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Students and parents complain about school meals; district hires food consultant and plans cafeteria repurposing
Summary
Multiple public commenters, including students, said cafeteria food is unpalatable and causes stomach problems. Superintendent DiCarlo said the district will hire a food consultant, involve student voices, and repurpose high school cafeterias for next year to improve meals and dining areas.
During public comment at the April 8 East Ramapo board meeting, several speakers complained about the quality and safety of school meals, with a 12-year-old student describing repeated experiences of being hungry or becoming ill after lunch.
The district's superintendent, DiCarlo, responded directly during the meeting: the administration said it will hire a food consultant who will work with Assistant Superintendent Stark and the student body to review menus and service. DiCarlo said he will ensure the consultant meets with students who raised concerns so they can give direct feedback on what to change.
DiCarlo also said the district plans to "repurpose" both high school cafeterias next school year to make the spaces more user-friendly, and that some operational changes are already planned. He asked that students who spoke meet with the consultant to provide specifics.
Speakers in the public comment period also raised other school-life issues including field trips and concerns about personnel investigations. The superintendent and board said specific procedural or personnel questions would be handled by appropriate offices; for food-related concerns the district committed to the consultant review and to share outcomes with the community.
