A FURIOUS mum has slammed her kid’s school after staff “publicly shamed” pupils by removing food off their plates.
The parent claimed Liverpool College lunch employees went around the hall with tongs to remove items and told hungry pupils “not today.”
1Pupils were allegedly left humiliated after being told they did not have enough credit on their meal cardsCredit: Google EarthThis left children “in tears” and embarrassed as staff broadcast that their meal card balance had run out.
The frustrated mum has hit back at the school, pointing out many families are struggling on the breadline amid the crippling cost of living crisis.
She told the Liverpool Echo: “The school wrote to parents last week threatening to take legal action over minimal balances.
“They then decided to humiliate scores of children as their accounts for school meals had slipped into a negative balance.
“The lunch staff publicly shamed the children by coming through the lunch hall with tongs and removing slices of pizzas, cookies, and bottles of water from their plates.
“I think the word from one of them was “not today” as they took one of the child’s two slices of pizza.”
The parent has also claimed staff were quick to bin the food despite it not being touched.
“Children were left in tears, ringing their parents to have their accounts topped up, but even this wasn’t enough as they were then told it took time to register and sent them away again,” she added.
The concerned mum reported that pupils were scrambling to call their parents – asking for a top up on their cards – after being humiliated in front of the dining hall.
“I cannot believe that any school would treat families like this particularly one which proports to have such high values,” she continued.
“There are many families across the city who are struggling with the cost of living,” she added.
Principal, Mr Hans van Mourik Broekman, has strongly denied the parent’s claims.
He said: “No pupil at Liverpool College has ever or will ever go without a lunch.
“The College and its catering company partner do need to limit the amount currently owed by parents to our caterer as it is at unsustainable levels.
“We appreciate times are difficult and we will not see pupils go without a lunch.
“These policies have been explained in writing to parents and pupils, and the College has apologised for any upset caused by their introduction.”
Parents of pupils at a school in Merseyside have also hit back at staff after they claim children were refused food.
Devonshire Park Primary in Merseyside said pupils will only get toast or a bread roll for their lunch if meal debts were not cleared.
The note, sent home to parents on Monday, said: “If your child has a negative balance on their dinner money account they will not be provided with a hot meal.
“If they do not have a packed lunch with them, they will be given toast or a bread roll.”
One raging parent branded the move as “disgusting” and fears for other pupils who may have parents who are struggling to cope financially.
The mum added: “I think it needs to be made aware that it’s not just Universal Credit that is causing families to live in poverty.
“I’m guessing there will be plenty of parents in the same situation who have received the letter.”
At another school in Stockport, one child was refused lunch because he owed just £4 on his meal card.
The parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said her son – who attends Bramall High School – was left “humiliated” when the dinner lady told him that he could not be allowed the food he chose.
She added that he was offered a sandwich, but he refused as he doesn’t eat butter and so went without his lunch.
A representative of Bramhall High School said: “The school has a policy in place when an account goes into debit.
“As the parent has said, on this occasion a sandwich was offered as an alternative, in line with our policy, and this was refused.”
Story Credit: thesun.co.uk