红杏视频

Across the country, school districts are struggling with students who don鈥檛 have enough money to pay for cafeteria meals and accrue a debt to eat.

Lunch debt collection policies vary from district to district. At some schools, children have had their meals thrown in the trash for unpaid school lunch debt. Others have been barred from participating in extra-curricular or after-school activities.

It鈥檚 happening in North Dakota, too.

Often, private donors step in to help foot the bills. Jason Boynton, a math professor at North Dakota State University, hosted a charity music show called Lunch Aid in September to pay off nearly $20,000 in student lunch debt. And earlier this month, a private donor paid off more than $28,000 in additional lunch debt at Fargo Public Schools.

Thanks to a recent , however, over lunch debt.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really hard to learn when you鈥檙e hungry. The Fargo School Board鈥檚 decision to change its lunch debt collection policies is a positive step for ensuring our kids have the best possible learning environment,鈥� said Dane DeKrey, advocacy director for the 红杏视频 of North Dakota. 鈥淏ut more than that, the school board鈥檚 decision to change its policy is a great example of what happens when our elected officials make decisions with input from the community. That鈥檚 a win-win situation for everyone.鈥�

Because lunch debt is an issue that affects the entire community, it鈥檚 fitting that there鈥檚 so many people in the community also pushed for the school board鈥檚 policy change.

鈥淚 thought it was unacceptable that students were being turned over to collections for school lunch debts,鈥� said Boynton, who is also a member of North Dakota United. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what sparked the idea for Lunch Aid last year. But it turns out I wasn鈥檛 the only one who thinks school lunch debt is a problem. Solving big problems is easier when we come together as a community.鈥�

But more should be done for students in Fargo and the rest of North Dakota.

鈥淯.S. policy too often punishes and criminalizes people struggling with poverty, even inside school buildings where children are supposed to be nurtured and kept safe,鈥� DeKrey said. 鈥淪oliciting donations to cover school lunch debt isn鈥檛 exactly a sustainable solution.鈥�

That change, like the Fargo School Board鈥檚 policy update, will take statewide community support and effort.

鈥淭he Fargo school board鈥檚 policy change is a positive step in the right direction, but school lunch debt is an issue that affects the entire state,鈥� said Jenifer Mastrud, president of the Fargo Education Association. 鈥淗elping our kids today will only help make North Dakota stronger tomorrow.鈥�