No graduation if school lunch debt not paid

July 9—Dennis Moore, the Ashby representative to the North Middlesex Regional School Committee, is questioning whether the policy committee can impose a policy that withholds report cards and prohibits students from walking at graduation if they have an outstanding school lunch balance.

Moore, who served on the committee for many years before stepping away from it six years ago, said he doesn't believe it is legal to assess restrictions like that on the student body.

According to the proposed policy, which is currently up for review by the public on the district's website, on a weekly basis, the food-services director will generate a charge-balance report. 

All the accounts that are nearing a zero balance or have gone into the negative will be flagged, and the list will go to all building principals.