N.Y. schools no longer allowed to sue families for unpaid meal debt

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has signed legislation barring schools from filing any type of lawsuit against families for being behind on school meal payments. 

The legislation builds upon Cuomo's "No Student Goes Hungry" Program which banned lunch shaming in 2018. While schools could no longer shame kids at school, some districts still threatened to file lawsuits or take the families of students with unpaid meal debt to court to collect fees.  

“Taking families to court over unpaid school meals is cruel, draconian and runs counter to a school's fundamental mission to ensure the wellbeing of every student," Governor Cuomo said in a statement. "This legislation builds upon this administration's work to end lunch shaming in New York and makes it clear that no family in need should have to endure a burdensome and costly legal process over their children's nutritional health.”