Pennsylvania School District Threatens Foster Care Over Unpaid Lunches

A story that is getting a lot of attention this week (nationally) is coming from right here in Pennsylvania - the Wyoming Valley West School district (near Scranton) has caused a controversy after they sent out "hundreds of letters" last week telling parents who had outstanding lunch debt to pay that if they didn't pay up, their children would go into FOSTER CARE! What?!

CNN reports that the letter told parents that there have been "multiple letters sent home with your child" if no payments had been made. The letter continued, "Your child has been set to school every day without money and without a breakfast and/or lunch." It added that the failure to provide children with food could even end up resulting in the parents being sent to Dependency Court.

The school district did not respond to CNN's request for comment, but Joseph Muth, the director of federal programs for the school district, said the letter was a "last resort" and that the district is owed more than $22,000 by roughly 1,000 students.

The letter caused a controversy, as many considered the school district to be "lunch shaming" poor families who may not be able to afford it.

You can check out more info here.

Photo: Getty


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