What's For Lunch?

    Not much these days!... According to some parents who are upset about the reduced size of Calcasieu school lunches.  The Calcasieu Parish School system is cutting back on spending this year.  And your child's lunch tray falls under those cut backs.  This year, the district is serving smaller portions than in years past.  According to school officials, in the past they were serving almost double what the USDA requires to be served.  But now they've reduced their servings to the minimum requirements in order to deal with a shrinking budget.  While this may help the district save money, some parents are  questioning whether it was in the best interest of the students to cut back on nutrition.  What do you think about the lunches our children are served in school cafeterias?

Comments

[CROOKED SCHOOLBOARD]

are you kidding me? THE DISTRICT, as for say, didn't need allot of things but like always, they OVERSPEND what they need to.

One,,they didn't need the old sam's building..this town is full of "we need new stuff" and screw the kids basically.

You take and take but you idiots never give.

What? you teach? Hahahaha..

Thank goodnes our child don't eat the crappy food you serve anyways..feel for the one's who do.

You all say,,kids need better food..hey dumbass..it's not what the child eats at school but what they eat at home.

AND THIS IS WHAT OUR PARISH HAS TO OFFER, SO SEND YOUR CHILD TO OUR SCHOOL.

[Who Me]

Politics as usual when they run for office I'm going to make Schools and Charity Hospitals #1 on my list and when things get a little tuff that's the first place they cut but in the middle of the night while we are asleep they vote themselves a raise. Wake-up LA.and vote for people who work for the people not themselves.

[JW]

I would really like to see a " administrator " to student ratio. I would bet the schoolsystem is top heavy. Let's start cutting @ the top. In the meantime everyone in the school system should be required to eat what is served in school, including the occupants of our elobrate Sams Building.

[AWAKENED]

" Well, let's see... we can't cut the pay of the kids, cuz they don't get paid to come learn. Oh, yeah, let's cut their portions of food! And if that doesn't work, cut out the lunches altogether! Next will be to cut the amount of education we give 'em.... "

And to think i used to have some amount of respect for the Calcasieu School System.

SOMETHING IS REALLY "FUBAR" WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION, but then, i suppose it's just "par for the course" as to how things are going from the POTUS on down to the school systems for our kids...

How 'bout cutting pay starting with the top on down?...nah....makes too much sense!

[lora]

O.K. my eight year old comes home yesterday and ask mom why are they giving us less food. Don't they know we have to play p.e. and work for 8 hours we are hungry when lunch comes. She was worried about her brother who is in highschool and has football practice and not enough to eat. My children are not over weight and i feel if I still have to pay the same price then leave it like it is. I figure as much taxes as we pay it would help to feed our kids. They are our future and there are some kids out there that need to eat to maintain their abbilities to learn. So if they do this then will the kids be able to bring extra snacks? Are will they have to bring the whole lunch? There are so many other things that we can do to cut budget. I understand that the lakefront is important but is it so important that we have to cut education and food in our schools?

[traci]

3 chicken nuggets, you've got to be kidding. What about the students who are playing sports, they definately need more than 3 nuggets. Even my 2nd grader complained about the amount of food at lunch. The school board should be making budget cuts elsewhere. Here's one place they could - My 2 highschool students came home with new school books that are to stay at home for homework while they also have a new book in class for class work..Students should be assigned one book to be used in class and at home. There is no reason for them to be ordering two new books per child.

[Lyndsey]

I have a child in an elementary school in Calcasieu Parish, and I have always thought the school lunch portions were too large, especially because the main course is usually not very healthy..... The portion sizes may not be all that our children would like, but nutritionally it is all they need. If it meets the requirements of the USDA, I believe it is o.k. and I have no problem with the cuts.

[Worried Mom]

I want to see the school board go eat one of those lunches and then go back to work and be expected to concentrate on their work being as hungry as they are after one of those lunches.

[J. Miller]

I think serving our kids less food is a disgrace. My 14 year old was served 3 chicken nuggets and expected to finish out the day and pay attention to school instead of his growling stomach. The problem is politics as usual. Yes, we need to cut cost; however, we need to start by cutting the fat (cutting at the top). The new school board office and it's inflated staff would be one place. Another place is the administration at the schools. Every school has at least one staff memember who teaches 0-2 classes and them teaches "staff development" to the teachers. This is a ridiculous position and should be elminated during hard times. It is even mentioned that W.W. Lewis in Sulphur has now hired a new "horticulture" teacher and a "core" teacher to teach the 8th graders in Sulphur that failed last year so that they can go on to high school with 5-6 credits. What happened to, you don't do the work, you don't pass? Why are we spending all of this USELESS money on things instead of feeding our children. The CPSB school board members and staff should be ashamed of theirselves.

[Dee]

I'll bet all the double-salaried retire-rehire big shots at the Taj Mahal on Broad street won't eat less and they won't still be hungry when they have to go back to their offices. My 6 year old grandchild eats more than 3 chicken nuggets, I can only imagine how the middle schoolers and high schoolers feel like, if they even eat in the cafeteria. As usual all the comforts go to the people who are SUPPOSED? to be watching out for our children, not to the children, the teachers, the maintenance or support workers who really do take care of our children's needs. These are the people who worry about our children learning, being fed, being safe back and forth from school, being cool or warm. But, as usual, this is par for the course. Watch out come the next elections board members!

[Nanette Broussard]

My son is in eleventh grade and has never complained about the school lunch. Obviously there is a big change in the portion size because he does now. He leaves the house at 7:30A.M. and goes to school all day. Then he stays for a hot, long, and hard football practice. He usually walks back through the door at 6:00P.M. and he's starving!!During school testing they always emphasize feeding the children a good breakfast because they need to be able to concentrate on testing not hunger. What changed???

[APRIL]

Parents would be smarter to send lunches for their kids themselves rather than rely (or PAY) on CALCASIEU SCHOOLS for ANYTHING!!

All they're worried about is...

HOW MUCH MONEY THEY CAN GET OUT OF PARENTS by making us buy for their teachers and petty junk that is unnecessary to learn!

Go back to the good ol' days and JUST TEACH!!!

Parents figure it up....
Cold dinner leftovers and lunch boxes...
BETTER AND SAFER FOR YOUR KIDS

[es]

They are cutting back in the wrong department, again. Our children need a good hearty meal at school. You can't cut back that hard on the childrens food intake, much less all the cafe workers that lost their job.

[APRIL]

GET A GRIP CALCASIEU PARENTS!!!!!

When you have to "fight" to get your children FED THEY DON'T CARE!!

Take it in your own hands and make their lunches from home, cheaper and no worries if they're hungry!.

[Elohssa]

If you're sending your kids to school expecting the government to provide them with a substantial portion of their daily nourishment, you're doing things wrong.

It ain't the gubmint's job to feed your kids.

If little Johnny can't get by on what you pay a pittance for at the school, get off your rump and pack him a lunch. Millions of parents did that and still do.

How many of Calcasieu's kids are getting these lunches for FREE? And then their parents are complaining about FREE meals.

Obesity is a problem in the schools and you people want to whine about MORE food?

[James]

If the LAZY parents would get up and cook them a nice breakfast, then the lunch that they were getting would be enough until they got home, we don't need a lot of fat kids. Also if the LAZY parents still want their kids to be fat, they could send some extra food to school. I don't understand people, they want to complain if they get too much food or not enough food, people get a life

[Swamp Charly]

AMAZING KPLC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LAKEFRONT DEVELOPMENT FORUM UP ONE DAY ONLY.

NOW ITS LUNCHES.....I BET THAT WILL BE UP ONE WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mike]

Once again, cuts are being made at the bottom of "the food chain." Cuts should be made as others have mentioned starting at the top. The school board is way to fat at the top and could stand to lose a few pounds. What a disgrace to all.

[CTtcg]

What a dumb topic. They should cut the pay of any administrator who is earning 6 figures.

Why wasn't the lakefront development story in the newspaper? Hmm...

Isn't it interesting, Swamp Charly, how they cannot stand either criticism or enthusiasm? It's almost like they don't want people to know the truth on any issue...

[Jodi]

Is this punishment because we did not want to ship lunches in & let the cafaterial workers go.One of the main reasons for school lunches is because these meals are the only meals some of these kids get. It is a shame that you will cut kids lunches before you will cut not even cut but not increase upper management salaries. Some of you make more money than most of the people paying taxes to pay your salaries.

[Jeanelle Matte]

I have two high school boy athletes and they came home complaining that they were hungry and the rationing of school lunches. When they informed me of the three chicken nuggets they ate at school for lunch...my heart sank. The thought of my child going hungry makes me sick. I started packing them a lunch and intend to continue to pack them a lunch. If CPSB wants to ration the food, then provide microwaves so kids can expand their lunch options and/or allow parents to bring them a hot meal at school. I must ask...Mr. Gary Anderson, what did you eat for lunch today? I bet it was not 3 chicken nuggets....

[kmarler]

I can not believe that the school system has come to this. We see new schools being built all over the state and but they cut the kids food due to lack of money, people get your priorties straight, you cut the nutriton these kids need to focus on learning this material they need to succeed in the future---think about it, or just wait til the grades start dropping.

[Justathought]

Lunch should be better since you let Cafeteria workers go to cut down on salaries and benefits. More money should be there for food now. For the amount of money that the lunches costs they should be getting a 7 course meal. What if the students do there own budget cut and pay less for their lunch? Oh, thats right you will refuse for them to eat at all.

I have found it to be cheaper for them to bring their own lunches and better portions for the same amount you charge them daily. Parents take charge of this situation and stop complaining, we all now Public Schools are not free, go to the grocery store get lunch material and see how much you will save.

[CTtcg]

Remember people, this is the fault of the school board. We need to elect better members on it!

[jack]

It won't do any good to complain about the lunches because the school board doesn't care. They have made up their mind. I agree with justathought. I don't have any kids in school anymore but when I did my wife and I always sent them to school with their own lunches because half the time the lunches at school weren't good. I think it is cheaper to make them a lunch and that way you know what that they are getting good food. A good thermos will keep a lunch warm all day.