District rescinds penalties for student’s purchase of candy, amid media frenzy
A New Haven middle school honors student, suspended for buying candy from a classmate, will have the discipline expunged from his record, the superintendent of schools said. Michael Sheridan was stripped of his title as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner, and suspended for a day after buying a bag of Skittles last month from a classmate. The New Haven school system banned candy sales in 2003 as part of a districtwide school wellness policy, said school spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo. But Superintendent Reginald Mayo said in a statement that he and principal Eleanor Turner met with Sheridan's parents and Turner decided to clear the boy's record and restore him to his post as student council vice president. Michael said he didn't realize his candy purchase was against the rules, but he noticed the student selling the Skittles on Feb. 26 was being secretive. An administrator busted Michael with the candy in his pocket. His mother says the student who sold him the Skittles out of a lunch box was also suspended. School officials say his suspension also will be expunged. A copy of the district's policy states that "no candy or junk food fundraisers will be allowed on school grounds" and that only healthy snacks will be sold in vending machines. The policy also prohibits bake sales and other food sales during school hours. The policy does not say anything about students sharing snacks when no money is exchanged.
Source: Newsday, 3/12/08, By Associated Press
[Editor’s Note: The school district’s statement on the incident is below. As noted by NSBA’s BoardBuzz blog at the second link, the Connecticut Association of Boards of Education’s Policy Service reports that the state’s “wellness” statute provides schools with additional funding if they have a policy prohibiting the sale on campus—by anyone—of food items that are not on a state-approved list for nutritional standards. In response to widespread childhood obesity, many states and school districts are limiting junk food in schools or banning it outright. In 2006 former President Bill Clinton brokered an agreement with five of the largest snack food manufacturers to discourage schools from stocking vending machines with food high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt. See the third link.]
New Haven Public Schools statement
BoardBuzz on Skittles incident
NSBA School Law pages on snack food agreement