A group of middle school students in New Jery upset by their shortened lunch period paid for their meals with pennies Thursday. School Superintendent Schiff gave them detentions for slowing down the lunch line and disrespecting cafeteria workers.

Total of twenty-nine New Jersey students punished with two-day detentions after they used pennies to pay for their $2 lunches are getting a pardon.

Readington, N.J., school Superintendent Jorden Schiff informed parents in an e-mail Sunday that he has rescinded the after-school detentions. They will only be restored if parents ask that their children serve them.

Schiff said the students described their actions as a prank and that news reports inaccurately called it a protest.

Several parents had complained the punishment was too harsh, but though some thought it too lenient.