Parents Can't Watch Their Teen Graduate Unless They Settle Their School Lunch Debts

Unpaid school lunch bills are becoming a problem for most schools, but it looks like the Upshur County Board of Education has found a solution that could work. Parents with unpaid school lunch bills are being banned from their teen's graduation ceremonies until the debts are settled. But is it fair for schools to deny parents of the right to see their children graduate over unpaid school lunches?

No Payment, No Graduation Ticket

In West Virginia, schools have declared that parents will not be allowed to watch their teens graduate unless they have paid their lunch debts (via Parenting). The new policy from the Upshur County Board of Education was immediately met with skepticism from parents, especially those who need to work extra hard to get their kids into school.

Others believe that the new policy means to target the parents of teens who are not eligible for free meals. Stacey Bailey, a single mother of three, was devastated when she found out that she might not be able to see her daughter graduate. Bailey told WDTV that she had signed up for free school lunch online, however she may have made a mistake. That error might actually cost her the chance to see her teen graduate this year.

Is This Fair?

It might seem a little harsh, especially for parents who need to make ends meet, but Child Nutrition Director Cynthia Nesselroade states that it is the only way to make sure the school lunch bills will be paid rather than make a student suffer. "We do have an obligation to expect payments for lunch bills," Nesselroade explained. "Counties are not permitted to write off that debt, and therefore, counties do the best they can to get payment."

Do you think it is fair for parents to be denied the right to watch their teen graduate over unpaid school lunch debts? Let us know in the comments.