No one doubts that lunch room food is offensive.
And while I have nothing but respect for lunch ladies -- they prepare, cook and serve thousands of meals a day to kids who take tater tots for granted (damn cholesterol!) -- the fare itself is, well, just like when you were a kid, gross.
But who knew that a public school lunch menu could be morally offensive!
Leave to the reform-minded Denver Public Schools then to test the boundaries between civics, nutrition and race relations with a January 15 menu designed to honor Martin Luther King, Jr.
It consists of southern-style chicken with biscuit, collard greens, sweet potatoes and peach crisp, and prompted a parent to complain that the choices furthered racial stereotypes.
DPS later apologized, saying the menu was "highly insensitive in light of certain hurtful cultural stereotypes still harbored in parts of our society." (Even funnier is that DPS offered the same meal the Friday before MLK day last year, and no one noticed.)
But that's not the only offensive DPS lunch menu out there. Check out these real meal line-ups from earlier in the school year and who they might offend:
Pigs in a Blanket, yogurt basket with graham crackers, salad selection
C'mon, DPS, please respect our officers of the peace. No need to ridicule them by calling them pigs. Why not just serve fuzzy donuts?
Pizza and chicken Caesar salad.
A fine combination -- but on Columbus Day? You just kicked every Native American in the face, DPS! Sure, pizza and Caesar honor the Italians, but since Columbus slaughtered of tens of thousands of Indians, you should have reconsidered.
Tacos, Spanish Rice, sweet peas and orange wedges
Did you think no one would notice that this particular menu was served last May, just days away from Cinco de Mayo. DID YOU? Why not just make all the lunch ladies wear ponchos and sombreros, too, you thoughtless people!
Sloppy Joe, turkey chef salad
I have friends named Joe. Some of them are, indeed, sloppy. This doesn't help their self images.
Chicken ala King, mashed potatoes, biscuit
Yuk. This one is just offensive to everyone. Sorry.
