CenTex Parents Upset over ‘Lunch Shaming’ Policy at Clear Creek Elementary

Students of Clear Creek Elementary on Fort Hood got sent home with a note Tuesday saying that students who have insufficient funds in their lunch account will have their meal trays pulled from the lunch line. This upset many parents around Central Texas as the story was reported by our news partners at KWTX.

The State of Texas signed a law earlier in the year to prohibit 'lunch shaming". The law requires independent school districts and boards of county school trustees to ensure a grace period for students who have insufficient lunch accounts so that they will not be 'shamed' in front of their classmates.

The enactment of Senate Bill 1566 earlier this year, signed by Governor Gregg Abbott, includes an amendment that says there has to be a grace period before lunch trays can just be taken away from hungry kids due to lack of funds.

KWTX reports that Clear Creek Elementary sent the following note home to parents on Tuesday:

"A MESSAGE FROM CLEAR CREEK ELEMENTARY CAFETERIA: BEGINNING WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, BREAKFAST AND LUNCH TRAYS WILL BE PULLED FROM STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE BREAKFAST AND OR LUNCH MONEY. PLEASE COME BY THE CAFETERIA OFFICE TO PUT MONEY IN YOUR CHILD'S MEAL ACCOUNT. YOU MAY ALSO CHECK THE STATUS OF YOUR MEAL ASSISTANCE APPLICATION IN THE CAFETERIA OR BY CALLING 254-336-0775.
STUDENTS WITHOUT BREAKFAST MONEY WILL NOT EAT. STUDENTS WITHOUT LUNCH MONEY WILL GET A PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH AND A CUP OF WATER OR A CHEESE SANDWICH IF THE STUDENT IS ALLERGIC TO PEANUTS.
STUDENTS ARE EMBARRASSED WHEN THEIR TRAYS ARE PULLED. PLEASE DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOUR CHILD. PARENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING SURE STUDENTS HAVE MONEY FOR MEAL PURCHASES AT SCHOOL.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF THIS MATTER."

So has the required "grace period" for students at clear creek been established? If so, then the note doesn't seem to be an issue. If not, it seems this could be a situation that appears to fly in the face of Senate Bill 1566 signed by the Governor. More information should be coming out soon.

The school says they will offer a sandwich and water to those students who do not have funds in their lunch account. KWTX is trying to get more information from Killeen ISD about the situation.