Field Day threatened to students with lunch balances

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)– A decision made by Noble Middle School Administration quickly upset parents and many people in the community. 

“My daughter is a student at Noble Middle School. She’s 12 years old and in 6th grade. She told me last night at dinner that if a child has an outstanding balance on their lunch account that they don’t get to attend field day at their school,” said Mary Vance, Noble Middle School Parent.   

After hearing this from her daughter, Mary Vance made a Facebook post showing concern for these kids who were going to be denied Field Day.    

“It broke my heart, and it obviously broke hers too. I don’t see the correlation between punishing their child if their parents can’t afford to pay their lunch balance while going through financial hardship. The kid can’t help with that,” said Vance.  

Hundreds of people spoke out on the post about the school’s decision. One mom even started a GoFundMe page to help raise money to pay off the debt.   

“I think it’s important to pay down the deficit of the bill that is owed,” said Callen Powell, a Noble Middle School Parent.    

Powell says the school told her the balance was more than four thousand dollars. 

But shortly after she created the fundraiser, the school reversed course and said all students can participate in field day. 

Powell will still use the money raised to pay off the balance.   

“I don’t know what, I mean field day isn’t being taken away which is great, but I don’t know what else would be taken. Like next year when they go to that school, will they not be able to get extra snacks or check out books until they pay?”  

Powell Plans to take the money to the school on Tuesday. 

New Hanover County School Board Member Josie Barnhart says that this is not a policy made by the Board of Education, and that this was a decision made by the school administration.   

WWAY did reach out to Noble Middle School’s principal who did not comment on the matter.   

If you would like to donate to the school lunch balances, you can find the link to the GoFundMe here.