High school ‘tardy table’ policy gets revised

A new policy at Red Wing High School that makes tardy students sit at an isolated table during lunch has been revised in light of parent concerns.

Beginning last week, tardy students have the choice of eating their lunch at the designated “tardy table” in the lunch room or eating in the high school office area.

“The high school staff came up with a revised plan, implemented it late last week,” Supt. Karsten Anderson said at Monday’s Red Wing School Board meeting. “Now the procedure for tardiness at the high school is pretty good.”

Previously, tardy students were forced to eat at the designated table, and they had to eat a bag lunch rather than going through the lunch line to get a hot meal. Now, they will be given a choice between the bag lunch and the normal hot meal.

Parent Allison Benway told board members during the public comment period Monday that she was “outraged” when she found out her son had to eat a bag lunch before the policy was revised.

“I was paying for a lunch that my child did not have a choice to pick,” she said.

She also raised concerns about the fact that some children rely on hot school lunches due to a lack of food at home and that parents hadn’t been notified of the new procedure.

“As a parent, we need to be communicated to,” Benway said.

Anderson said the “tardy table” policy had been implemented this school year to help deal with a tardiness problem. He said in September and October 2011, there were about 2,000 students late to class.

“That seems really high,” Anderson said. “The point was to address that, to change behavior to get kids to school on time.”

Since the implementation of the “tardy table” policy, tardiness has dropped about 40 percent, Anderson said. However, he added that the policy changes were necessary.

“I’m glad the high school made some adjustments to the policy so we still have standards, and we have consequences as well,” Anderson said. “I think we’re treating kids fairly now with the adjustments that have been made.”

Tags: red wing, news