Grand Forks Public School leaders want a committee to look at proposed meal payment policies, saying language that allows the district to report suspected child abuse against a parent or guardian because a child's balance goes too far into debt seems punitive and negative.
The School Board created a committee Monday during its regular meeting to review the proposed policies drafted by the Child Nutrition Program, which provides meals to the district. While board members recognized the work that went into the proposals, leaders wanted more input from child support experts before making a decision.
"I think we need to give more guidance ... on what we want to see here," School Board Chairman Doug Carpenter said.
Three options were offered: continue with the district's current policy of giving children a non-choice meal, or a meal other than the offered, if a student's negative balance gets too high; allow elementary students to have a choice and give middle and high school students a non-choice meal if negative balances hit a certain threshold; or allow choices for all students despite their balance.
A non-choice meal typically includes a soybutter sandwich with jelly, an apple or banana and milk.
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The first option is the least intrusive to families but can possibly embarrass or hurt the feelings of students who have to take a non-choice meal because their balance is in the red, local Child Nutrition Director Emily Karel told the board.
The last two options would make it easier on cashiers and would be less disruptive to the school day, Karel said. Both also would allow the school to use a collection agency to collect debt from families if the negative balance exceeded $100, Karel said in a memo to the School Board.
All three options allow district staff to file a report of suspected child abuse or neglect if a child receives three non-choice meals or if the $100 debt threshold is reached. Those reports may be filed after attempts to contact parents fail, the memo said.
The intent of drafting a policy was to make it easier for children to get meals, board member Cynthia Shabb said, not to punish parents if families can't pay for meals. She and others opposed passing any of the policies, saying it would be a "nightmare" for families to deal with a collection agency.
"I don't consider that a child neglect issue," School Board member Eric Lunn said. "That's a nonpayment issue."
The U.S. Department of Agriculture requires child nutrition programs to address negative meal balances, Karel said.
In other news, the School Board approved a motion to recommend the 2018-19 School Board create a facilities task force that would contribute to the finalization of the district's master plan. The request from Superintendent Larry Nybladh was created after a draft master laid out multiple options for proceeding with improving and maintaining the district's facilities, including building a school and consolidating some elementary schools.
Some board members felt the current board should not bind the next board to a decision, while others suggested not creating a task force immediately sends a message the process is being slowed down.
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The district will hold School Board elections on June 12. The next scheduled meeting after the election is July 9.
