Bemidji Pioneer: District makes it official: All students receive meals regardless of debt

BEMIDJI -- Bemidji Area Schools approved on Monday a set of school lunch policies that insist all students be provided a lunch regardless of how much money is in their school lunch account.

Students can continue to eat regular meals even as their meal debt grows, and staff there regularly work to help families apply for federal free and reduced-price meal programs and write off some students’ debt entirely. Students with negative account balances aren’t allowed to purchase a la carte snacks such as cookies or frozen yogurt or charge an additional entree or extra portions, but existing-albeit-unofficial practice and the new policy say they’ll always get a meal regardless of their account status.

http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/news/education/4298985-district-makes-it-official-all-students-receive-meals-regardless-debt