Leaders of the Salt Lake City School District have backed off the idea of hiring a public relations firm after national outrage over the\u00a0trashing of dozens of kids\u2019 cafeteria lunches last month.<\/p>\n

The district board\u2019s president, vice president and superintendent had decided to look into hiring a firm, sending a request for\u00a0proposals, for up to $49,999, to seven companies earlier this month. A district committee then selected a winner.<\/p>\n

But board President Kristi Swett sent an email to board members Thursday evening saying, \u201cThe RFP [request for proposals] is not a\u00a0contract or a purchase and the district has not spent any money for this professional service. We are not recommending that we go\u00a0forward with this option at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Swett did not return calls or emails seeking further comment about the reasons behind the decision.<\/p>\n

Board Vice President Heather Bennett, however, said in an email to The Salt Lake Tribune, \u201cDistrict leadership decided to wait until\u00a0the independent audit is complete before discussing again how best to improve communication with our district families, our\u00a0internal departments, and the digital-age media. This is an ongoing conversation as we strive for continuous improvement.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bennett said it is not unusual for the district to issue an RFP and later decide to not pursue the services.<\/p>\n

The Tribune broke news that the district was looking into hiring a public relations firm last week, prompting another round of\u00a0backlash aimed at district leaders.<\/p>\n

For nearly a month, the district has been besieged by parents upset that as many as 40 Uintah Elementary kids had their cafeteria\u00a0lunches trashed because of their parents\u2019 past-due bills. After the public seizures of their lunches, the kids were given fruit and milk\u00a0instead.<\/p>\n

The district has since apologized and changed its procedures, pledging to only give kids full lunches from now on, no longer discuss\u00a0payments with kids and improve its payment notification system. District leaders have also initiated an independent audit into the\u00a0situation.<\/p>\n

Many, however, including board members, expressed disappointment last week upon hearing the district was looking into hiring a\u00a0PR firm. Swett, Bennett and Superintendent McKell Withers had decided to issue the RFP without discussing the matter with the\u00a0rest of the board or public.<\/p>\n

In her letter to board members, Swett apologized for not informing the whole board about the RFP.\u00a0Board member Tiffany Sandberg said Tuesday the majority of the board was not in favor of hiring a PR firm.\u00a0\u201cIt just seemed pretty much like a waste of money to me and my constituents,\u201d Sandberg said. \u201cThere was no need to hire a PR firm\u00a0to see what we did wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

Board member Michael Clara said he doesn\u2019t know why it was a consideration in the first place.\u00a0\u201cWhat concerned me the most was the process, that it was done in secret,\u201d Clara said. \u201cIt\u2019s just very bizarre that that\u2019s where their
\nfocus is at, the image, instead of solving the problem. I believe they\u2019ve solved the problem but still have the issue of who\u2019s\u00a0accountable.\u201d<\/p>\n

For weeks, parents have been pushing the district to identify the person or people responsible for making the decision to yank\u00a0lunches. Parents have also asked for a direct apology to them and their children, in addition to general statements the district has\u00a0issued.<\/p>\n

District spokesman Jason Olsen confirmed Tuesday that another apology is imminent. He said the district and its Child Nutrition\u00a0Department have ordered cupcakes to distribute to Uintah students \u2014 a suggestion first offered by Uintah parent Sarah Turley at a\u00a0school board meeting earlier this month.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe district has apologized multiple times, but following up on what was said in a board meeting, the cupcakes and an additional\u00a0apology will be given directly to students, teachers, and staff at the school,\u201d Olsen wrote in an email Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Uintah parent Ashley Hoopes said Tuesday she\u2019s appreciative of the cupcakes and apology, but said parents still want to know who
\nwas responsible.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel like the best apology they could give would be to assure parents that our questions are going to be answered in the external\u00a0investigation and that there is going to be accountability,\u201d Hoopes said.\u00a0She said she\u2019s also glad the board has decided not to hire a PR firm.\u00a0\u201cThe best PR that they can do is free, and it\u2019s called telling the truth and communicating with parents from the beginning,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n