At Nyack Middle School, students had been served chicken and waffles with a side choice of watermelon for dessert. This had been on the first day of Black History Month. 

WABC-TV had stated that the school’s food vendor, Aramark along with administration, had apologized after both the students and parents had noticed the racial stereotypes on the menu.

Aramark Apologized for their  “inexcusable mistake” to NBC News. Aramark had also said that it “never should have happened.”

“We are extremely disappointed by this regrettable situation and apologize to the entire Nyack community for the cultural insensitivity displayed by our food service provider,” Principal David Johnson of Nyack Middle School had written in a letter to parents.

“They were asking people if they want watermelon and I remember being confused because it’s not in season,” Honore Santiago, a student attending Nyack had said.

An NHS Student, Rachel Gyamerah had given her opinion saying “It would be understandable if it was a first time offense but for it to be repeatedly happening they should not be given more chances.”

Aramark has already created similar menus on past holidays stereotyping Black people that began disputes at two universities going back more than a decade. 

The New York University had also cut ties with Aramark after serving collard greens, ribs, and Kool-Aid during Black History Month in the year 2018.

Aramark also served chicken and waffles on Martin Luther King Day at the University of California, Irvine in 2011.

Sadly they did not heed the backlash of this when it happened in 2011.