“You won’t pay for the canteen? Then you’ll get a note in your diary”

Defaulting parents beware; Comerio council have chosen a "no tolerance" policy. With a €1300 deficit in the balance sheet of the previous year, Mayor Aimetti has decided to put an end to oversights and distractions.  "We immediately realised the danger of this uncontrolled item," explained deputy Mayor Guariento, "so we decided to put this situation under the spotlight. In agreement with the school’s management and the parent association, we decided to give a special warning with a note in the diary of any student that is late in paying for three meal tickets. In the note, the parents will be asked to pay, and it will be explained clearly that no more than four unpaid meals will be tolerated.

It is not still clear what might happen in the event of another oversight. "We know very well who didn’t pay last year,” says Mayor Aimetti. “There are children who forgot to pay for three or four meal tickets, some who forgot twenty, some who failed to pay for as many as 50. What is astonishing is that some parents are offended when we ask them to settle their debt. They often say it’s a mistake, and tell us not to call again. It’s a matter of responsibility: what is public is for everyone, and must be respected by everyone. That’s why we’re sending the written notes home. Nobody will be able to say anymore that it was an error or an oversight. We want the notes in the diaries to be signed.”

In the last few days, leaflets have been sent to the homes of primary and secondary school children in Comerio, explaining the council’s policy on meal tickets. “Each costs €4.80, and they’ve been the same price for ages,” the Mayor said. “What is really sad is seeing the great efforts we’re making for schools being ignored. They’re our top priority, we have a lot of initiatives for improving them, and getting a response like this isn’t gratifying at all.”