District divided: Town excluded from free meals for southern Lancaster Co. students

INDIAN LAND, S.C. — Schools in the southern part of the Lancaster County will now offer free meals to all students. However, kids in Indian Land who do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will still have to pay.

Some parents said the decision sends the wrong message. They told Channel 9′s Tina Terry it creates more division between Indian Land and the rest of the school district, and it could hurt some kids.

“I’m a bit surprised and taken back that the school board decides it’s OK to treat Indian Land different, rather than looking for a way to treat everyone equally,” said Revery Johnson.

Johnson raised four kids in Indian Land. He told Terry he’s disappointed in the recent change, which means schools would serve free breakfast and lunch to every child in the district except those in Indian Land.

At a meeting Tuesday, the school board of trustees talked about the new community eligibility program that is making it possible. Schools with a certain percentage of students who qualify for free and reduced meals can now offer free meals to every student, regardless of their economic status.

Schools in the southern part of the county qualify for the program but none of the schools in Indian Land do.

“We certainly have to look at how we can make this work so we’re not creating a further divide in our district,” said board trustee Melvin Stroble.

Stroble suggested holding off on the vote. He also proposed using general fund money to pay to include Indian Land schools -- about $2 million. Leaders decided against spending that money.

“In Indian Land, there are a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck, people that are working every hour to afford to live here, because it’s closer to where they work,” Johnson said. “That check they will write every week for meals makes a difference in their budget.”

Local leaders who supported the change said they didn’t create the rules that qualify schools for this program.

The district can re-evaluate whether to spend its own money to expand the program next year.

(WATCH BELOW: Caldwell County schools providing kids with lunch through the summer)

Caldwell County schools providing kids with lunch through the summer

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