School then have to attempt to collect a debt and to be honest many of those debts are not collectable. So now that money is not recouped and the only one hurt is the kid. Free school lunch takes care of this and these is a good possibility it would be cheaper.

North Dakota law prohibits schools from both denying lunch to kids, as well as asking for money if their account goes in the negative. A few years ago, the FPS district was something like $50,000 in the hole from school lunch defecit, and an anonymous donor paid for it.

Tell me how that makes sense whatsoever? Most of us pay for our kids' lunches, but if we just decided to say hell with it and stop, they can run hundreds or thousands of dollars in the hole, still get a hot lunch every day, and the school can't say a peep to get compensated.

 

[JUSTWINGNIT]

North Dakota law prohibits schools from both denying lunch to kids, as well as asking for money if their account goes in the negative. A few years ago, the FPS district was something like $50,000 in the hole from school lunch defecit, and an anonymous donor paid for it.

Tell me how that makes sense whatsoever? Most of us pay for our kids' lunches, but if we just decided to say hell with it and stop, they can run hundreds or thousands of dollars in the hole, still get a hot lunch every day, and the school can't say a peep to get compensated.

Out here in Washburn, the school sends e-mails to notify you if you get low or go negative. I don't recall if they actually ask for money or not.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Out here in Washburn, the school sends e-mails to notify you if you get low or go negative. I don't recall if they actually ask for money or not.

Ok I was partially correct, they CAN ask for money, but can't send you collections or force you to pay:

Key Aspects of North Dakota Law & Proposed Legislation (2023-2026):

• "Lunch Shaming" Prohibition (HB 1494): Schools cannot identify students with unpaid balances, require them to work for meals, or deny them a reimbursable, nutritious meal.
• Unpaid Debt Policy: While schools cannot withhold food, they are permitted to seek payment from parents/guardians, though policies prevent sending such debts to collections

 

[NDbowman]

When I was in elementary school in the late 80s and early 90s, I remember kids whose parents didn't pay their lunch or milk tickets and probably qualified for reduced/free lunches but he parents didn't get it taken care of. The teacher would read off the list of names and tell the kids to get their parents to take care of it, I was embarassed for them.
One thing though, no matter how late or unpaid their lunch tickets were, no kid was ever refused lunch at school.