Pennsylvania School District Will Now Accept La Colombe CEO's Offer To Pay Students' Unpaid Lunch Bills
KINGSTON, Pa. (CBS) -- After public backlash, the Wyoming Valley School District has issued an apology for threatening to put students in foster care over unpaid school lunch bills. The district also announced that it would accept La Colombe Coffee CEO's offer to pay the $22,000 lunch bills after initially turning down Todd Carmichael.
"The Wyoming Valley West School District Board of Directors sincerely apologizes for the tone of the letter that was sent regarding lunch debt. It wasn't the intention of the district to harm or inconvenience any of the families of our school district," a letter on the school district website reads.
Before the school district announced it would accept Carmichael's offer, the La Colombe CEO spoke exclusively with Eyewitness News about having the school board president turn down his offer.
"They didn't want a solution, which told me this isn't really about money, is it?" Carmichael said. "This is about something different. This is about shaming people who are struggling."
School board president Joseph Mazur had previously said he believes the money is owed by the parents, who he says can afford to pay themselves.
But on Wednesday evening, the district reversed its position and accepted Carmichael's offer to pay the $22,000 in unpaid lunch bills.
A spokesperson for La Colombe released a statement, saying in part, "We have seen the letter that they release and fell very optimistic. At this point, we expect to have a conversation with the director of the foundation to ensure the funds will be used as intended and that the parents will receive a letter that strikes the same apologetic tone as the one they put on their website."
