A school district has been under fire after they announced they would be banning students with more than $75 lunch debt from taking part in extracurricular activities such as the prom.
As if doing so wasn’t hard enough on the students and their families, the Cherry Hill School District from New Jersey also turned down a $14,000 donation from a local company that offered to pay off pupils’ debts.
Retired entrepreneur Steve Ravitz offered the school over $14,000 from the pocket of his family business in order to pay off the debt accumulated by 300 students over the last school year.
While he announced he “would be happy to solve this issue” to allow the students to continue attending extracurricular activities, the school district turned down his offer.
“I don’t understand. After weeks of these posts, the food issue is still alive. Ridiculous. Donors have come forward to end this nonsense. Where is the leadership? Super? Mayor? Council Pres.? Wake Up folks,” the 72-year-old said in his Facebook post after his donation was rejected.
On the other side of the table, defending the school district’s decision, was Superintendent Joseph Meloche who said paying off the debt with external funds would allow families who have the money to pay to avoid doing so.
“The lunch debt issue is a complicated one, as simply wiping away the debt that exists does not solve the problem of families and children who are food insecure and who are struggling to provide meals – both in school and at home,” he said in an interview with Courier Post.
“There are children on the arrears list whose families are struggling, and there are children on the list who come from families and homes with means.
“Simply erasing the debt does not address the many families with financial means who have just chosen not to pay what is owed.”
After the incident went viral, people lashed out at the school district and condemned them for limiting students while refusing donations.
“Steve, you were very generous to offer. They could have picked up the phone and asked you about it. The whole thing is beyond my comprehension,” one woman wrote.
“It’s upsetting. I don’t understand why they won’t accept it. It’s a win-win,” another one suggested.
Speaking of the matter was also Senator Elizabeth Warren who called the district’s tactics “cruel and punitive.”
“This is cruel and punitive. Every kid needs and deserves a nutritious meal in order to learn at school. My plan will push to cancel student breakfast and lunch debt and increase funding to school meals programs so all students can get a nutritious meal,” she tweeted.
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Replaced!