Carmel Middle School Student Petitions for Healthy, Vegetarian Lunches

***http://www.thepetitionsite.com/987/051/407/***

An eighth grade student’s Care2 petition has gathered over 17,000 signatures

CHARLOTTE  — A student going into eighth grade at Carmel Middle School says the school doesn’t provide enough vegetarian lunch options for students like her. Her Care2 petition asking the school to provide healthy vegetarian options has gathered over 17,000 signatures from supporters all over the world.

VIEW THE CARE2 PETITION HERE: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/987/051/407/

Elly Kirk, 13, says she started her Care2 petition because her vegetarian friends have limited options when choosing what to eat. She says she plans to present her petition to the school board.

“At my school, healthy options for vegetarians are rare. I don't buy my lunch, but my friends that don't eat meat and DO buy the cafeteria food come back with barely anything to eat at all,” Kirk writes on her petition. “Not even the salads are meat-free. It's close minded and disrespectful.”

Kirk says the vegetarian options at the school are mainly snack items.

“When they aren't snacks they are either nachos, mac and cheese, or cheese sticks, and that's pretty much it,” Kirk told Care2.

She says her vegetarian friends have seen the petition and fully support her efforts.

“Just because we're kids doesn't mean we should eat whatever someone puts on our plates,” Kirk writes. “We have minds of our own, and we should be able to make the decision for ourselves.”

School officials were unable to be reached for comment.