Indiana Area School District’s Superintendent addressed concerns with the phenomenon known as Lunch Shaming in his report to the school board.
The issue has been brought up in other school districts and it has also popped up in rumors on social media that students would be denied a school lunch if their lunch account balance was in the negative. Superintendent Mike Vukovich said that lunch shaming is not allowed and not legal. He said that when a student’s account goes below a certain amount, an automated call is made to the parents, letting them know that the student’s lunch account needs to be paid.
As far as a student is concerned, the district policy is that if the student has a negative balance in their account, they will continue to receive the basic lunch, but they will not be allowed to purchase a la carte items, like extra drinks or desserts. Vukovich encouraged parents who have questions to contact the district directly.
In other business from last night, the district heard from Vukovich that the Indiana High School qualified for a free trip to the Holocaust Museum at no cost other than the cost of substitute teachers. The costs for food and travel will be taken care of by the Abe Beerman Foundation.
Also the board approved replacing the condensing unit at the Senior High Cafeteria Cooler at a cost of $10,750 from the district’s cafeteria fund, hiring Lindy Stossel as a school nurse pending receipt of updated clearances and clear Act 168 forms, and the purchase of two new scoreboards for the high school gym.
