Food allegedly stolen from school - Sentinel & Enterprise

Leominster Police confirmed Tuesday they are investigating whether Leominster High School cafeteria employees stole hundreds of dollars of food and supplies from the building on their last day of work.

[reply]

I can't wait until the names of these thieves are reported.

[No Common Sense]

If there were food items that would expire prior to the start of the next school year, they should have been donated to a local food pantry.

[JIm]

This is just one of the reasons privatization was necessary, this type of theft goes on in other school districts and is well known.

I'd be very reluctant to serve any food that was stolen and then returned, reimbursement is the only safe way to do it.

There is no accountability in the school systems with their food services that are operated in-house, and is why the cost is so high, and the meals so bad.

Privatization will address both of those issues

[Fitchburg voter]

Why are they not going to lose their jobs? Tell me where else you can steal at work and keep your job. And why does the school have so much extra left over? Who is in charge of buying and meal planning for that department?

[Marie P]

If they were told that it was ok to take the food, then it was miscommunication...If they just took it on their own, then that's different...I believe that some restaurants and possibly cafeterias allow employees to take leftovers or food that will spoil home with them...My husband worked for several restaurants and they usually allowed the workers to take home things that were extra after the night shift...I think we need the whole story before we start throwing these people under the bus...

[Daisy]

I agree excess should be given to a food pantry. It would have been an official donation by the city to its less fortunate citizens and the food wouldnt have spoiled and would have been put to good use. Enabling these employees to take the food by miscommunication or considered a perk, and then to have them return the food is just a simple waste these food items. I also agree that someone needs to monitor what is purchased as there shouldnt be an over abundance of food left over after the school season is over.

[tragedy]

I've heard this many times in both Fitchburg and Leominster. People working within the system taking home food & grocery supplies.

[Just Me]

This is common at the end of a school year. Food is prepared to normal numbers of students served. The last week of school numbers are usually down because of classroom parties. Students have had a lot of junk food in the classroom and they come to the cafe and just sit. The cafe has to prepare enough food to feed these children, so there is food left over. When you assume 400 students a day will buy a milk for the last week of school, the manager does the ordering and only 200 buy a milk your going to have a lot left over. The same is the case with the food that is prepared. They can't anticipate the parties because there not supposed to happen. If they parpared for less numbers and didn't have enough there would be another complaint. So all the facts need to come out before you slam people.

[Just Me]

JIm wrote:

This is just one of the reasons privatization was necessary, this type of theft goes on in other school districts and is well known.
I'd be very reluctant to serve any food that was stolen and then returned, reimbursement is the only safe way to do it.
There is no accountability in the school systems with their food services that are operated in-house, and is why the cost is so high, and the meals so bad.
Privatization will address both of those issues

Jim, when is the last time you went into a school cafe? The regulations are so tight now on what can be served. Gone are the days of no accountablity. The DESE does a review every two years, paper work has to be kept on EVERYTHING and they go back the two years prior to check. If you think the school is not accountable PLEASE call (I can't put the number in)Department fo Elementary & Secondary Education, this is the DESE department that oversees school lunch programs in the state. Mary Anne Gilbert is the section head, she will answer any of your questions about the accontablity for the city of Leominster breakfast/lunch program.

[local]

Give me a break! The items taken from the school included pork roasts, meatballs, turkeys, pots, aluminum foil, butter, cream cheese, crackers, corn starch, oil and milk according to Binkley. Most of those items would not keep until September. In addition, Chadwell's most likely will want to start services with food they did not have control over its safety. I would hope the company would want to start off with 100% fresh food. The items were throw away items, not stolen items.

[LOB]

I'm outraged that public resources are being spent on this petty issue... wrong if the items were taken... worse wrong that there may have been a miscommunication... incredible wrong that police time and money are being devoted to this.

[ChingChing]

local wrote:

Give me a break! The items taken from the school included pork roasts, meatballs, turkeys, pots, aluminum foil, butter, cream cheese, crackers, corn starch, oil and milk according to Binkley. Most of those items would not keep until September. In addition, Chadwell's most likely will want to start services with food they did not have control over its safety. I would hope the company would want to start off with 100% fresh food. The items were throw away items, not stolen items.

When did pots, aluminum foil, corn starch, oil and turkeys become "throw away items"? I am sure there are freezers in the kitchen to keep the meats. Schools will be open in only 2 months, not 2 years.

[Real Responsibility]

local wrote:

Give me a break! The items taken from the school included pork roasts, meatballs, turkeys, pots, aluminum foil, butter, cream cheese, crackers, corn starch, oil and milk according to Binkley. Most of those items would not keep until September. In addition, Chadwell's most likely will want to start services with food they did not have control over its safety. I would hope the company would want to start off with 100% fresh food. The items were throw away items, not stolen items.

It just doesn't matter how "fresh" you happen to feel the items were.

What matters is that it was not the property of those who chose to steal it. j

One doubts you would apply the same twisted 'logic' to your own property after a theft...

[UNREAL]

The food that "would have spoiled" should have gone to food banks or shelters in the area first, before any employee takes anything home. SELFISH people

[anonymous]

tragedy wrote:

I've heard this many times in both Fitchburg and Leominster. People working within the system taking home food & grocery supplies.

I can tell you for a FACT, Fitchburg food service workers are not allowed to take home anything, not so much as a pack of saltines.

[Truth]

Nadine Binkley once again spews rhetoric to hide the truth

I would just like to clarify some things that I see in this article that are not correct, First - when the food was returned this article say's that Nadine Binkley had to throw it away, I know that it was donated to a local pantry, hum...a Lie, Nadine Binkley claims that stuff was stolen only from LHS, not any other School's - hum...another Lie, Nadine Binkley also said that if the food was returned no further action would be taken and the food was returned, but yet Ms. Binkley is still harassing these worker's. Isn't bad enough that they just layed off all 58 cafeteria workers from all of the Schools, some with only a few years until they could retire, but know are losing everything. Another thing to be mentioned is the fact the Nadine Binkley laid off all these people, and now has no one who know's how to run the things at the Schools and is trying to pin the fault on these hard working people. There was a reason why Nadine Binkley left her position in Peabody - she was kicked out because of her lack for not being able to deliver on her promise to improve student achievement. After all isn’t that what's most important "the Students".

[LoLBama]

Marie P wrote:

If they were told that it was ok to take the food, then it was miscommunication...If they just took it on their own, then that's different...I believe that some restaurants and possibly cafeterias allow employees to take leftovers or food that will spoil home with them...My husband worked for several restaurants and they usually allowed the workers to take home things that were extra after the night shift...I think we need the whole story before we start throwing these people under the bus...

$1000 worth of food and other items including pots, pans, and aluminum foil. I didn't realize that pots, and pans as well as aluminum foil are perishable items.

[local]

Did you read the word "Most"? I am against stealing. I am sure, those workers did not knowingly steal.

[local]

So, you are sure they are guilty of stealing. I think not. Moreover, I said "most" items.

[leominster]

I agree somethings are not making sence.

First, Nadine Binkley siad the returned food was thrown away. But, I know it was given away.
Second, Nadine Binkley said LHS was the only school. She said, Northwest was the only school with the swine flu, as well. We all know that was not true. Why would be believe her on this.
Third, Nadine Binkley said, if the food was returned no further action would be taken. Yet, the items were returned and the article made it into the paper. She did not admit the whole event could have been a misunderstanding. No, she passes the buck to the police and makes it clear she thinks they stole from the school system. The paper reads, Superintendent of Schools Nadine Binkley confirmed Tuesday that food was stolen from the school. Moreover, she already accussed the staff when she spoke to the fired-cafeteria managers. Binkley said. "I talked to all the other cafeteria managers and they were very upset that this happened. Obviously, this is extremely disappointing."