Portland Schools Reverses Milk Decision After Parents Have Cow

PORTLAND, OR – It was not a decision that had gone over well. On Monday, Portland Public Schools announced that they were reversing course.

After an outcry from parents and others, the district will again start allowing students to buy 50-cent cartons of milk a la carte.

"After hearing the concerns of students, families and educators, the district has re-evaluated this situation and reversed our decision," the district said in a statement.

"In addition to a la carte sales, milk continues to be served as part of our free and reduced lunch program and with purchased student meals."

Last week, it came out that Portland Public Schools had decided to stop the practice of allowing students to buy individual cartons of milk. Get all the latest information on what's happening in your community by signing up for Patch's newsletters and breaking news alerts.

The district cited student debt and a new state law that prevents staff from discussing meal accounts with students.

Spokesman Harry Esteve had told Patch that unpaid student lunch debt was a big problem.

"This has resulted in growing unpaid meal debt, and a la carte milk sales contribute to that debt," Esteve says. He said that students had accumulated $200,000 in debt for the district but that they didn't readily have a break down of how much debt is attributed to milk sales.

Esteve pointed to the passage of Oregon House Bill 3454, which was passed last year as part of an effort to end what had become known as "lunch shaming" in which students who couldn't afford lunch were given less-nutritious meals or forced to wear wristbands or stickers.

Photo via PPS.