In 2015, a preschooler in Aurora, CO, came home from school with a big frown on her face, along with her uneaten Oreo cookies. The 4-year-old, Natalee, then handed her mother a note from her teacher on behalf of the school.
The note read:
Dear Parents, it is very important that all students have a nutritious lunch. This is a public school setting and all children are required to have a fruit, a vegetable and a heavy snack from home, along with a milk. If they have potatoes, the child will also need bread to go along with it. Lunchables, chips, fruit snacks, and peanut butter are not considered to be a healthy snack. This is a very important part of our program and we need everyone's participation.
Natalee's mom, Leeza, was shocked. Not only is Natalee active and healthy, but she also said her lunch included a sandwich and cheese — and that the school took things way too far.
A spokeswoman for the school said the teachers gave Natalee a healthy alternative to the cookies, but Leeza says, "It's between me and the doctor on what's healthy for her."
Leeza said she was "lunch-shamed" by Natalee's school, and many other parents agree with her. One commenter on Facebook says: "The school is responsible for what THEY serve, which we pay for by the way, but not what my child brings from home unless of course they are paying for my groceries!"
What do you think of the school's decision to ban Natalee from finishing her lunch? Let us know, and please SHARE this story with your friends on Facebook!
