Eighth graders get detentions for paying for lunch in pennies

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Readington kids won't get punished for their penny-pay protest

by John Holl/The Star-Ledger

Monday March 03, 2008, 8:30 AM

Three days after they were punished for using pennies to pay for school lunch, students at Readington Middle School learned they would not have to serve two days of detention, so long as their parents agreed.

Parents of the punished children received calls from administrators at the Hunterdon County school today informing them that the punishments -- handed out after students, upset with the amount of time they receive for their daily lunch period, protested by using the copper-plated coins -- would not be enforced, unless parents specifically asked.

Some 29 seventh- and eighth-graders at the school banded together during last Thursday's 30-minute lunch period and paid their $2.00 lunch price with pennies. That amounted to 5,800 individual or 32 pounds of pennies.

Administrators called it a sign of disrespect to cafeteria personnel and fellow students, and punished the "Readington 29" with two days of detention. As of Friday afternoon, district Superintendent Jorden Schiff said the in-school punishments would stand.

But last night, Schiff, in an e-mail to parents said he was "concerned" about the national media attention that the situation received.

"The school community has been through a difficult period, and we need to move forward," he wrote. "We discussed how the incident has been blown out of proportion and how it has affected our children and our school community."

Yes im sure counting the pennies ...copper-plated at that, was difficult

[SteveLaura 0]

The kids sound like Communists. I think the school should check whether there are any immigrants amongst them and then deport them.

[natty bumppo 297]

Yes im sure counting the pennies ...copper-plated at that, was difficult

probably had to take off their shoes to aid in the counting too ...