I usually make my kids' lunches for school. Once in awhile, Ben likes to buy lunch. Last week, he actually used his own money. He brought $5, and bought one lunch. The lunch lady said she would put the rest in his "lunch account," (something the district does). She told him he had about $3.15 left.
Yesterday, Ben wanted to buy lunch with his remaining money. However, when he got to the cashier, she said he only had 29 cents. They gave him a granola bar and a milk. He cried, and asked his teacher if he could call me to bring him a lunch. His teacher said "no."
When Ben got off the bus yesterday, he started to cry, said how hungry he was, and relayed the aforementioned story to me.
I WAS TICKED!!
I called the school, which directed me to the food services office. The lady there, looked things up on her computer, and basically said, "I dont' know what to say." They didn't have record of his $5 deposit.
SO - I called his teacher to let her know about the mix-up with his money. I also asked her why Ben was not allowed to call me. Her response was that it was 12:00, and she had to move on to the next subject at 12:20, implying that there would not be enough time for me to bring him something to eat. It was her opinion that a granola bar and milk is enough to tide them over for the afternoon. I let her know that I live very close to the school, and I could have brought him his lunch. I also let her know that not having his lunch affected his day in a negative way. She said "I apologize, and I will make a note that you don't live far from the school and you can bring him a lunch."
I was angry for hours about this. First of all, why in the world would a teacher not allow a child to call home to get their lunch??!! Is their agenda SO important, that a kid can't be finishing their lunch during her "program?" I'm sure that if he was finishing up his lunch at his desk, it wouldn't be THAT distracting!! Isn't school supposed to be about educating children, and didn't this interrupt my child's education for the rest of the day?! Did she not consider that the last time my son probably ate was around 7 or 8 in the morning?!! Did she not care about his tears?!!
I told my son, that if this ever happens again, that he has my permission to get a bathroom pass and head to the office and call me.
RIDICULOUS!!!
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6 comments:
It's in situations like this when my "mommy claws" come out. I would have been so upset too!! I think you handled it beautifully. Ben totally knows that you have his back and that is priceless.
Good grief! i would go insane, and I'm a former teacher. No use for that. That's great, have a kid starving and expect him to pay attention and learn. That's amazing. Next time, when he calls, grab him out of school for the afternoon and head to McD's for a mommy/son afternoon date...if time allows that is.
Oh yeah! I am mother bear when it comes to my kids. I'm glad I had some composure as well!
Thank for the confirmations! :)
Being a Dad I would've handled it somewhat differently Jodi. I probably would've drove to the school against my wifes better judgement and yelled at someone. Fortunately my kids lunch ladies are a bit more understanding and would've given them a lunch to eat and just added it to the bill or whatever they call it. You did good.
Tom
Jodi you have a right to be pissed. Believe it or not this happens and its apparently the schools procedure when children do not have money to give them a granola bar and milk. This is considered a snack to me not a lunch, but it happens. I dont know if you know, but there is a website "schoolbucks.com" where you can personally go on there and deposit money in there in case your son or daughter in high school wants to buy lunch. I love it and its so convenient. I put money in and within a day or two they have access to the full amount to use.
Yes, I know about the account, thanks, I don't trust it now that this happened, though! We just typically make our own lunches, anyway. From the lunches I've seen, it's probably a better idea.....I think Ben just likes the novelty of buying a lunch. :)
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