Question about teacher strikes and free/reduced lunch

[MSNative]

I came across this today about the Detroit sick outs.

"In addition, when teachers skip school, parents are faced with the challenge of last-minute childcare decisions. Students also lose the meals they get at school. Many Detroit children eat most of their meals at school."

 

Do students really lose their meals? Does anyone know what is happening?

 

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/05/03/editorial-get-back-class-dps-teachers/83889442/

[TammyS]

I don't think they mean lose as in "we won't give that to them now", but rather the kids aren't going to school, so they aren't getting the free lunch that is at the school.

[HomeAgain]

If it is anything like here, the meals are only given at certain places around town during non-school days.  It would be up to the district nutritionist to make sure, or to send home a care-pack with the kids.  Given the state of Detroit schools and the embezzlement, fraud, and abuse endured, I'd say that's highly unlikely there. I would say the children are probably being fed at wherever they're being cared for though, so it's not "losing" meals, just not getting them through the state. 

[MSNative]

Its up to the admin. Here they kept school open, but attendance was app 50 percent of usual. Lunch and before/aftercare were as usual as there is no teacher involvement.

I think that is what happens here too. Thats why I was wondering if they just completely shut it down in Detroit.

I didn't realize that the admin can just shut it down though. Feeling for the students and families that rely on those meals.

Edited May 4, 2016 by MSNative

[Catalytic]

I despise the school district here because I don't think they follow McKinney-Vento properly and that they likely scare the crap out of any homeless who try to enroll their children. However.... There is a large number of low income families in the district (over 60% of the district qualifies for free/reduced), and on half days when lunch isn't served, they send EVERY student home with a bagged lunch, whether they qualify for free/reduced or not.   They also have a pilot program going where EVERY student gets free breakfast (but if they only take milk, they have to pay for it LOL).  In the summer, there are MANY sites for the Summer Food Service Program to feed the kids, as well.  Not sure if teachers are allowed to strike here, or what happens if they do.  (My mom taught in a state where it was illegal for teachers to strike, and she had plenty of students who mainly relied on school lunch/breakfast for their meals.  Some years she would cry every weekend because she knew some of her students would be hungry, and I remember several times us taking food to families of her students.)

 

Detroit is....ugh.  I'm almost inclined to say the whole state is ugh, what with the Flint water thing, too.  I'm sorry for anyone who has to live there :-(

[Farrar]

Here they open breakfast and lunch centers when school is off. We haven't had a teacher strike though. I suspect Detroit is struggling all the way around and it wouldn't surprise me if they couldn't figure out a delivery system and staff to do it. It's unfortunate... I hope there are places trying to pick up the slack.

[Dmmetler]

Here we have churches and other community locations that provide alternative sites if the school building is closed (like over school breaks). DD's cheer team meets at a church, and they ask the older girls/moms to sign up to distribute lunches in the summer, etc. The school district food service office sends around big trucks of lunches, and the moms hand them out.  DD enjoys doing so because it usually ends up as a big picnic and a lot of kids playing together-plus, she gets to pack a lunch in her lunchbox (and bring treats to share with the other kids-DD's love language is gifts, so picking out a box of granola bars or some other treat to share on distribution day with kids she meets really makes her feel happy).

 

Are the Detroit district classified personnel on strike as well? Here, classified and certificated have different unions, so a teacher strike wouldn't affect food service personnel unless their union decided to strike in sympathy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Catalytic]

Thankfully, they're back in school as of a couple of hours ago.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/education/wp/2016/05/04/detroit-schools-expected-to-reopen-wednesday-after-promise-teachers-will-be-paid/

[SparklyUnicorn]

Here they do lunches in the summer, but as far as I know there are no lunches served on days the school is not in session (during the school year).  They do have dining halls though (newer term for soup kitchen).  Also, some of the Boy's and Girl's clubs serve food. 

 

Some schools here have started sending home backpacks of food for the weekend for some students. 

 

So I'd assume that a strike large enough to close the school down would mean no lunches are served.

[Catalytic]

Some schools here have started sending home backpacks of food for the weekend for some students. 

 

 

 

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