General Discussion

RandySF

(79,015 posts) Thu Jan 30, 2014, 12:27 AM Jan 2014

Lunches seized from kids in debt at Salt Lake City elementary [View all]

Up to 40 kids at Uintah Elementary 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.

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."

Jason Olsen, a Salt Lake City District spokesman, said the district’s child-nutrition department became aware that Uintah had a large number of students who owed money for lunches.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/57468293-78/lunches-olsen-lunch-district.html.csp

159 replies

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Highlight:

Lunches seized from kids in debt at Salt Lake City elementary [View all] RandySF Jan 2014 OP

Seriously f'ed up. TDale313 Jan 2014 #1

The Repuke sheep are cheering warrant46 Jan 2014 #61

What have we become? nt Mnemosyne Jan 2014 #2

Robots. freshwest Jan 2014 #10

Too many are, sadly. nt Mnemosyne Jan 2014 #126

what? nt arely staircase Jan 2014 #111

there was a similar story somewhere recently arely staircase Jan 2014 #112

Taking food from the hands of hungry children is heinous, imo. nt Mnemosyne Jan 2014 #127

agreed but where is the "we" part coming from? nt arely staircase Jan 2014 #131

We, as in, this country. Nothing personal, arely. nt Mnemosyne Jan 2014 #132

I doubt most people agree with this arely staircase Jan 2014 #133

The fact that it happened at all, and more than once, is reprehensible. nt Mnemosyne Jan 2014 #138

And throwing it away??????????????? BobbyBoring Jan 2014 #149

A country without a soul? Lunacee_2013 Jan 2014 #125

I agree. I guess they wanted to show those kids that there is no free lunch, Mnemosyne Jan 2014 #129

Children do not have debt. Barack_America Jan 2014 #3

+1 freshwest Jan 2014 #9

You got that right! +1000 neverforget Jan 2014 #12

scars forever. I can remember when lunch for us and it was a good one was only roguevalley Jan 2014 #32

25 cents; 1/3 of a full days' nutrition for a growing kid. You KNOW it was subsidized. Hekate Jan 2014 #44

bingo nt Deep13 Jan 2014 #102

What country is this? jsr Jan 2014 #4

Good ol' "Christian" Utah! villager Jan 2014 #5

That didn't take long demwing Jan 2014 #66

Utah IS as close to a theocracy as we have. WinkyDink Jan 2014 #82

According to some Christians demwing Jan 2014 #97

Utah refused to get rid of polygamy until they were told they could not become a state Nanjing to Seoul Jan 2014 #98

So they're not Christian at all? demwing Jan 2014 #99

What makes this one fake compared to others? Aren't they all saying they know a truth... Moonwalk Jan 2014 #122

You are correct. Manifestor_of_Light Jan 2014 #130

Not every citizen in it -- but its official apparatus, and what it claims to be villager Jan 2014 #106

And here's good ol' Jason Olson, the spokesman for this genuine atrocity. Judi Lynn Jan 2014 #107

NOW we know where the lunches went...... democratisphere Jan 2014 #155

Good lord. Feed the children, FFS. cyberswede Jan 2014 #6

Pretty evil shit. TheKentuckian Jan 2014 #7

Son, as my old pappy used to say... Brother Buzz Jan 2014 #8

Whoever did that should be fired. Waiting For Everyman Jan 2014 #11

fired!!! demigoddess Jan 2014 #150

At the very least, fired. SomeGuyInEagan Jan 2014 #154

America number 1!?! Dawson Leery Jan 2014 #13

This is just so messed up on so many levels Art_from_Ark Jan 2014 #14

Even Oliver Twist got to eat, he did say "Please Sir, I want some more." ck4829 Jan 2014 #15

First Women, Now Children... WillyT Jan 2014 #16

Yes. That is exactly what they meant. Jamastiene Jan 2014 #70

heartless Skittles Jan 2014 #17

I spent my whole life attending school in the SLC school district... Drunken Irishman Jan 2014 #18

How awful! JDPriestly Jan 2014 #19

American Exceptionalism on full display. Phlem Jan 2014 #20

o.m.g. Whisp Jan 2014 #21

Some of us can multi-task. cui bono Jan 2014 #57

They didn't shove their faces in the butter? Spitfire of ATJ Jan 2014 #22

Yep... defacto7 Jan 2014 #23

This is the opposite of my first impression of SLC. RandySF Jan 2014 #36

Just like everywhere, not all are alike, defacto7 Jan 2014 #45

Assholes lpbk2713 Jan 2014 #24

what the ........... what is this teaching kids? azurnoir Jan 2014 #25

In my town the kids get a cheese sandwich when their balance is zero or below (nt) Nye Bevan Jan 2014 #26

The food equivalent of a neon light. WinkyDink Jan 2014 #83

In my town all the kids get free lunches. hunter Jan 2014 #117

The 'nutrition manager' who made the decision Jenoch Jan 2014 #27

the apology should be to the children. they are the ones where were needlessly magical thyme Jan 2014 #77

I thought of that but then I realized the Jenoch Jan 2014 #101

Agreed Abq_Sarah Jan 2014 #159

At least they got cheese sandwiches here in NM Warpy Jan 2014 #28

There were a few occasions we forgot to send lunch money with our kid. RandySF Jan 2014 #37

Alabama? Fumesucker Jan 2014 #40

actually it's Utah barbtries Jan 2014 #50

How Horrible! lib87 Jan 2014 #29

It's the NEW --If the parents don't Work the kids don't Eat !! warrant46 Jan 2014 #62

One thing is certain: the kids won't forgot, and they won't forgive.... Moonwalk Jan 2014 #30

Amen.... daleanime Jan 2014 #34

But that guy Jason Olsen, he gets paid and gets his lunch mackerel Jan 2014 #31

If this school perchance has... 3catwoman3 Jan 2014 #33

Let me get this straight, they took the children's lunch away from them and THREW IT AWAY??????????? Beacool Jan 2014 #35

are you back in the cold yet, Bea? just in case, i brought extra! dionysus Jan 2014 #103

Oohhh, a posse of bankies!!! Beacool Jan 2014 #104

They threw it in the garbage because once it's been given out... Moonwalk Jan 2014 #119

The humane choice would have been to let the kids eat the lunch. Beacool Jan 2014 #120

Heh. Never mind humane—though, yes, that would have been humane—why not just the smart thing to do? Moonwalk Jan 2014 #124

When I was in school, we paid cash for our lunch every day Lydia Leftcoast Jan 2014 #38

I'm surprised they didn't follow it up with a good old fashioned SoapBox Jan 2014 #39

I'm remembering now Lordquinton Jan 2014 #41

Did they actually give the kids the lunch EC Jan 2014 #42

I don't know why all school lunches aren't free for everyone anyway. kentauros Jan 2014 #43

Those folks don't know anything about 2naSalit Jan 2014 #48

Thank you for the insight. Jamastiene Jan 2014 #71

That's really sad to hear that they're like that. kentauros Jan 2014 #140

Probably why 2naSalit Jan 2014 #145

If they would just call me defacto7 Jan 2014 #46

What the damn hell?! Forget Syria, Yemen, and Somalia--get the drones over to Utah, STAT Alamuti Lotus Jan 2014 #47

starve and humiliate barbtries Jan 2014 #49

This is why our children will be liberals. bravenak Jan 2014 #51

Not necessarily Duer 157099 Jan 2014 #115

Well that too bad. bravenak Jan 2014 #118

I agree, most kinds are kind. But some are assholes. Duer 157099 Jan 2014 #121

Unbelievable! sabrina 1 Jan 2014 #52

for the record the children were given food Niceguy1 Jan 2014 #53

They were given milk and fruit, nothing close to a meal. n/t LuvNewcastle Jan 2014 #59

ie, scraps. joshcryer Jan 2014 #74

FTR, yours is an incredibly asinine post. WinkyDink Jan 2014 #84

I agree. Reminds me of Faux. anneboleyn Jan 2014 #116

It does seem to beg the question, though... LanternWaste Jan 2014 #136

none and the school Niceguy1 Jan 2014 #137

schools should provide meals to all students no matter what their financial situation is JI7 Jan 2014 #54

I agree. A lot of the kids are on programs, anyway, and it's an extra LuvNewcastle Jan 2014 #60

+1 spinbaby Jan 2014 #72

I also agree... Phentex Jan 2014 #110

I can promise you one thing. Are_grits_groceries Jan 2014 #55

Its actually criminal warrant46 Jan 2014 #63

They have more than 500 students. joshcryer Jan 2014 #75

They don't all eat at once. You'd apparently be surprised at how much monitors can and do obsrve. WinkyDink Jan 2014 #85

Would they have caught this? joshcryer Jan 2014 #87

Trays of food being dumped by adults? Heck, yes! One monitor (I taught and had this duty) is always WinkyDink Jan 2014 #88

Would anything have been done? joshcryer Jan 2014 #90

The cafeteria workers noticed. The article says one of them was in tears over it.... Moonwalk Jan 2014 #128

This is why we need more republicans. Turbineguy Jan 2014 #56

This isn't the first time I've heard of this happening. cui bono Jan 2014 #58

Putting this stuff online exboyfil Jan 2014 #64

Read the comments in the article====Unreal hrere is one warrant46 Jan 2014 #65

BULLIES! liberal N proud Jan 2014 #67

That is truly disgusting. Jamastiene Jan 2014 #68

USA! USA! USA! MadrasT Jan 2014 #69

Welcome to intitutionalized US education. joshcryer Jan 2014 #73

This is one of those moments to say... FarPoint Jan 2014 #76

It would be "What would Joseph Smith Do?" WinkyDink Jan 2014 #86

True....I couldn't think of his name this morning... FarPoint Jan 2014 #142

It is 100% immoral. WinkyDink Jan 2014 #146

Would love to be a restaurant owner and see Jason Olsen Lars39 Jan 2014 #78

The fact that this OP doesn't have more recs TBF Jan 2014 #79

French public school lunches eridani Jan 2014 #80

The French also have free child care. jsr Jan 2014 #105

Let the Pentagon run our schools. Then our schools will get the budgets they need. WinkyDink Jan 2014 #81

And we just voted to slash their food stamps at home... Demo_Chris Jan 2014 #89

I bet those balances are paid today Renew Deal Jan 2014 #91

I doubt they are paid today. grasswire Jan 2014 #153

Truly fucked up...something is horribly wrong with U.S. SummerSnow Jan 2014 #92

Done in our blind zeal to serve our great God, Moloch deutsey Jan 2014 #93

In other news Uintah officials have instituted workhouses so the kids can pay off their debts. Javaman Jan 2014 #94

WTF CFLDem Jan 2014 #95

I hate those lunch accounts Blue Diadem Jan 2014 #96

On our accounts we can limit TBF Jan 2014 #100

State of Utah needs the money. Octafish Jan 2014 #108

are there no workhouses, are there no prisons frwrfpos Jan 2014 #109

The "child nutrition manager" who made this call is an asshole; and the workers LeftinOH Jan 2014 #113

Appalling. More of the "Christian" treatment of children and the needy. Jesus would be anneboleyn Jan 2014 #114

In Texas, clarice Jan 2014 #123

Whoever took the food away needs to be checked for competence.... Swede Atlanta Jan 2014 #134

I don't think they were even poor. RandySF Jan 2014 #158

Arnold's next movie Enrique Jan 2014 #135

omg. Liberal_in_LA Jan 2014 #139

Shaking down schoolchildren for money TNNurse Jan 2014 #141

Whoever authorized this needs to personally apologize to each and ever kid Liberalynn Jan 2014 #143

The school deserves to be given a gift... Lancero Jan 2014 #144

Degrading and despicable! Aldo Leopold Jan 2014 #147

That Olsen guy looks like he never missed a meal DebbieCDC Jan 2014 #148

My kid, too Ned Flanders Jan 2014 #151

The total opposite happened here. RandySF Jan 2014 #157

Bless the beasts and the children...... meti57b Jan 2014 #152

This has hit Australian news and a couple of my friends over there are asking mackerel Jan 2014 #156