§ 22.1-79.7 School meal policies; donations
1. Prohibit school board employees from requiring a student who cannot pay for a meal at school or who owes a school meal debt to throw away or discard a meal after it has been served to him, do chores or other work to pay for such meals, or wear a wristband or hand stamp;
2. Require school board employees to direct any communication relating to a school meal debt to the student’s parent. Such policy may permit such communication to be made by a letter addressed to the parent to be sent home with the student;
3. Prohibit the school board from filing a lawsuit against a student or the student’s parent because the student cannot pay for a meal at school or owes a school meal debt; and
4. Prohibit the school board or any school board employee from denying a student the opportunity to participate in any extracurricular school activity because the student cannot pay for a meal at school or owes a school meal debt.
B. Any school board may solicit and receive any donation or other funds for the purpose of eliminating or offsetting any school meal debt at any time and shall use any such funds solely for such purpose.
History
This law was first created in 2018. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapters 384 and 712 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 2 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 2020, chapters 509 and 575; in 2022, chapter 686.
2018, cc. 384, 712; 2020, cc. 509, 575; 2021, Sp. Sess. I, c. 106; 2022, c. 686.