Pasco Co. School Board bans food deliveries

LAND O' LAKES (FOX 13) - When the new school year starts in Pasco County, students can bring their own lunch or eat what the cafeteria is serving, but ordering food for delivery is off the menu.

The Pasco County School Board passed a policy Tuesday banning delivery orders to school campuses.

District administrators said it had become an issue with the increasing popularity of mobile apps like Uber Eats.

"We all know that students sometimes want to do something different than the cafeteria lunch and we were having some issues with students ordering pizza to be delivered or [ordering Uber Eats to deliver] McDonald's," said Cynthia Armstrong, the school board's chairperson. "It was really causing a disruption in the school when these people show up at the office looking for their money, so we had to put in a policy that would eliminate that. Students can still bring their lunch to school, but they have to do it the more traditional way."

The deliveries can also create a safety concern, as districts are more focused than ever on school security and limiting who is able to come and go from campuses.

"We have to [tighten] security because of the guns and everything," Maureen Annamaree, whose granddaughter attends Sun Lake High School. "[Food deliveries are] one more thing they have to worry about. You don't need it. The staff doesn't need it. Teachers don't need it."

For comparison, FOX 13 contacted Hillsborough County Schools, where a spokesperson said food deliveries have not become an issue and have not required the passing of a new policy banning them.