USDA Free Lunch Forms

My daughter is 17 and a senior in high school. My husband retired from the US ARmy in April 2010. We have known since she was in kindergarten that we will not qualify for free/reduced lunch due to we both work, and only have one child.

Every year, the first week of school she has brought home an entire packet of crap for me to sign/fill out. This year I refused to fill out the USDA form for free/reduced lunch. We dont qualify. We make more money now than ever because my husband retired from the mililtary, is getting 80% VA retirement, and we both work full time currently at good jobs. So I didnt fill it out and I didnt send it in.


I was informed last night that her grades will not be released to any colleges etc until I return the form completely filled out. So I sent it to them signed with the income info left blank. I do not feel my income is any of their business.

I got it back with a note that again reminded me her transcripts will not be released to colleges nor will she graduate until it is turned in.

I visited the school today and told them I would gladly fill out another one but I refuse to fill out the income portion. They sent me to the Vice Principal who informed me the school gets paid for every form they collect and turn in. WTF.

I told him too bad I wasnt divulging my income. Period. He told me they couldnt budge either it is their policy.

My daughter is currently applying to U of L, UK, and Ohio State. She cant go if she dont graduate or if she doesnt get her transcripts released.

I do not understand why they have to have our income. Doesnt the govt have it from taxes???? Why does the school need it? It is truly not their business. I pay for her lunches. I just dont get it.

So..I am pretty tough. I can take it. What would you do and do you understand my hesitation in providing my income ? Can they really keep her from graduating? Advice? Should I just cave and give them my darn income info?

I was told by a friend (I live near FT Knox KY) that they also get money for every military kid that goes to school there. Is this form used for that too?

Probably has to do with the schools demographics,

income probably has something to do with the money they can get from the gov etc.

Lower income probably equals more federal money for certain programs.

We're a military family too. The schools my kids attended have always had a separate form to determine which kids are military kids. Of course, we've always lived in small towns where a lot of the people ARE military. As for the USDA form, I didn't fill out my daughter's this year, but she's only in Kindergarten so maybe not such a big deal at that age? I would stand my ground if I were you. You should not have to provide your income information. OR, you could always just make up an absurd and random number and put on it. I think it is BS that they are holding your child's transcripts hostage over a stupid form.

I would go directly to the board of education and bypass the VP and principle at the school.
i would ask the board of education if it is indeed their policy to extort personal income information from parents who pay taxes to support the school in exchange for releasing educational transcripts to colleges?

from personal experience i have discovered that often the vice principles and principles don`t understand the board of education policies so they just make up their own interpretations of the policies.

if the board of education confirms that they extort income information from parents i would then call my state senator and ask him to look into the situation.

Originally posted by k21968
My daughter is 17 and a senior in high school. My husband retired from the US ARmy in April 2010. We have known since she was in kindergarten that we will not qualify for free/reduced lunch due to we both work, and only have one child.

Every year, the first week of school she has brought home an entire packet of crap for me to sign/fill out. This year I refused to fill out the USDA form for free/reduced lunch. We dont qualify. We make more money now than ever because my husband retired from the mililtary, is getting 80% VA retirement, and we both work full time currently at good jobs. So I didnt fill it out and I didnt send it in.


I was informed last night that her grades will not be released to any colleges etc until I return the form completely filled out. So I sent it to them signed with the income info left blank. I do not feel my income is any of their business.

I got it back with a note that again reminded me her transcripts will not be released to colleges nor will she graduate until it is turned in.

I visited the school today and told them I would gladly fill out another one but I refuse to fill out the income portion. They sent me to the Vice Principal who informed me the school gets paid for every form they collect and turn in. WTF.

I told him too bad I wasnt divulging my income. Period. He told me they couldnt budge either it is their policy.

My daughter is currently applying to U of L, UK, and Ohio State. She cant go if she dont graduate or if she doesnt get her transcripts released.

I do not understand why they have to have our income. Doesnt the govt have it from taxes???? Why does the school need it? It is truly not their business. I pay for her lunches. I just dont get it.

So..I am pretty tough. I can take it. What would you do and do you understand my hesitation in providing my income ? Can they really keep her from graduating? Advice? Should I just cave and give them my darn income info?

I was told by a friend (I live near FT Knox KY) that they also get money for every military kid that goes to school there. Is this form used for that too?

I'd say get a lawyer, or threaten to get one. I'm a retired school teacher, and I can not ever remember the school withholding grades and transcripts over not revealing your income. I think this is a privacy issue, and the school is wrong.

In fact, the free and reduced lunch forms we had at the beginning of school were optional to turn in. You only filled one out if you qualified in my district. All students had one in their opening day form packets, but we never asked for them. It was up to the parents to send them in if they were needed.

Your daughter's school is dead wrong here, and for them to use strong arm methods to force parents to reveal private information when the parents do not wish to participate in the free lunch program is probably illegal.

Go get 'em!

reply to post by k21968


What does your daughter think of all of this? Will she resent you and your husband for not giving out the information...because if you don't; she won't graduate nor get a transcript of her grades

I personally would (set my pride aside) fill out the form completely....and go to my daughters graduation...knowing I did the right thing.

Or....you could get a lawyer.

Originally posted by caladonea
reply to post by k21968

 

What does your daughter think of all of this? Will she resent you and your husband for not giving out the information...because if you don't; she won't graduate nor get a transcript of her grades

I personally would (set my pride aside) fill out the form completely....and go to my daughters graduation...knowing I did the right thing.

Or....you could get a lawyer.

edit on 21-9-2012 by caladonea because: edit

Well, see, how is it the right thing? The school is off their rocker here. All they care about is the payment they get for collecting data. And the data is not their business, in this case.

I think they are bullies, and they have no leg to stand on. I'd imagine your daughter would side with you. Plus, there is quite a bit of time before she must have transcripts, right? I'd imagine they'd see reason in time for her to get hers.

Have you spoken to the superintendent? Possibly, he might not even know what that building's policy is on this.

so you won't help your daughters school commit their fraud.

good for you.

they just want to fill their form so they can get their thousands of dollars, continue to serve rat meat and pocket the difference.

i think you should go to your local newspaper, they love those kinds of stories.

"daughter can't go to college because parents won't fill in lunch form." perfect headline.

reply to post by caladonea


THis has nothing to do with PRIDE. It has to do with what the heck business of the school how much or how little money we make. It is the principle of the idea.

Dont give in, or you'll be teaching your child that she should always give in too!!

Absolutely disguting behaviour by the school. Go public about this and be VERY LOUD.

reply to post by k21968


Since you are not asking for and don't want their lunches I don't see why the form needs to be "complete". if the school needs to turn them in signed you did that for them, I do not believe him that they have to be completely filed out if you are not asking for the reduced or free lunch.

It sounds crazy actually that they are saying they will not give what your child earned unless it is complete. You do need more info on the actual requirement . I am betting you have been lied to.

Originally posted by k21968
reply to post by caladonea

 

THis has nothing to do with PRIDE. It has to do with what the heck business of the school how much or how little money we make. It is the principle of the idea.

I stand corrected!....my bad. Thank you for explaining that.

I do ask again....what does your daughter think of all this? What does she want to do?

reply to post by k21968


im old now

but my dad NEVER would tell anyone how much $$ he made . ( even way back then)

but when it WAS necessary,, he would lie.. Well over the limit, but Not close to actual income..


it is not their business to know or have recorded anywhere...

I dont know. Off the top of my head Id say put a stupid number and be done with it, but then again my personal irons in the fire currently may be influencing my advise. I was going to say fill in a buck or 2, but then they would hassle you for proof siince you'd qualify for free lunches with making a buck a year. Seems absurd, but there are certainly more horrible absurdities to fight in our school systems.

I guess if you have nothing else going then choose this battle, but you will probably lose. Schools and their federal dealings for money is crazy. Here they pass illiterates because every grad and every warm seat gets them money and a little banner to put on their school lawn and a little BS thing about being an AAA rated school Its a scam. Ever hear of participation points? Kids do work in class.. doesnt matter if they did it all wrong they get points or grade for it thats a positive. They can flunk a test but it will average out as passing when they add in the participation points. LIke I said.. the dealings between our schools and the feds is CRAZY.

reply to post by caladonea


Of course she is scared this will effect her applications to college. She doesnt understand why I dont just tell them what they want and I have tried to explain....but anyone with a 17 yr old child knows that is impossible. She will get it when she is my age. Lord i sound like my mother.

Originally posted by k21968
reply to post by caladonea

 

Of course she is scared this will effect her applications to college. She doesnt understand why I dont just tell them what they want and I have tried to explain....but anyone with a 17 yr old child knows that is impossible. She will get it when she is my age. Lord i sound like my mother.

Speaking from experience.. I will warn you since no one was kind enough to warn me..: one day you will be hollering some nonsense at her and think " Oh crap I really did turn into my mother.... ". It will come as a huge horrible revelation that your irritating mother actually WAS right all those yrs, youll call and apologize for being a little little jerk, your mom will cry, you will cry... and a midlife crisis will come..

reply to post by k21968


I think if it was me, I would lie, and just put any old amount down. Then I'd misspell my name on the signature line. I'm sure no one would notice, but since you've made an issue of it, they'll probably look that form over with a fine tooth comb.

Originally posted by k21968
reply to post by caladonea

 

Of course she is scared this will effect her applications to college. She doesnt understand why I dont just tell them what they want and I have tried to explain....but anyone with a 17 yr old child knows that is impossible. She will get it when she is my age. Lord i sound like my mother.

The question is whats more important to you, your right to privacy (completely understandable)

OR your child's expedient entrance to college, I am sure after seeking legal recourse (or perhaps just threatening it) all of this will get resolved.

But do not colleges also ask extensive parent income questions as well? If so whats the difference between giving it to the college, and giving it to the HS?

reply to post by k21968


You should ask the principal how much the school gets per form, then match the amount and raise it a quarter for good measure. You'd think this would suffice unless it really is information they're after, then you better find a lawyer since it may turn into a class action suit just for the principle of the matter.
Good luck!

Originally posted by Afterthought
reply to post by k21968

 

You should ask the principal how much the school gets per form, then match the amount and raise it a quarter for good measure. You'd think this would suffice unless it really is information they're after, then you better find a lawyer since it may turn into a class action suit just for the principle of the matter.
Good luck!

Exactly. Can you even imagine the negative publicity this would garner if a news station picked it up? Who ARE these bozos making up the 'rules?'

As I said, I taught for a couple of decades, and we never asked for these Free and Reduced Price lunch forms to be returned unless the parents wished to apply. Even if they qualified, they were not mandated to apply.

Plus, as you pointed out, the government already knows what your salary is. You pay income tax.

What is going on here is the SCHOOL demanding potentially private information to be given to them with no practical need to know. The public school system has no business asking for this unless there is need for your daughter to apply for this assistance. Period.

I do believe that it would be quite illegal to withhold her transcripts because you didn't wish to reveal your income.

Seriously, you might want to call the Superintendent's office or the Board of Education and calmly explain your objections. It never helps to show anger, threaten, or yell at them, but an intelligent and reasonable objection stated clearly will go a long way, usually. (as you did in this thread)

Then, if it comes to it, contact a lawyer and have him write a polite letter explaining possible further steps that you might take to address this.

Most BOEs hate the idea of going to court over dumb stuff. And this is definitely dumb. They don't have a leg to stand on.