Students will have to leave the birthday treats at home under a new rule in the Appleton Area School District.
The rule, which put an end to treats and classroom potlucks, sparked mixed responses from parents and students as school resumed this week.
Instead of bringing sweets or other goodies to celebrate events, parents and students are encouraged to share non-food items or plan an activity for the class in lieu of sharing food.
The district listed nutrition, equity and safety issues with food as the three main reasons for the policy change, which was created along with several other updates to AASD’s school wellness policy last month.
The changes were agreed upon after public committee meetings on the old policy, which the Wisconsin Health Atlas audited, as is required for schools that receive public funding for meal programs.
The Wisconsin Health Atlas is a program run by the Obesity Prevention Initiative and the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Population Health Institute.
The change elicited mixed responses from parents on Facebook and beyond, district officials noted, especially given the tradition behind sharing treats and food in class.