A parenting blogger has offered to cover outstanding ‘pupil debt’ at a school where students were told they ‘wouldn't be fed’ unless their accounts are up to date.
Men Behaving Dadly’s Simon Harris branded the decision of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle in Penygroes, Gwynedd 'madness' after headmaster Neil Foden provoked fury when he told parents in a letter that the school cook had been instructed not to give food to any child "if their debt has not been cleared".
The story quickly gathered national attention, with England footballer Marcus Rashford MBE among those to take the head to task over the move, calling for the teacher to be "more understanding".
A deadline of November 19 has been set for parents to get their children's accounts up to date but blogger Harris - who has thousands of followers on Facebook and Twitter - has stepped up to pay the cash.
The dad of four from Essex, who has tens of thousands of Facebook and Twitter followers said: "I’ve just made this genuine offer to the management of Ysgol Dyffryn Nantlle on Twitter.
"I will absolutely cover their catering deficit if it stops this madness of kids potentially going hungry."
Speaking to North Wales Live, he added: "We could all sit here and argue about ‘parents who can afford it but won’t pay’ and ‘parents spending the cash on whatever else instead’ until the cows come home.
"All I’m interested in is putting this rubbish to bed and getting the kids fed.
"One problem at a time."
Mr Foden said on Friday just a "handful of pupils" had run up debts totalling close to £2,000.
Gwynedd Council previously said: “As a council, we do not operate a blanket policy of refusing meals to pupils, and will discuss this matter directly with the school.”
