ATTORNEY GENERAL: LUNCH SHAMING ISN’T LEGAL UNDER MINNESOTA LAW
By Alex Chhith, Star Tribune
"Minnesota law is clear: Students whose families are struggling to afford their lives cannot be denied a regular school lunch or offered a substandard alternate meal in place of a regular lunch," Ellison said in the release. "That practice is another form of 'lunch shaming' that is an affront to the dignity of those students and is not allowed under the law."
An alternate meal brings negative attention, leading to a student being clearly identified by peers and stigmatizing the student, Ellison wrote in his opinion. He also questioned if providing the same spartan meal every day for as long as a meal debt stands would follow federal nutrition requirements.