Ask Mr. Answer Person: A reader expresses concerns about the school calendar and the Viking Cafe

Dear Mr. Answer Person: A couple of questions regarding the new school cafe that is serving lunch during the afternoons. First, did the tax payers whose businesses are now losing sales pay for all this new equipment?  Second, who receives the profits from the cafe? Third, who is paying for the food which is being prepared by unpaid child laborers? These are all very valid issues. And as long as I am asking about the school, why would vacation Bible school have anything to do with the start date of classes or did I miss the repeal of the first amendment at some point?

Dear Concerned:  Yes, taxpayers do pay for food preparation equipment in the consumer science areas – just like they pay for other learning related "equipment" such as computers, welding machines, saws, greenhouses, etc.  The key point is that that such equipment is a critical learning tool for students; and this type of café is not an unusual sort of venture for schools with the ability to do so.  The café is not designed to be a profit center.  Open only about three times per month, it is unlikely that it taps too much from local restaurants, particularly when the diners are most likely teachers, parents or those who simply want to support the program.  Mr. Answer Person thinks we are fortunate to have facilities that provide a solid base for students entering the local employment scene.  Profits, if any, from the café go back into the classroom equipment and supplies.  The cost of food is paid via the lunches served.

As students engaged in a specific classroom learning activity, the students are not considered employees. Assuming they do well, they get credit for the class, have learned about foods and food preparation, and have some experience for employment or future study. By the way, the café also is a learning opportunity for students in accounting classes who work on the café bookkeeping. There are other examples of students working on community projects such as horticulture and landscaping, and building Nordic Fest booths.  Similar non-paid student work projects abound in multiple trade programs at NICC – they even build houses!

As far as your concerns about the calendar, the  school district and first amendment issues, Mr. Answer Person reads the first amendment a bit differently than you do.  "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…" The school district considers those who might attend Bible School as one of many "interest" groups who have summer activities – such as Parks and Rec participants, vacationing parents, or summer athletes. The local community interests and cultures feed into decisions about what calendar best fits for a community. This does not strike Mr. Answer Person (or the school administration) as something that infringes on first amendment rights.