Liverpool School District sent out a confusing email to parents this week announcing the enforcement of a 20 year old policy which limits the use of utensils in the school lunch rooms to the people who spend money on the hot meal instead of a brown bag lunch. Parents in the district were immediately shocked that the school, with all its resources, couldn't afford to give kids a plastic spoon for yogurt they brought from home, or a napkin to use while they are eating.
The school reacted to the outcry from parent's by explaining that this 20 year policy is used by all schools participating in the national school breakfast and lunch program, it just hadn't been enforced up until that point. I think the reaction by these parent's is justified when you look at how much a plastic fork costs. I can't imagine a large container of utensils- not to mention a napkin- costing too much for the school to allocate the resources needed. What are your thoughts?