Our son goes to a public elementary school in Sterling. He was out sick all last week with the flu. Today was his first day back to school since Friday the 9th. He is in Pre-school.

My wife got a call from the principal of said school that went like this:

Principal: I'm just calling to tell you that your son did not like his lunch very much because his parents are too poor to pay the lunch fee. But he tried to eat it any way.

Hearing this just tightens my jaw. Not one person from the school called to see how he was doing when he was home sick. We owed them for a week's lunch money because we forgot to send it with him this morning.

What would you do if you received a similar call?

I'd say put down that crack pipe and start paying for his lunch. The principal should of smacked you upside your head.

I would say that the Principal has too much time on his hands if this is the kind of shit he is wasting his time on. I would e-mail a complaint to the Superintendent about this douchebag and copy the fucker on it. From my experience, you only need to do this once and it puts assholes like this in their place pretty quickly.

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http://bible.cc/1_corinthians/13-11.htm

Again, question the premise of the question... "My wife got a call from the principal of said school that went like this:" then he babbles some gibberish about the principal calling them poor. I just do not buy it.

Gobsmacked Wrote:
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> What would you do if you received a similar call?

Assuming I had a good payment record and otherwise NO OTHER PROBLEMS with the school in question...

I would personally go to the office with the amount owed, in pennies. I would ask to give it to the principal directly, since he expressed so much concern for my child's well-being.

I would be polite and respectful the entire time (almost to the point of groveling), and ask the principal to count the money to make sure that my responsibilities were taken care of. I'd even offer to help (although I'd lose count a couple times, cuz I'm a dumb poor person, right?).

If asked why I brought it in pennies, I'd say it's because I'm poor, and had to take the money out of the Family Life Savings Jar.

How much do you owe them, anyway?

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13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

Radiophile Wrote:
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> Again, question the premise of the question... "My
> wife got a call from the principal of said school
> that went like this:" then he babbles some
> gibberish about the principal calling them poor. I
> just do not buy it.

And yes, my suggestion was based on the premise that the original poster is not full of shit.

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13 4826 0948 82695 25847. Yes.

What principal takes the time to a) consult you on how much your child does or does not have in lunch money (that's generally delegated to a secretary or the cafeteria manager) and b) find out if your child is eating, and how much he is eating, and if he likes it.

My mom was a lunch lady in the 90s, and if memory serves, she'd refer the kids with zero or negative accounts to the front office, who had a fund set up for such an occasion. They'd pay and send a note home or call to remind you to put money on your child's card (which these days SHOULD be as easy as making a payment online, but I've been out of school for quite a while, and my mom retired in 98).

If he was a week behind, then out a week, then you sent him again with no money this morning, that probably warrants a call from the administration in some capacity. Send money with your kid already.

Regardless, I call bullshit. I have a vision in my head of the principal acting like Bart Simpson calling Moe. I would think that any school staff these days would be so petrified of idiot lawsuits that they'd never say anything to intentionally insult parents. Like calling them poor. Class discrimination or something.

Lord, I am old.

When I attended St. Anthony's Elementary in Falls Church from 1965 until 1972, I brown-bagged it virtually every day. My mom, mother of eight, made lunches for all the kids. Worst dietetic crises: getting my brother's sandwich made with mustard instead of mine with ketchup.

If the call was real, and the principal was being a smart-ass about letting you know that the account was overdrawn, then pay the money, and be sure to send a letter to your school board members and to your PTA.

I can understand their concern, but their method and delivery are stunning. I had to ask the principal to repeat herself, because I was so shocked. Who does this? They are upset with me, so they take it out on my son, who is 3 and unable to tell me what happened?

The fact that people don't believe this actually happened is encouraging to me. This is my only son and I am learning as I go. It just doesn't feel right....

Take the complaint higher, it only gets worse, wait and see!

.....but, what does not liking lunch have to do with being poor and free lunch. Is this verbatim? I could be all over this...if it rings of truth.