The Salt Lake City school district has shelved hiring a PR firm to defuse national outrage connected to its policy of yanking $2 lunches away from kids whose parents were delinquent with cafeteria payments.

Board member Tiffany Sandberg told the Salt Lake City Tribune the initial decision to launch a PR RFP worth $49,999 was made by three by three directors, not the full board. [The entire board must approve contracts from $50K up.]

She noted the majority of board members opposed the hiring of PR firm, thinking it would be a “waste of money.”

The RFP process was rapped as “secretive.” Leadership has apologized to parents, and changed its policy regarding late payments.

Students, not up to date on payments, will receive their full lunch, rather than just the fruit and milk of the past.

Vowing to improve communications with parents, the board plans another apology and students at a local school, which suffered more than 40 lunch takeovers, will receive cupcakes as a goodwill gesture.