Students in Connecticut high school to boycott lunch

FARMINGTON, Conn. — Many Farmington High School students are fed up with their school lunch program and hundreds of them are planning to bring their own lunch to school next week in protest.

Chartwells has run the school's cafeteria services for about three years, according to administrators. While the food quality, portion size and price are all concerns students are raising on a Chartwells Boycott Facebook page created to boycott the cafeteria lunches, student Sarah

White said there's a policy Chartwells has that she finds humiliating.

“I was told I didn't have enough money left in my account to charge it and they threw it out in front of me," White said.

As a result, students who experience this are going home hungry, according to student Christy Rosario. The dumping of food, which White said has happened to a lot of kids, was the last straw, so she and some peers decided to organize a boycott. Nearly 300 people are signed up to participate in the boycott next week.

“That’s what everybody does…in history class you hear about Rosa Parks and that sort of thing," she said.

Student Rachel White said that it hasn't always been this way with school lunches.

“We used to have a really good lunch program and there were healthy options," she said.

But Rachel White expressed dissatisfaction with the way school lunches are now.

“The food’s not even cooked. I know some people who have gotten food poisoning. There's mold in it.” she said.

Rosario agreed.

“It’s really disappointing to not have any other options other than that kind of food," Rosario said.
Farmington Superintendent Kathleen Greider said in a statement that district officials "deeply respect our students' opinions and honor the dignity of every student that attends the Farmington Schools."

"The Farmington school district works closely with