The Wyoming Valley West School District has mailed letters warning parents that their children could end up in foster care if they don't pay money owed to the district for school lunches.

More than $20,000 is owed to the district from unpaid lunch bills, Solicitor Charles Coslett said.

"It's a fundamental obligation of parents to house, feed and clothe their children," Coslett said. "It's not our obligation. This nanny state mentality is troubling to me."

Federal regulations forced the district to provide lunches to students even when they had tabs for unpaid meals, Coslett said. This year, all Wyoming Valley West students will get free lunches because more students meet the income threshold to qualify for free meals.

"The bleeding has stopped, but 20 grand is not chump change," Coslett said.

Joseph Muth, director of federal programs at Wyoming Valley West, signed the letter sent to parents. He did not respond to an email seeking comment and information on how many students received unpaid meals and how many letters were mailed.

"At this time, multiple letters have been sent home with your child and no payments have been made to their account," Muth wrote in the letter. "Your child has been sent to school every day without money and without a breakfast and/or lunch. This is a failure to provide your child with proper nutrition and you can be sent to Dependency Court for neglecting your child's right to food. If you are taken to Dependency court, the result may be your child being removed from your home and placed in foster care. ... please remit payment as soon as possible to avoid being reported to the proper authorities."

David Usavage, school board vice president, said several parents who received the letter contacted him this week.

"It's the tone that bothers me," Usavage said. "We're not taking anybody's kids."

Coslett said he is prepared to take legal against parents who refuse to pay lunch bills.

"I stand by the content of that letter," Coslett said.

Contact the writer:

mbuffer@citizensvoice.com

570-821-2073, @cvmikebuffer