A New Jersey school district suspended its unpaid meals policy following backlash from the community.
On Sept. 13, Deptford Township School superintendent Kevin Kanauss sent a letter to the community obtained by the Philadelphia Inquirer. The letter stated that students with school breakfast and lunch debt of $50 or more would be impacted.
Under the policy, impacted students in preschool and kindergarten would still receive breakfast as well as an alternative lunch but be barred from field trips and receiving report cards, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Impacted elementary school students would not receive any breakfast and receive alternative lunch and also be barred from field trips, receiving report cards and attending school dances. Impacted middle and high school students would not receive breakfast or lunch and be barred from field trips, receiving report cards, attending dances and the prom, and attending graduation. These restrictions would remain for the students until the outstanding balances were paid by their parents or guardians.
In the initial letter, Kanauss said the policy was implemented due to the “huge financial burden from families failing to pay their meal balances for their scholars.”
“Such financial losses impact our programs, staff and supplies for students,” Kanauss wrote.
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The policy sparked backlash from the community as well as politicians, including U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) who called the ruling “evil.”
On Sept. 19, Kanauss sent another letter to the school community, stating the district had suspended their policy following feedback and discussion with the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.
“All students will be offered school breakfast and lunch, regardless of the balance of their meal account,” Kanauss wrote in the most recent letter.
A spokesperson for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy also confirmed with NBC10 that they worked with the Deptford School District to immediately terminate the policy. The spokesperson said the New Jersey Department of Education reached out to the Executive County Superintendent (ECS) to confirm they would contact the Deptford Township School District to help bring them into compliance with the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act and the Working Class Families Act.
“The district’s policy went against protections outlined in the Hunger-Free Students’ Bill of Rights Act and the Working Class Families Act, which seek to eliminate school meal policies that stigmatize students over lunch debt and improve identification and participation of students in free and reduced-price meal programs,” the spokesperson wrote. “The Governor and his Administration do not support policies that ostracize New Jersey students and thank the district for their cooperation in discontinuing this harmful policy.”
Kanauss said they would still “reevaluate” their policy and process for collecting past due balances.
“We encourage families to complete the free and reduced lunch application, and for those paying out of pocket to remain current on their balance,” he wrote. “However, as stated above, these factors will not affect a student’s ability to receive a school meal.”
Kanauss also told NBC10 on Wednesday that the district is working to help families who qualify for the free lunch program.
“One of our objectives is to ensure that families who qualify for the USDA’s free lunch program are aware of this benefit, and that we are here to assist them if they need help completing the application. Our goal is a 100% participation rate among families who qualify,” Kanauss wrote. “In addition to benefitting these families directly, increased participation in this federal program has the potential to see more of our schools designated as Title I, resulting in additional funding to support current and new programs for our students.”
Kanauss also said the district plans to hold a policy committee meeting at some point next week to “evaluate all the feedback and recommendations from the Department of Agriculture and our community, as we adjust this policy to create an equitable solution for all involved.”
Source : NBC
