Student Well-Being

‘Lunch Police’ in Pennsylvania School to Search and Confiscate Student Food

By Mariah Rush, The Charlotte Observer — April 05, 2022 1 min read
Chips fall down chutes toward a bagging machine at the Golden Flake Snack Foods plant in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Aug. 22, 2007.
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One Pennsylvania school is taking a stand against snacking after an “excessive” amount of goodies was brought in, according to school officials.

“Shopping bags full of chips,” candy and an assortment of drinks have been brought into the school, and the Aliquippa School District will not stand for it any longer.

Aliquippa Junior/Senior High School will now be limiting what each student can bring to school, the district statement said.

“Beginning on Monday, April 4, 2022, each student will only be permitted one bag (up to 4 oz. in size) of such items as potato chips, Cheetos, Doritos, etc., and one bottled or canned beverage (up to 20 oz.),” the school system announced.

If the snack is opened before entering the school building or the student has more than what is permitted, officials will throw the snack away.

Additionally, if a student packs a lunch, the same restriction applies, and lunches will be searched.

This announcement set off an uproar of comments and shares on Facebook.

“You’re going to tell parents what they can and cannot send for their child to eat? That’s absurd! Maybe if school lunches weren’t so tiny and gross they wouldn’t need to bring extra snacks,” one person commented on the Facebook announcement.

“Lunch Police,” another commenter added. “Maybe they should stay out of the parenting business and focus on giving our kids a quality education.”

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Some agreed with the policy.

“I don’t remember being allowed to have food outside of the cafeteria when I was in school, so I find it weird that the school district even has to request this” one person said.

The school district had a message to all their commenters.

“Thank you all for your feedback. If you have children in the district please contact your building principal,” the district wrote. “If you are an internet heckler, continue as you were.”

Aliquippa is about 22 miles northwest of Pittsburgh.

Copyright (c) 2022, The Charlotte Observer. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency.

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