Lunchtime Drama: A Lesson in Payment Policies

When seven-year-old twins Justin and Hailey Hogan from the U.S. approached their school's lunch line, they waited patiently for their turn. But right after receiving their food trays and preparing to eat, their teacher called them aside.

The twins, very hungry and puzzled, had to wait as the teacher finished speaking. "The teacher told them they couldn't enter the dining room anymore because their lunch wasn't paid for," recalled their mother, Lisa Hogan.

Their debt was $12.49, but the teacher insisted on denying the unfortunate children their regular meal, "giving them instead a meager cheese sandwich. We were shocked when we heard it. I call these sandwiches 'prison food'—tasteless and bland."

"We Never Intended to Embarrass Anyone"

"What really angers me is that the school never called me about an unpaid bill," said Lisa. "The teacher acted independently without considering the far-reaching effects this could have on my kids' emotions."

Cheese sandwiches given to the children

"We never intended to embarrass anyone," explains Katie Simpson, the school principal. "However, it is school policy that if parents can't pay for catered lunches, their children receive subsidized cheese sandwiches.

"We make sure to send home notes requesting payment so children can continue enjoying full meals. If parents wish, they can fill out a special form, allowing these notifications to be sent via email. We have never left kids hungry, whether it's providing full or alternative meals," the principal concluded.

"Still, it frustrates me," Lisa adds. "Nothing justifies treating children differently over a few dollars."