VALLEJO (KRON) — Elementary school parents are concerned about their children eating lunch outside even when it’s cold and raining.
KRON4’s Hermela Aregawi reports in Vallejo where she spoke with a parent at Wardlaw Elementary and the district.
The parent KRON4 spoke with has a fourth grader who’s been going to Wardlaw Elementary since kindergarten.
During the last storm, his daughter came home two days in a row saying that she had eaten lunch outside.
He said he just couldn’t believe that the school would do that.
“She said, ‘We’re eating outside today,’” parent Jesus Hinojoza said. “I was like, ‘What?’ She’s like, ‘Yeah, we were eating outside today.’ And I said, ‘In the cold in the rain?’ She said, ‘Yeah.’ I said, ‘Where?’ She pointed out to where she was eating at. I said, ‘Just you?’ She said, ‘No, my whole class.'”
That was last Wednesday and then again the next day.
On Friday, Hinjoza went to the school to ask about it in person (watch the above video to see the exchange).
Hinjoza says he went to the school again this past Monday with a letter asking something be done about the lunch arrangement.
He also went to the Vallejo Unified School District and filed a complaint.
He says he didn’t hear back.
KRON4 reached out to the district and they confirmed that one class eats outside each day due to the increase in students. They sit under a pavilion built in November.
“They had so much time to prepare winter for these kids. and they’re putting their health in danger by putting them in the cold,” Hinjoza said. “It’s ridiculous.”
The school district also added that they thought this arrangement has been working fine for both students and teachers but are now actively looking for alternative lunch arrangements.