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Talk about government run amok, get a load of this. A preschooler in North Carolina was told by a state official that the lunch that was packed by her mother was unacceptable, because it did not meet USDA guidelines. The official then made the preschooler purchase a lunch provided by the school, and the girl later went home with her uneaten sack lunch AND a bill for $1.25. Talk about Big Brother watching you!
As reported in the Carolina Journal Online, the girl's mother packed her a " turkey and cheese sandwich, banana, potato chips, and apple juice." However, this meal "did not meet U.S. Department of Agriculture guidelines, according to the interpretation of the agent who was inspecting all lunch boxes in her More at Four classroom that day."
Lunch box inspection? Are you serious? I'm pretty sure there are better uses of state funds than inspecting preschoolers' lunch boxes.
The girl's mother -- who said she wishes to remain anonymous to protect her daughter from retaliation -- said she received a note from the school stating that students who did not bring a "healthy lunch" would be offered the missing portions, which could result in a fee from the cafeteria, in her case $1.25.
"I don't feel that I should pay for a cafeteria lunch when I provide lunch for her from home," the mother wrote in a complaint to her state representative, Republican G.L. Pridgen of Robeson County.
The mother was angry for a number of reasons:
What got me so mad is, number one, don't tell my kid I'm not packing her lunch box properly," the girl's mother told CJ. "I pack her lunchbox according to what she eats. It always consists of a fruit. It never consists of a vegetable. She eats vegetables at home because I have to watch her because she doesn't really care for vegetables."
When the girl came home with her lunch untouched, her mother wanted to know what she ate instead. Three chicken nuggets, the girl answered. Everything else on her cafeteria tray went to waste.
Fox News' Trace Galllagher also reported on the story of the state messing with the preschoolers lunch box:
According to the Fox report, school officials later apologized. Why? For a stupid "big brother" invasion of privacy? No. They apologized, because they now deem that the girls lunch did meet USDA requirements. So... the lunch had the government's blessing. Big deal. They should scrap this program and return the money to the taxpayers.
Please share this information with your friends and let us know what you think. Should the government (state, local, or federal) be inspecting children's lunch boxes?
February 15, 2012 @ 9:38 am
I’d be willing to bet that what the girl brought for lunch was healthier than the garbage they serve in the school cafeteria.
February 15, 2012 @ 12:02 pm
The girl’s lunch from home was healthier than the school lunch. The school lunch included ‘Chicken Nuggets’ which are deep fried coated with some kind of batter and have a lot more unhealthy ingredients than a turkey & cheese sandwich. The food patrol people had a problem with no veggies. After working in the accounting office for the food service dept of our school for years guess where the veggies went with the children from Pre-school through about the 3rd grade. IN THE TRASH! As the mother stated she makes sure her daughter eats her veggies at home! Now we understand better each day why we need to get rid of the government ran schools and bring the schools back to the local towns not only because of their control over the food but because we allowed them to take prayer out of the schools which has made our schools a haven for everything but being educated in reading, writing, math, science and the history of the USA.
February 15, 2012 @ 12:31 pm
welcome,welcome everyone to the new UNITED SOCIALIST STATES OF AMERICA.
dont worry dear leader furher obama and dear leaders wife will see to our prosperity.
February 15, 2012 @ 6:40 pm
Yo—State Agent—how’s about a nice Hawaiian Punch??
February 15, 2012 @ 7:24 pm
Take your child out of Big Brothers propaganda training camps. Use a non government funded private school, or home school. We can’t solve this problem at the voting booth. The choice of candidates that are provided to us just continues the problem, it does’nt solve it.
February 15, 2012 @ 9:41 am
I went to school in the 1940′s and 50′s. I’m thankful my lunches were not inspected. I would have starved. There was no school lunch program back then.
February 15, 2012 @ 6:31 pm
>> I went to school in the 1940′s and 50′s. <<
Me, too, in a rural area. Wonder what the Food Police would have had to say on those days I had a hunk of cold meat wrapped in wax paper and a slice or two of homemade bread. It went into the ice box in the office until lunch time.
February 15, 2012 @ 9:54 am
When they reanalyzed the lunch, it was healthy and in line with their meal plan so they won’t charge the 1.25$. That’s not the point. The point is why are they looking in the first place where’s our Constitutional rights? Search and Seizure what was the probable cause? This is pure PCBS.
February 15, 2012 @ 10:15 am
So let me get this straight….”processed meat” chicken nuggets are better for our kids than a turkey and cheese sandwich and a banana??? WOW! McDonalds should really be happy about this!
February 16, 2012 @ 7:57 am
It won’t be long when the socialists take all the jobs that will be too low wage anyway and then the mega corporations will be all that will be able to step in to recover or “afford” anything and McD’s will be the only alternative to government control by sponsoring and advertising in schools to offset the govt. losses when humanism fumbles its socialist plans later anyway and we lose another generation as adults confuse these young precious children that need to take personal responsibility . That is love not handouts
February 15, 2012 @ 10:16 am
The Socialist Progressive educational mind control police have finally taken off their masks of mercy and revealed their true colors,,,,,Black with a white stripe down back, just like our Polling, “stick finger in the air to see which way the wind blows” polecat Black and White president. He is indeed a man for all seasons and all colors. We got a black and white multi-racial president but the white only appears on his back side in the form of a stripe which reveals his true ability to spray mark you and your innocent children with his political stench.
With Michelle Obama so invested in healthy federally provided school lunches AT THE TAXPAYER’S EXPENSE, I will just bet my shorts she and her husband are heavily invested in the companies who provide these lunches or are heavily supported by them in the form of kickback campaign contributions.
It has come to this folks, you have a self sustaining prideful American human being parent setting an example for the undeveloped mind of the child she loves, as to how to make his way in the world without government assistance to feed self and family, thereby saving the taxpayers money in the process, soooooooooooooo,,,, and up pops Obama’s Socialist educated political thought police to step into the breach and enslave the developing mind into one more prison of dependency. With these socialist dictators it’s “MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY” I’m surpised they didn’t fine her the parent lunch tax,,,Oh that’s right they did for $1.25
DEFUND THIS DEPARTMENT OF INDOCTINATION THEY DISGUISE AND CALL THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. NOW!
February 15, 2012 @ 10:24 am
And what will be done about this? Will we just post our objections on internet message boards or are we going to take some positive action to ensure this absolute nonsense and those responsible for it are banished from having any influence on any public policy. If I lived in NC I would start by identifying those responsible and launching a campaign to oust them. Just like the liberals who viciously attack every perceived threat to their agenda (religious symbols in public, etc) so must we do the same. Doing nothing but complaining is no longer an option.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:51 am
The ballot box comes to mind…
February 15, 2012 @ 2:59 pm
Indeed, TexasGuy. I can’t get out and protest (not the protesting type, anyway) or participate in rallies as I am homebound/disabled. HOWEVER, Oregon is vote-by-mail, and I am already registered (in anticipation of our upcoming Primary).
The ballot box is the only way we’ll be rid of these vermin. Which is exactly what they are: Filthy rodents.
February 15, 2012 @ 10:27 am
THREE whole chicken nuggets? After all the hullabalool about Ma’s lunch not being healthy, Big Bro didn’t even bother to see what the kid ate off the schools plate? “I’m from the government and I’m here to help you” INDEED!
February 15, 2012 @ 10:30 am
Life in this country is bordering on the absurd. Just who do these people think they are dictating what a mother should pack her child for lunch. A turkey and cheese sandwich surely is nutritional, as was the banana and the juice. In regards to what was probably a small bag of chips — no big deal. Since when is chicken nuggets more nutritional than what this girl’s mother packed for her daughter’s lunch.
Do all these dictators have any credentials in the realm of dietectics? Or is this just another way of gaining more control over our lives while increasing revenue. Hello Big Brother!
February 15, 2012 @ 10:57 am
Big government run amok! No doubt this is in keeping with Michelle Obama’s plan for our kids.
February 15, 2012 @ 3:01 pm
The only kids that matter to Mistress Obama are her own. She couldn’t give two ****s for anyone else’s kids.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:08 am
It just gets scarier every day. Gee, the govt. overseer would have a field day with my littlest child who has food allergies and isn’t even able to eat a “USDA balanced diet”. If she tried she’d either be in the hospital or dead.
We really need to be concerned about the big brother govt. intruding on the daily lifes of the citizens. This is NOT what our founding fathers wanted, not ever. Today it is what lunch the kids can bring, who must pay for birth control and abortion inducing drugs, what next? Since when does some person in the government have any right to say what I can eat, what I must pay for, etc.? We are on a dangerous path in this country and the people need to wake up and realize where it is going.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:12 am
I agree that the people in charge of the More for Four program (if that’s what it is) should be targeted for elimination. It it’s a school program, vote out the officials who run it.
If it’s a state program, vote out the officials who run it.
If necessary, dump the Governor and start over.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:24 am
I am surprised that so many comments concern the contents of the lunch.
I believe the real issue is the the gov’t. has no right to “inspect” the kids’ lunches.
Sounds straight from the USSR rules.
February 15, 2012 @ 3:03 pm
Eat your vegetables! They’re good for you, Comrade!
February 15, 2012 @ 3:08 pm
Vee have vays to make you eat.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:24 am
This goes to show you how ignorant some of our school teachers/administrators are now-a-days. Firstly, USDA Guidelines are just that – guidelines, not public law. Local schools may be required to adhere to USDA guidelines or lose Federal funding; but nothing the USDA does can force parents to feed – or not, for that matter – their kids any specific diet.
The school official that performed this act should be administratively disciplined for their ignorance/stupidity.
This should be a lesson for anybody planning to vote in November.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:30 am
Did this oh so conserned State Aganet consider possible dietary special needs because of allergies or diabetes or some other illness?? The State Agent would have NO idea of these needs and the child may not be able to explain or feel too intimidated to explain a special diet.
Where is the ACLU in this case? Were not the Civil Liberties of the child and her mother trampled upon with impunity? I hope this State Agent gets FIRED and the program allowing or requiring the checking of lunches get sunk so deep it NEVER gets close to a school again.
As a person with food allergies, this person could have caused severe problems for this child.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:32 am
It is sad to watch the government inspectors now take over as mini “dictator-in-chiefs” in line with the one that supposedly is our President. Our federal government must have hundreds of thousands of inspectors and regulators in force across our country and sticking their noses into everything. What a waste of taxpayer money.
However, this is how an organized socialist takeover program works. It starts small and slowly builds to this point in our country where we have the “Closer” in place in the Whitehouse (along with his wife who probably makes a lot of the President’s decisions because he is not a decisive person on his own). The activist implementers infiltrate every government department and methodically change all of the policies and regulations to bend the way we live toward where they have control over most of the major areas that affect our lives. And, in the process, they have to take power away from the States, and that is going on with the various lawsuits in place and the liberal judicial activists that are “reinterpretating” every law and regulation to support the broad based socialist conversion strategy.
The majority of the American voters in this country must want to grow and live in a socialist “nanny state” world or they wouldn’t continue to vote liberals into political office. The state of California, which once was a great state, has slowly been declining under the liberals that rule this state and is a precursor to where the country at large is heading irregardless of the fact that there are more conservative states then those run by liberals. It is a matter of the liberal urban population density in states like California, New York, and Illinois that have large blocks of electoral votes and which have the ability to bias the elections their way. I live in California and my vote means nothing in this state as the conservatives who built this state are now in the minority as the liberals funded by the entertainment business and voted into office by the huge liberal minorities and others always win their elections.
The Obama administration is doing it at the national level and has almost enough of the same voting blocks to guarantee re-election unless the conservatives and independents in this country band together to put a stop to this insanity.
February 15, 2012 @ 3:07 pm
Very good points.
Two counties in the State of Oregon, both of which are in the greater Portland metropolitan area, decide state elections every cycle.
Whoever those two counties go for will win the election, every time. Unfortunately, those two counties are affluent and Dhimmicrat. The rest of the state be damned, they’re getting their way.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:37 am
Is SOYLENT GREEN next?
February 15, 2012 @ 11:41 am
check out Pink Goo at u-tube. You’ll never eat a mcedees mcnugget again… cook it yourself and limit outside food your kids eat. live long and prosper…
February 15, 2012 @ 11:42 am
Ridiculous. I guess feeding tubes are next for those who don’t eat all the government mandated lunch.
February 15, 2012 @ 11:56 am
This is exactly why we NEED to END the dep of miseducation. Education is beyond the scope of the constitutional restrictions set for the government. The states are responsible for their children NOT the federal government.
February 15, 2012 @ 12:01 pm
Inspecting lunches? Maybe they should be inspecting between toes instead. Big Gov intrusion and just the beginning of the comic takeover of the admin?You live your lives like “We” want you live them….
February 15, 2012 @ 12:12 pm
Folks, it is high time we recognize these “invasions” for what they are; a systematic removal of free-will and self-determination from the people of America. The socialists, led by our Obozo in chief, have assaulted all aspects of American life. The economy has been assaulted. Large companies are bailed out at taxpayer expense so that they can continue the poor business practices that got them in trouble in the first place. Catholics have been told they must carry contraception and abortion coverage on employees even though this is a clear violation of the dictates of their faith and conscience. Everything from gay marriage to this ridiculous school lunch program is intended to get Americans to start thinking of the government as the end-all, be-all. No aspect of American life is sacred anymore. God, our family values, our money, even the food we eat is now under assault by “big brother.” We absolutely must rise up and remove all influence of this socialist, government knows best crowd from governments everywhere. I don’t care if it is your county dog-catcher election, vote for the most conservative dog-catcher candidate you can find. Only by completely eradicating this socialist influence from our local, state and national governments can we hope to return this country to even a semblance of its former greatness. I fear it may already be too late, but if we do not act soon to remove the socialists from power, we won’t be able to act at all. Don’t be fooled by all the gun control rhetoric coming out of Washington. Controlling guns doesn’t reduce crime one bit, because criminals seldom use guns that were obtained legally anyway. The real reason that the government wants gun control is because the single biggest deterrent to government tyranny is a well-armed populace. The founding fathers knew this, which is why they made sure to add the second amendment to the Constitution of the United States. The only government that fears a well-armed citizenry is the one that plans to oppress that citizenry. It is only a matter of time before the socialists get gun-control passed if we continue to allow them to govern. If you do not own a gun, get a permit, buy one, and become proficient in its use. If you aren’t registered to vote, do so. Then make sure you vote in every election for which you qualify to vote. Study the candidates. Know how they voted on key issues. As I have said numerous times, don’t pay attention to the rhetoric, study the voting record. That will show you where a candidate truly stands on issues. Wherever possible, meet the candidates. Challenge them on the issues and evaluate their responses in light of the voting choices they’ve made in the past. Only by truly studying the candidates can you know which ones truly stand for what issues and on what platform. Vote for the most conservative candidates you can find, regardless of whether you personally like them or not. Only in the polling place do we exercise any power, and if we abdicate that power, then we have no one to blame but ourselves when socialism takes over this once great nation for good.
February 15, 2012 @ 12:12 pm
I am surprised at the number of comments addressing the theory that the lunch packed by the girl’s mother was actually nutritious. That argument completely misses the point that the government should not be inspecting children’s (or anybody else’s for that matter) meals. I don’t care if the girl’s mother packed her a lunch of twinkies….it is none of the government’s business and those who believe it is should be immediately removed from any position where they can impact public policy
February 15, 2012 @ 12:18 pm
The local school board needs a letter demanding (1) an explanation and (2) a promise that it won’t happen again! And they need follow-up phone calls regarding such an outrageous happening. (Unless this school is unusual, they would be better off putting these school-hour minutes to work on reading, writing, and arithmetic.)
February 15, 2012 @ 12:20 pm
Glad to finally see an explanation of why the government needs more of my money. Any congressman who votes to increase the debt limit after seeing this should be drawn and quartered.
But it does suggest a new slogan for those against increasing intrusion by the government in our lives:
GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY KID’S BANANA!
February 15, 2012 @ 12:26 pm
Who is the “state agent”? What is his name? He’s a public employee and we have a right to know. Our tax dollars pay this guy? He’s too stupid to have this kind of power. There are too many stories like this but few, if any, name names! Mr. non-productive should be his name.
February 15, 2012 @ 12:27 pm
The individual mandate in the Healthcare bill forces everyone to buy healthcare insurance. The forced contraceptive coverage requires everyone to support abortion. School food programs require everyone to eat certain foods. Score so far, Government 3, Constitution 0.
February 15, 2012 @ 12:27 pm
Moochele said eat carrot sticks, while she eats lobster tail and super sizes on our dime !
queen zero has sopken …
February 15, 2012 @ 12:39 pm
It’s crazy to see our tax dollars going for something like this. How about a better education for our kids? Let’s keep the chicken nuggets at McDonalds and bring back some reading, writing, and arithmetic to the schools!
February 15, 2012 @ 1:04 pm
I’m all for that idea!
February 26, 2012 @ 6:03 pm
I agree.
Problem is, the teachers union/s think the best way to educate is with incompetent teachers. Not, painting al teachers with this brush, but I have been shocked and dismayed to see the quality of teacher over the last 10-15 years shrink while administration costs explode.
Public education needs, is screaming for, competition.
February 15, 2012 @ 12:52 pm
USDA, FDA, … TSA on steroids. And do not forget mandated condoms.Every child gets one as a replacement for a McDonalds Happy Meals toy.
I wonder if those school prepared lunches meet Kashruth standards, or Hallel.
February 15, 2012 @ 1:09 pm
That’s a good question Mort — especially since those in our penal institutions cater to the dietary needs of all the Muslim inmates.
February 15, 2012 @ 1:04 pm
This story was written by the Carolina Journal, which is an arm of the John Locke Foundation. The goal of the organization is to lower taxes and decrease spending on social welfare programs. This story furthers that goal.
In short, I question the validity of the story. I believe the story was fabricated, at least in part, in order to rally support for the elimination of social programs like “free lunch”. Who’s opposed to poor kids getting fed? Some of you, I guess.
February 15, 2012 @ 1:30 pm
And what spin would you put on an AP story. where a Pennsylvania Amish farmer is being prosecuted for selling raw, unpasteurized, milk in Washington, DC. I will point out that many renowned European cheeses are made with raw milk. They are not allowed to be imported into the USA. Apparently they are quite safe for Europeans to eat. The nanny state at work.
USDA, and the FDA, have already banned my soul foods. Fortunately I have found imported substitutes, although they will not meet religious dietary restrictions. I would much rather purchase ‘made in America’, but that choice is no longer available.
February 15, 2012 @ 4:00 pm
Obviously you didn’t read the story. The story had nothing to do with poor children getting fed. Indeed, the subject of the story already HAD her lunch. She didn’t NEED the school to buy her lunch. Why not save that lunch for a poor kid who really does NEED it? The point of the story was not the lunch; the point of the story was the ever-increasing government “oversight” (read that tyranny) that continues to slip into our daily lives. This country was founded on principles of individual freedom and self-determination, minimal government oversight and fair and equitable opportunity for all. The founding fathers intended that the government only be maintained at a level consistent with the tasks laid out for government in the preamble of the Constitution. Nowhere in their wildest nightmares did the founding fathers expect our government to become so bloated and so self-important that they would be trying to dictate to a child what she was allowed to eat in her school lunchbox. Our freedoms are being trampled every day, and unless you like the idea of waking up one morning in the new Soviet Union West, you better realize that those freedoms are what sustained this country, and those freedoms are the only thing that will sustain it along with God’s providence. It is sobering to realize that if the founding fathers were magically transported to this day and time that they would likely take up arms against the government of today, as that government far exceeds in power and intrusive influence anything the fathers imagined or intended. Liberals think government is the answer to everything. Well it wasn’t in Russia, it isn’t in North Korea and it certainly isn’t in most of the Muslim puppet states in the Middle East. Remember the old adage your mom used to tell you. “Be careful what you wish for, because you may just get it.” One day soon if Americans don’t wake up, liberals will have their communist utopia, and only then will they find that it is not what they envisioned at all.
February 15, 2012 @ 1:18 pm
Interesting – Supposedly in the interest of health – first get rid of smoking, now dictate food consumption. Yet celebrate all things sexual. I guess it doesn’t matter the health consequences of unnatural sexual activity except of course a little baby, which they are doing everything possible to eliminate them. The truth must be told!
February 15, 2012 @ 1:40 pm
If this was my child, that state agent and everyone Who had anything to do with this would be eating through a straw for along time to come
February 15, 2012 @ 1:58 pm
The White House is targeting school lunches because one of their biggest supporters is SEIU. Anyone care to guess which union many cafeteria workers belong to? Growing this segment of the government is an easy way to grow their membership, which in turn allows larger contributions to the political party of choice.
February 15, 2012 @ 2:20 pm
This type of government intrusion into our private lives will never be stopped as long as these articles are written without identifying the culprits, the locations, etc. As someone said, we are paying these salaries and we have a right to know WHO is doing this, WHAT they are basing their decisions on, and WHY we can’t demand discipline and even termination for these unconstitutional actions against our citizens. It’s not enough for the school to just “apologize” after the fact.
February 15, 2012 @ 2:27 pm
I have a friend in a small town outside of Huntington, WV whose niece had the same problem. Her mom sent her to school with a PB&J, an apple and a juice drink and she was told the lunch was “unacceptable”. The reason? Because the peanut butter, the jelly and the apple juice all contained sugar, which as we all know is deadly to kids! Really – are you joking me? This is in a small community with high unemployment and low incomes. When my friend was telling me this I said that had it been my child, there would be WAR. What right does ANY school have to tell a parent that what they are able to provide for their child is “unacceptable”? Oh, and this parent also received a bill from the school for the “right” lunch, which included a drink with sugar free artifical sweetener. The artificial sweeteners are worse for your body than sugar – this has been proven over and over, so give me a break. This is NOT about lunches or nutrition, this is about the government usurping our authority as parents. It is no different than the issue about birth control being covered by employers. The bottom line is that our current administration will NOT rest until they have TOTAL CONTROL! It’s time to wake up.
February 15, 2012 @ 2:40 pm
this is much more than people want to admit. Monsanto who is teamed up with DOW Chemicals is in charge of our FDA. In addition to the GMO’s they are also in the process of patenting the “pig” to control all breeding rights of all farmers. WAKE UP! http://vimeo.com/25491676
February 15, 2012 @ 3:22 pm
My nephew’s elementary school in Connecticut mostly offers pizza, chicken nuggets, and tacos. The other day my tiny little nephew in second grade ate exactly ONE breadstick for lunch. The kids always get skim milk too, because some of the kids are chubby, so my underweight nephew doesn’t even get good whole milk to meet his needs.
Let’s just get someone, anyone, from the GOP in office in November to stop these federal boondoggles. Somebody, many sombodies, get paid 90K a year to impllement these stupid “programs”. All this nonsense needs to end. Life in these United States under these control freaks is unbearable!
February 15, 2012 @ 3:37 pm
The thing that infuriates me with this behavior is 1) I don’t need anyone to tell me what to send in my child’s lunchbox – I am perfectly capable of taking care of my child without any help from Big Brother Government! 2) If they want to monitor something, why don’t we start with what these people on EBT/ Food Stamps buy with OUR money!??? When I am standing in line at the grocery store and I see all this JUNK food in a buggy and then they pay with EBT! Come on… this is who we should be monitoring and how this money is spent!
February 15, 2012 @ 3:48 pm
This not what our Founding Fathers had in mind, but this is exactly what the Demos have in mind! The New World Order!
I hope ALL of the DA’s that voted for ALL of these Marxist/Communist/Socialist that now hold ALL of these Government Offices are happy with Their Change!
Whoops….. forgot we only vote for skin color, race, country of orgin, language (anything that is not English) and sexual orientation, or Non-Christian these days!
February 15, 2012 @ 3:58 pm
What’s next in the Age of Obama? “Lunch inspection” for those kids that are being home schooled?
February 15, 2012 @ 4:04 pm
There has been a similar intrusion incident that happened to me and my kids recently. I live in Coweta County, GA and the issue involved the local Board of Education. We have a system here called Parent Portal, which allows parents to access their child’s school records; attendance, grades etc. It specifically states these records are confidential. Upon checking my children’s records through Parent Portal, I noticed the name of another student, who is no relation to me, linked to my account. Turns out this student lives in Fayette County, GA but continues to go to a Coweta County high school. My guess is that in order for this student to continue to stay at this high school, he had to have a Coweta residential address. After several attempts, emails, visiting the school etc, to correct this breach of confidentiality, the Central Education office in Coweta contacted me via phone. She had no idea who belonged to who when it came to all the students listed on 3 separate accounts. Because this student who is not a resident of Coweta County any longer, but has my last name, the school board decided to just link him to my account. It also turns out that my 2 elementary school children were linked to this student’s mother’s account, a woman who has no business knowing any of my children’s school records and personal information. The student is 18 years old and has exercised his FERPA rights, can go to school without a parent’s interference in his school records. He can withdraw himself if he so chooses. That has nothing to do with me, but please explain how a County Board of Education office can manipulate school records by adding an 18 year old to my account and adding my 2 minor children to his mother’s account? And please tell me how an 18 year old exercising his FERPA rights, can still go to a school in a county he no longer lives in? I can see him being able to withdraw from the Coweta County school and enrolling himself in the high school in Fayette County where he lives, but how does his FERPA rights allow him to go to a school not in his district? In my county, Coweta, we have to show proof of residency by a lease, a mortgage document, or an electric bill and voter registration card. I didn’t have the right page to my electric bill or an updated voter registration card. I had to go back home and get the right page of the electric bill and the school secretary had to pull up my voter registration online and print it out. I have had kids going to this school since 2002 and had to go through this hassle, but this other child, who is NOT mine, gets linked to my confidential account and my young children’s confidential information gets linked to a stranger’s account. The government needs to stay out of our (parents) business. These Board of Education personnel need to stop manipulating the system and breaking the law in order to allow a non resident of this county to continue to go to a school not in his district and to link him to another person’s account simply because we have the same last name, thinking it wouldn’t be noticed. I wish I knew how to bring this to the attention of the media or a higher official. Though the 18 year old is no longer linked to me, how do I know for sure my children aren’t still linked to his mother’s account, even though I was assured my kids were removed from hers as well? It’s not like I can take their word for it or trust them now, is it?
February 15, 2012 @ 4:31 pm
I would have had them in court the next day. Since when does a government official have the authority to judge a child’s lunch that the mother packed at home? I would make them prove that the lunch that I packed was less nutricious than chicken nuggets.
February 15, 2012 @ 4:32 pm
“Just Leave us alone” should be our mantra. How many thousands of these ill-educated, officious, but well paid dweebs now walk among us? They drag their busy bodies out of their cubicles every day to intrude into our lives. Would love to have a look at the resume of this oh so efficient “professional”. Overpaid at minimum wage for sure. WG
February 15, 2012 @ 4:33 pm
I blame this on Michelle Obama for getting the government to control what are kids should eat. The money for this food goes to union providers (Obama’s buddies) and they are getting richer by supplying our schools with a state-controlled food menu. in the name of fighting child obesity.
The mother packed a lunch consisting of a turkey sandwich, a banana, chips and apple juice. To change this for breaded (probably fired) chicken nuggets and having to pay $1.25 is simply outrageous. The mom’s meal was nutritious and made with love. The school’s meal was made with power and greed.
February 15, 2012 @ 4:48 pm
If I were this mom I would embarrass the stuffings out of this school and keep making a public fuss until they apologized in public and promised never to inspect a home packed lunch again. This is way out of control…..they have no right to inspect these children’s lunches.
February 15, 2012 @ 5:18 pm
When will the real PATRIOTS of country have had enough of this BS. Your rights guarenteed by the constitution are slowly disappearing. Am I the only one that sees it ?
February 15, 2012 @ 5:20 pm
What right does the governemt agent have to search the personal property of the student? Above and beyond that, this country has reached a place where it is not that far off from the USSR rule. The president has the power to have a hit list of American citizens who are classified by the government as terrorists. Recently, he also got the power to detain American citizens (again classified as terrorists) indefinitely. Any body that thinks we are the “land of the free and the home of the brave” is delusional. This recent example of the goverment agent harassing a 4-year old only brings out the thuggish rule of the government. In our founder’s time, the agent would have been tarred and feathered because they had a sense of self-respect. Now, simply wave dollar bills to buy out the souls of many Americans. Let us not pretend that our country as founded is intact.
February 15, 2012 @ 5:38 pm
EVERYONE who is upset by this action should email the principal of West Hoke Elementary School, Mr. Samuels, at ‘jsamuels@echalk.hcs.k12.nc.us’ and express their opinion. My email told him that the “state agent” who caused this tragedy should be identified publicly since the taxpayers are paying this individual’s salary and they have a right to know who is mistreating their children.
February 15, 2012 @ 6:07 pm
My daughter’s preschool doesn’t even allow home-packed lunches. The cost of lunch is included in the cost of the preschool. I haven’t tried one myself, but I have noticed that the menu looks a LOT better than it did when I was in school.
February 15, 2012 @ 6:29 pm
Bottom line…..hardly any kids eat the vegetables in their school lunches. Don’t believe me? Check the garbage cans in any school. What a waste of food and money. I would hazard to guess that the 4 year old would have eaten everything in her lunch sack if left alone. Power play pure and simple. Their ploy…..get ‘em young.