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Parents Say School Shamed Students by Putting ‘Lunch Money’ Stamp on Their Arm
(Twitter / juanyfbaby)
There are plenty of ways of sending reminders home from school. Sending a letter home is one. E-mail is another. Phone calls and texts are also fine. But what happens when a child’s school decides to “brand” a student with a reminder–of a financial matter, no less? This is what happened to a second grader at Desert Cover Elementary in Arizona when school staff informed him his lunch money account was low.
Tara Chavez, the Phonenix-based mother whose son received a stamp, is one such parent who is currently fuming at the incident. Chavez claims that a school employee grabbed her son’s wrist and placed a large stamp that says, “LUNCH MONEY” on it as a reminder for his parents that his account was running low.
According to BuzzFeed, Chavez was surprised by the incident.
“Normally, I get a slip in his folder when he needs more money.”
Instead, her son was “humiliated” at receiving the stamp–a public declaration that can have negative repercussions on a child. Many parents believe that the stamp can cause their child to become victims of bullying as it an insinuate coming from a low-income household.
Chavez stated that her son was so upset he would not allow his mother to photograph the stamp.
“He was screaming and crying the entire time.”
According to Chavez, when she e-mailed the elementary school’s principal, they responded stating that children normally are given a choice between a slip reminder or the stamp. But it appears this was not the case for her son.
Juan Fortenberry, a friend of the family, tweeted about the situation.
My friend's son came home from school Thursday with a stamp on his arm that said "LUNCH MONEY" because his account was low.
— Postpone MaLoans (@juanyfbaby) April 1, 2017
And this is apparently the way at least one school in Arizona is notifying parents of dwindling lunch funds. Looks like shaming to me.
— Postpone MaLoans (@juanyfbaby) April 1, 2017
Like, y'all couldn't send a note? Y'all couldn't think for two seconds about the numerous references of branding someone as a stigma?
— Postpone MaLoans (@juanyfbaby) April 1, 2017
This is the stamp. On his wrist. pic.twitter.com/I0OCK8VeBa
— Postpone MaLoans (@juanyfbaby) April 1, 2017
His post instantly went viral, causing many to state their disapproval of the policy.
Someone at that school would have their day go downhill in a hurry if that had happened to my kid.
— Chuck Lawson (@claws0922) April 1, 2017
https://twitter.com/4jelani/status/848235222768463873
https://twitter.com/pluralisms/status/848241774023913475
Fortunately, the outrage reached the Paradise Valley Unified School District who have since changed their stance on using stamps:
— Postpone MaLoans (@juanyfbaby) April 4, 2017
