Protect Our NHC Students from the Burden of School Lunch Debt

New Hanover County Board of Education, Superintendent of NHCS, NHCS Child Nutrition Director, NHCS Asst Superintendent for Support Services, and NHCS Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer

We recently became aware that Noble Middle intended to keep students from participating in a Field Day if they had outstanding student lunch debt over $60. Whether student lunch debt exists because of outstanding need, a mistake, or willful negligence by a responsible adult; the burden of that debt should NEVER fall on the students. Punishing students for their financial circumstance or the negligence of the adults in their lives is NOT the answer.

Signers of this petition are asking the NHC Board of Education and the Superintendent to create a clarifying policy that students' experiences in NHCS should never be impacted by the presence of school lunch debt, regardless of the amount. We are further asking that they consider carefully whether federal programs for free or reduced lunch are actually inadequate given the current economic circumstances in our county. We are conveying our alarm at the record school lunch debt in North Carolina that is also proving to be a significant problem in New Hanover County. In view of this concern, we ask that school lunch debt relief programs be strongly considered for adoption in our county. We also support expanding access and awareness through school social workers and otherwise to assist families in meeting unmet nutritional needs for students in our schools.

If you would like to donate to a NHC School Lunch Assistance Fund which is working to payoff school lunch debt for those who are struggling, you may do so at the following link. The funds will be directly donated to the school in the student's name without any administration fee subtracted save those collected by Go Fund Me: https://www.gofundme.com/f/school-lunch-assistance-fund

If you know of someone in need of school lunch debt relief, you can request funds from the NHC School Lunch Assistance Fund at the following link. Every effort will be made to keep this request anonymous. Request assistance here: https://www.onyoursidehealth.org/schoollunch

To: New Hanover County Board of Education, Superintendent of NHCS, NHCS Child Nutrition Director, NHCS Asst Superintendent for Support Services, and NHCS Chief Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer
From: [Your Name]

We, as signers of this petition, do NOT believe students should EVER be penalized because of an unpaid school lunch debt, regardless of the amount. We are asking that the New Hanover County Board of Education as well as the Superintendent of Schools adopt a universal policy that student participation in ANY activities of New Hanover County Schools whether that be on school grounds, school-sponsored, or field trips shall NEVER be restricted based on school lunch debt.

As the message went out at Noble Middle that students would not be able to participate in the school's Field Day if they had over $60 in debt; we became dismayed that administrators or educators ever considered such a policy. Whether school lunch debt is the result of actual financial need, mistakes, or negligence by adults in the students' lives; it should not matter as far as the student's school experience is concerned.

As concerned citizens about student lunch debt, we also respectfully request that the NHC Board of Education acknowledge that existing federal programs for free and reduced lunch are often inadequate. As school lunch debt reached a new record in North Carolina this year, the problem merits urgent review and substantive policy changes to protect our students. Especially in trying times like the current where there are substantial inflationary pressures, a dramatically rising cost of living in our area, and confusion about expiring COVID relief programs; we support efforts to expand debt relief programs for student lunch in New Hanover County Schools. We also support expanding access and awareness through school social workers and otherwise to assist families in meeting unmet nutritional needs for students in our schools.