Seattle schools owed $12,000 in lunch money
SEATTLE -- A costly convenience is costing the Seattle School District $12,000 and counting. It's the money students owe for lunches they ate but didn't pay for.
The district says parents owe that money and they're determined to get it back, but insist this is a function of letting kids eat now and pay later.
School lunches in the Seattle School District went high tech six years ago. Parents but money in a student's account and the student punches in a PIN to pay for her lunch.
Kitchen managers see the child's face on the screen and it's up to them to OK each transaction.
But some parents worry the system makes it easy for students to steal and use other students' PINs.
The district admits it can happen, but thinks if the wrong account gets charged, it's more often an honest mistake than fraud.
"It's usually by error, it's not on purpose," said kitchen manager Cathy Stalker.
The system lets students know when their balance is low or they've run short. But some parents don't pay their balances, and so far this year, parents owe the district $12,000. The district says it's an honor system that they prefer over a hard line approach.
"When you are being faced with child with a meal and no money on their account, taking food away is a hard thing to do," said School Nutrition Director Wendy Weyer. "We certainly want to error on the side of feeding a child than not feeding a child."
The district says so far this school year, it's served more than 2 million lunches and it's confident it can collect most of that $12,000 before the year ends.
Some parents who can't pay may be eligible for free or reduced lunch programs.
The district says parents owe that money and they're determined to get it back, but insist this is a function of letting kids eat now and pay later.
School lunches in the Seattle School District went high tech six years ago. Parents but money in a student's account and the student punches in a PIN to pay for her lunch.
Kitchen managers see the child's face on the screen and it's up to them to OK each transaction.
But some parents worry the system makes it easy for students to steal and use other students' PINs.
The district admits it can happen, but thinks if the wrong account gets charged, it's more often an honest mistake than fraud.
"It's usually by error, it's not on purpose," said kitchen manager Cathy Stalker.
The system lets students know when their balance is low or they've run short. But some parents don't pay their balances, and so far this year, parents owe the district $12,000. The district says it's an honor system that they prefer over a hard line approach.
"When you are being faced with child with a meal and no money on their account, taking food away is a hard thing to do," said School Nutrition Director Wendy Weyer. "We certainly want to error on the side of feeding a child than not feeding a child."
The district says so far this school year, it's served more than 2 million lunches and it's confident it can collect most of that $12,000 before the year ends.
Some parents who can't pay may be eligible for free or reduced lunch programs.
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