Salt Lake elementary school trashes lunches over unpaid fees

“Please sir … I want some more.”

The image of Oliver Twist comes to mind when hearing about this lunchtime travesty that occurred at Uintah Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah on Tuesday.

Approximately 40 students had their lunches revoked and dumped into the trash moments after being served because their parents had not yet paid their cafeteria balances.

Yes, let’s punish the children. After all, it is their fault that their parents hadn’t cleared up their school food financials, right?

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According to The Salt Lake Tribune, Jason Olsen, a Salt Lake City District spokesman, said that the child-nutrition department became aware that many students had outstanding cafeteria debts and therefore made the decision to seize the children’s lunches.

"I think it's despicable,” Erica Lukes, mother of one of the children, told the Tribune. ‘These are young children that shouldn't be punished or humiliated for something the parents obviously need to clear up,” she added.

Olsen says the decision to rob the students of their lunches came after authorities attempted to contact the parents of the children who were behind on payments.

A formal apology on behalf of Uintah Elementary School was issued, but the damage had already been done. Parents are in an absolute uproar about the whole situation on the Salt Lake City School District Facebook page. Who can blame them?

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