Cheese Sandwiches for a punishment?

@laglen (19759)
United States
April 16, 2010 8:01am CST
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Students at a New Jersey high school have learned not to mess with the lunch ladies. Cafeteria workers at Atlantic City High School served only cheese sandwiches Wednesday and Thursday as punishment for a cell-phone-coordinated food fight. School superintendent Fredrick Nickles says the school supplies only the basic food requirement when there's been a food-throwing incident. Nickles says the policy is effective. A parent, Bridgitte Reid, became angry after her daughter explained the menu. Reid called it "prison food." Students are getting a regular menu on Friday. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/04/16/nj-school-serves-cheese-sandwich-punishment/ Information from: The Press of Atlantic City, http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com lmao I found this very amusing. Do you think the kids deserved this? Do you think the parent was right to be upset? Do you think this was prison food? As a parent how would you react? I think the kids deserved it. If they were so concerned with the food, they shouldnt have been throwing it. They also can pack a lunch. I would tell my kid to suck it up. It is only two days for crying out loud! What is your opinion?
8 people like this
19 responses
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
16 Apr 10
I thought prison food were fried bologna sandwiches. By the way, I bet those kids get away with murder at home if the parents start to complain because they had to eat cheese sandwiches because they acted up and had food fight. I would have had them clean up the lunch room with toothbrushes and elbow grease. Better yet, I would have had the parents come in and help. By the way, what kind of parents do these kids have if they think the kids can get away with anything and not listen?
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
amen! The parents response I think is worse than the food fight.
1 person likes this
@suspenseful (40192)
• Canada
24 Apr 10
That's for sure. Maybe they should have those parents clean up the school or do the lawns. No wonder, kids are bad with parents like that. And I bet when the kids do get in trouble and wind up before a judge, the parents will moan and cry and ask, " What did we do wrong?" And I hope they land in front of Judge Judy.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
25 Apr 10
Or when they whine about what they did wrong, they will whine that nobody will help them! My daughters school has the highest parent volunteer rate in our county and I think #3 in the state, our lunch room is full of parents. We can come in and have lunch anytime we want with our kids. I usually go once or twice a month. I think it is important for us to know what our kids are doing! And who they are hanging out with. Her school is a K-12 so she has been going to school with the same kids since kindergarten, she is now in 10th grade.
1 person likes this
• United States
17 Apr 10
nothing wrong with a cheese sandwich.especially grilled cheese. hey,if they don't like it,they shouldn't waste food throwing it around.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
25 Apr 10
exactly! a sandwich is a sandwich, I dont see anything wrong with this!
@anne25penn (3305)
• Philippines
17 Apr 10
For me, this is a very effective way of punishing kids. I remember as a child where we are not allowed to play with our food because my parents always put the importance of how hard it is to put food on the table. Parents should not be angry when this happens, its about time kids who are privileged of having food on the table all the time learn to be thankful that they have food.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
17 Apr 10
and that their actions have consequences
@geniustiger (1694)
• Philippines
17 Apr 10
Throwing food is not a joke. It is sacred to all of us because having no food we will be hungry. That punishment suit for them as they commit wrong in the cafeteria. So that they will know that their doings are wrong. And for that punishment they will learned from it and don't do it again anymore. If I am the parents I not tolerate my son od taking it. Its for him.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
17 Apr 10
agreed, hopefully they have learned their lesson!
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
16 Apr 10
It was a good way for the cafeteria lady to come up with that solution to make those kids realize the importance of having food in our tables. If you think about it, these kids are really lucky compared to the people in Africa and all places around the world. They should know the value of food and they should learn how to see it as something of great value in everyday life.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
so true, and I really do not see cheese sandwiches as cruel!
@hofferp (4734)
• United States
16 Apr 10
If I had been part of a food fight and my Mom and Dad had found out about it, I'd be in with the cleaning crew helping to clean up the facility AND I'd gone with nothing to eat at home. If I were a parent in the same situation, I'd done as my parents did. The kids deserved every bit of those cheeze sandwiches. And the parent who complained needs to grow some....and parent.
2 people like this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
lol nicely put!
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
19 Apr 10
I would tell them to deal with it. I am surprised that they weren't arrested. It seems that is the way things are dealt with anymore. I am glad a school tried to take care of things without involving the law.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
20 Apr 10
Very good point, this was an issue that certainly should be handles internally.
@gewcew23 (8007)
• United States
17 Apr 10
But I like grilled cheese sandwiches, so I would be like okay. Here is some issues, First did every student participate with the food fight. I doubt that and not everyone should be punished for the actions other. Second like I said to me a grilled cheese sandwich is a good thing so I am not seeing the whole prison food argument angle. Third parent if you disagree with the cafeteria food served, fix your child some food at home.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
17 Apr 10
I agree, more info needed, like did they clean the cafeteria? That would be number one for me. I agree this is NOT prison food. Of it was, you wouldnt have known it as you cant really identify that crap. And good point about everybody participating.
• United States
16 Apr 10
I think that the punishment should have been a starvation diet lunch. Cheese sandwiches are too good for these brats. I have no sympathy for anyone who wastes food. There are too many children who go hungry while these brats throw food around.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
lmao dont beat around the bush! Tell me how you really feel! I would be open to no lunch as well.
• United States
16 Apr 10
I second that excellent addition to the punishment.!!
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
18 Apr 10
LAGLEN: My answers to your questions: L. Do you think the kids deserved this? M. Aw, hell yeah, if they were involved. Still, since they probably can't know who all were the guilty, as it happens in real life sometimes, the actions of a few bad actors can spoil it for everyone. L. Do you think the parent was right to be upset? M. Nah...she sounds like a lot of irresponsible parents raising little trolls now-a-days. Her little darling will recover. L Do you think this was prison food? M. No. That's far better than such fare. L. As a parent how would you react? M. I'd tell my kid that if he'd participated in such hooliganism, then he'd gotten what he'd "ordered off the menu," so to speak...& he could just have to quit mitching & boaning & eat his cold sandwich. However, if I were certain my kid hadn't joined the mob, I'd pack him a balanced lunch & sent him off to learn. He'd survive it. L. I think the kids deserved it. If they were so concerned with the food, they shouldn't have been throwing it. They also can pack a lunch. I would tell my kid to suck it up. It is only two days for crying out loud! M. Amen! L. What is your opinion? M. See above. Maggiepie POST THAT TOPIC THAT WON'T FIT ANYWHERE ELSE IN Open Mike!
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
19 Apr 10
Thank you for your well organized answers. Of course you are right because yo agree with me!
1 person likes this
@Maggiepie (7816)
• United States
20 Apr 10
But of course! Maggiepie Post topics in Open Mike if they just WON'T be comfy anywhere else!
@coffeegurl (1467)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I like cheese sammiches. Unless the kids are lactose intolerant, I don't see a problem. I think a better punishment would be to make them eat army chow. Half the time we had no idea what we were eating, and there were no"menus" or labels even. We literally pointed to the food and said, "I'll have whatever THAT is."
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
lol great idea! hahah mystery meat. We had that for lunch when I was in school.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
the ones with a half cup of grease on the top?
• United States
17 Apr 10
mmmmhmmm YUM! Reminds me of good ole' army chow. Hoooah!Keep them cheese sammiches a comin'.
1 person likes this
@inedible (768)
• Singapore
19 Apr 10
Well, it's unfair to the kids who didn't take part in throwing food, but it's still only two days of sandwiches. And it's not like eating sandwiches will kill them. Parents shouldn't overreact over this. It's not hard to just bring their own food for two days.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
19 Apr 10
I agree. It is a shame when parents try to take away the credibility of the schools. I do know that there are instances that parents should step on, this was not one of them.
@hvedra (1619)
16 Apr 10
Those kids should suck it up and so should their parents. Had I complained to my mother about something like that I'd have been punished at home too! Too many, kids today are spoiled little toerags with no respect for all the things they are given - perhaps that is the problem the are GIVEN everything and have a very overdeveloped sense of entitlement. There's plenty of people who would be glad of a cheese sandwich.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I agree strongly with you!
2 people like this
@Sherry12 (2472)
• United States
26 Apr 10
I so agree with both of you on this! They are lucky the school cafeteria didn't close and they had to pack their own lunch at home before going to school.
@niara25 (147)
• United States
27 Apr 10
so true!
@Triper (71)
• Portugal
16 Apr 10
I lol'd at this but I've to agree with that guy: "school supplies only the basic food requirement when there's been a food-throwing incident" Schools always try to make good meals always, if the entire community doesn't like it, they should talk with higher people about it and not go waste with some "fun". Still, I know some people that wouldn't mind the cheese sandwiches over a fish meal. If I was a parent, I would probably just talk with my son/daughter about that "fun" and then also talk with that higher people about the kids having fun with some X meals probably because it only means that lots of them don't like it a lot and there is already ways to make that not sooooo good meals become yummie.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
If you have issue with the food, you could always pack a lunch. My daughter is in 10th grade, we have always packed lunches. She buys hot lunch a couple times a year as a treat. I would rather know what she is eating.
@laglen (19759)
• United States
19 Apr 10
I agree and just short of a firing squad I would most likely side with the lunch ladies.
@Triper (71)
• Portugal
19 Apr 10
10th grade is another story but if it was like kids with 5-10 years old I would probably do like I said. 10th grade is another question, first starts with: Why the heck you've done that? Grow up more, please? People at 10th grade should be more mature and less childish and start to think about what they do before they actually do something. They need more responsibility for their acts.
1 person likes this
@marsha32 (6631)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I'm with you...I find it funny. It was an appropiate punishment. Kids shouldn't be allowed to have cell phones in school anyway! I think if they bring them, they should have to be left in the office...and I don't care if they are even in high school! As a parent, I wouldn't have been upset. I was a lunch aid for 13 years, but in the Headstart program. Marsha
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
as a parent I would be behind the lunch ladies 100% My daughter knows this so doesnt try to play that card with me. Now if it truly something detrimental, I will step in. This was very deserving.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Apr 10
Big deal, two days! Anyway, I like cheese sandwiches....
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
me too. I see nothing wrong with that. There were times that that was dinner when I was a kid...
@cream97 (29086)
• United States
16 Apr 10
Hi, laglen. Well, it is a bit different, but it could have been much worse. They should be glad that it is only cheese sandwiches and not a worse punishment for food. If they had to have something worse, then they would be complaining then. They are lucky to not have had a severe punishment than what they already have.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I agree, it isnt even a harsh punishment
@Wizzywig (7847)
16 Apr 10
I LIKE cheese sandwiches. Whats wrong with them? How is that 'prison food'?They should think themselves lucky that the dinner ladies didnt just walk out and refuse to supply any food at all. The kids should have more respect for the fact that they HAVE food and the parents should get over it and back the school. Whingeing about the sanctions effectively condones the behaviour.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I agree it does condone the behavior and takes from the authority of the lunch ladies.
@angelajoy (1825)
• Philippines
16 Apr 10
I think these children deserved this punishment. They just wasted good food when they had it. I really don't like it when people have a food fight because they're wasting food when there are so many hungry people on the streets. These kids don't realize how lucky they are to have something to eat.
1 person likes this
@laglen (19759)
• United States
16 Apr 10
I understand and kids will be kids. I do think the punishment fit the crime.