Utah: School Takes Lunches From Students in Debt

Parents say about 50 elementary students in Salt Lake City had their school lunches thrown out because money was owed on their accounts. The lunches costing about $3 were taken from children on Tuesday as they arrived at a pay station after receiving their food. The Salt Lake City School District said the move came after it realized that a lot of students at Uintah Elementary owed money for previous lunches. It apologized on Thursday and said it was working to make sure the action was not repeated. A district spokesman, Jason Olsen, said the lunches were thrown out because they could not be served to another student. Students whose lunches were taken away were given fruit and milk, a standard practice when students do not have lunch money.