A school district in “Your child has been sent to school every day without money and without a breakfast and/or lunch,” read the letter, which was signed by Joseph Muth, director of federal programs for the Wyoming Valley West School District. “This is a failure to provide your child with proper nutrition and you can be sent to Dependency Court for neglecting your child’s right to food. If you are taken to Dependency court, the result may be your child being removed from your home and placed in foster care.” David Usavage, the vice president of the school board, said on Saturday that when he first read the letter, he had thought it was a “joke.” “It was not approved by anyone,” Mr. Usavage said of the letter. “We have a policy that says everything should go through the superintendent.” He said the letter was written by Mr. Muth and the district’s lawyer, Mr. Usavage said the district, which is in Luzerne County, about 115 miles northwest of Philadelphia, was owed just over $22,000 in breakfast and lunch debt. He said that 960 students had a debt of five cents up to $9.99. The parents of the 40 students who owe $10 or more were sent the letter, which has received widespread attention. Mr. Usavage said four students owed more than $440. School meals in the district cost $1 to $2.70. “We educate kids as best we can with what we have,” he said. “We have a lot of successful… [Read full story]
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