Students Denied Lunch At Massachusetts Middle School


Attleboro, MA – Dozens of middle school students were recently denied lunch because they could not pay for the food.

Around 25 kids could not eat lunch at school because they either didn’t have the money to pay or their prepaid accounts didn’t have the funds to cover the meal. The students were denied lunch as a result.

The incident occurred at Coelho Middle School on Tuesday. Whitsons Culinary Group, the company which provides food to the school, is responsible for turning away the students. Superintendent Pia Durkin said the on-site administrator was placed on a leave of absence after officials learned of the problem.

Durkin stated that kids who cannot afford lunch are usually given a cheese sandwich and milk until the parents can take of the situations. Students are never denied lunch because they cannot afford to pay, he explained.

“We agree that this situation was not handled correctly. We really want to apologize to the parents of the children who were affected,” a Whitsons spokesperson explained.

Many parents were understandably upset when they learned their kids were turned away because they did not have the money to pay for the meal.

“I’m p***ed that when there are people in prison who are getting meals, my daughter, an honor student, is going hungry,” one angry parent said.

It’s being reported that many students who were denied lunch had to throw the food away after learning they could not afford to pay for it. Some kids reportedly shared their lunches with those who were turned down by the Whitsons representative.

Whitsons management told Durkin that the total amount owed on the students’ accounts was approximately $1,800. The superintendent added that no child should be turned away simply because they cannot afford to pay.

“There is no way any child in my school district will ever go hungry. Children need to eat,” Durkin explained.

What do you think about the students who were denied lunch because they couldn’t pay?

[Image via Shutterstock.com]

Share this article: Students Denied Lunch At Massachusetts Middle School
More from Inquisitr