Cultural differences in food can often lead to misunderstandings and conflicts, as food is deeply tied to identity and personal values. But what if schools started to make you feel uncomfortable about your loved food?
A Redditor wants to know am I wrong for packing my kid an “inappropriate” lunch? and we want to know from you.
Backstory:
The Original Poster (OP) is a 34 year old female and have a 5 year old son.
Last week, she went to pick him up from the school and got a phone call from his teacher. OP says “she made absolutely no effort to sound kind when she, in an extremely rude and annoyed tone, told me to stop packing my son such “disgusting and inappropriate lunch.”
What Happened Next?
OP felt absolutely appalled hearing this as she mentioned a friendly relationship with this teacher. The teacher added that OP is packing her son lunches that “very distracting for the other students and have an unpleasant smell“.
OP told her that she understands her concerns and accepted that she does not pack healthy lunches but they’re according to the child’s preference.
To clarify, OP adds “The usual lunch that I send him to school with is small celery sticks with blue cheese and goat cheese, kimchi (we are Korean and he absolutely adores this dish), and spicy Doritos marinated in Sriracha (I know, I know, but he deserves a snack, and I don’t put that many chips in the baggy.)”
OP ended the call by saying that she appreciated her worries, but at the end of the day, she is not going to change her son’s lunches all of a sudden. She added that it is not her fault if other students are distracted by his meal, and it is important for her what she gives what her son enjoys and will eat.
What Did The Teacher Do?
The teacher then sent an email to OP saying that her response was “unacceptable” and that his lunches are “just too inappropriate to be sent to school any longer.” OP hasn’t responded and don’t want to. However, she wants to know if she did anything wrong?
What do you think? Was OP appropriate in saying it is not her concern what the teacher or students feel about his meal? Was in inappropriate for the teacher to bring this up at all?