After proposing an “alternate meal” of a cheese sandwich, apple and water for students with school-lunch debt, Columbia Public Schools has scrapped the scaled-down menu because of a backlash from parents, reports the Columbia Daily Tribune.
In early August, Laina Fullum, nutrition services director at CPS, sent an email to parents letting them know that any student who owed the district $15 or more would receive the alternate meal instead of a regular school lunch.
The proposed policy was to be implemented Aug. 25, says the Columbia Daily Tribune, but was overturned by CPS Superintendent Peter Stiepleman after hearing from various parents and school board members.
Fullum says the policy was a way to hold parents accountable when school lunch debt went unpaid—the district’s balance was as high as $130,000 in July—according to the Columbia Daily Tribune.
Read more about the CPS’ proposed policy at the Columbia Daily Tribune.