The Minot Public School board will hold a special meeting Thursday night to discuss the district’s meal-charging procedures, after changes to the program stirred backlash from parents and community members.

• While some families are able to qualify for assistance, many working families make too much to qualify but not enough to make ends meet, leading to school lunch debt.
• Sending Meal Lunch Debt to collections is wrong, and doesn't work: only 10-20% will likely be collected because if a family doesn't have the money for school lunch, they probably can't afford it when it goes to collections either.
• Sending families to social services over as little as $15 dollars is wrong and a waste of resources.
• Banning kids from activities because of school lunch debt is wrong. We shouldn't punish kids for something that isn't their fault.
• Charging $1.50 for an alternate meal is wrong and puts them further in debt for a substandard meal.
• Hungry kids can't learn at their full potential. We should make sure all kids get a hot meal while at school.

• https://www.kfyrtv.com/content/news/Minot-Public-Schools-responds-to-backlash-over-school-lunch-policies-567669491.html
• https://www.minotdailynews.com/news/local-news/2020/02/peanut-butter-or-cheese-for-kids-with-lunch-debt/
• https://www.minotdailynews.com/opinion/letters/2020/02/new-lunch-policy-we-can-do-better