Schoolboy 'humiliated' in lunch money bungle with staff in middle of heatwave
08.09.2023 - 21:39
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A schoolboy was 'humiliated' by canteen staff on his second day of school after allegedly being refused food and drink in the middle of a heatwave because he had no money.
However, Sam, 11, did have funds to pay for his meal and the misunderstanding was due to a technical error on the pay system at St Illtyds Catholic High School in Cardiff reports Wales Online. But the boy was still left with no lunch.
His parents, Ben and Anna, didn't want their surname published, but say the Year 7 pupil went without on Thursday September 7, leaving him "very upset" and "hungry and thirsty in extremely hot weather conditions".
The school uses a cashless till system at the canteen, allowing parents to top-up funds into an online account and Sam's parents had topped up his account with £20 for him starting school.
The disgruntled parents claim Sam ordered a slice of pizza and apple juice at the canteen at lunchtime, costing around £3.50 but it is alleged that the canteen staff told him he had no money in his account.
Ben and Anna spoke with teaching staff later that day at the school gates, and say they were told he was refused a meal because "lots of parents run up significant debts", and if Sam spoke to a member of staff he would have been authorised food and drink.
They shared an email sent from the school at around 12pm on Thursday, saying "a number of parents" have had issues topping up funds due to a "technical issue" with the system but it had since been resolved.
The parents say there was actually £20 on Sam's account, but this was registered as 'parent balance', because they didn't have the option to top up his food money due to the glitch.
In a letter of complaint to the school they wrote: "Our son was left feeling humiliated,