Photo Credit: Krystle Fleming via Compfight
The title of this blog entry is a play on Hamlet’s famous soliloquey, “To be or not to be…” With Halloween fast approaching, I’m getting more questions about the “no sweets” rule at MBS for birthdays and celebrations. Those of you who attend the Monster Mash (Friday, November 1st) will find plenty of sweets for sale in the PTO “snack bar” at this annual party. You’ll see cupcakes at Girl Scout meetings and Yearbook Club. Is this inconsistent? Why is it okay to have cupcakes and brownies at the Monster Mash but not during the school day?
I’d like to explain my thinking. Schooling in our nation is compulsory. The first U.S. state to require all children to attend school was Massachusetts, beginning in 1852. Mississippi became the last state to require compulsory school attendance in 1917. The fact is, all children in our country must attend school, either private, public, or in an approved home school program. In our increasingly diverse country, our public schools have an obligation to create learning environments that are welcoming to a wide variety of cultures, religions, beliefs, habits, and parenting styles. In addition, our schools grapple with public health issues plaguing our nation such as asthma, diabetes, and obesity.
Imagine you are a parent whose child has diabetes. Imagine your family is working hard to instill healthy eating habits and you strictly limit sweets in your home. Imagine that your child is sensitive to gluten, nuts, food dyes, or other elements that are part of the treats often brought to school to celebrate birthdays and holidays. You have no choice about sending your child to school – the law compels you to do so. If the school then exposes your child to foods and/or rituals that are contrary to your beliefs or bad for your child’s health, you are in a difficult situation. This is the main reason we have restricted our classroom celebrations to include non-food or very limited, healthy food options. Our schools need to be welcoming and inclusive for everyone, since everyone is compelled by law to be there.
On the other hand, joining Girl Scouts or attending The Monster Mash are completely optional activities. These are community sponsored events being held in the school building. No one is forced to go. Offering an array of foods at these community events is up to the organizers and sponsors of the event, not up to the school administration. Student’s own lunchboxes are similar. You choose what to send to school or purchase for snack for your child. That is not my decision, and I’ve had to explain to teachers that parents certainly have individual rights to feed their children however they wish!
I hope this helps clear up what might seem like inconsistency on my part. In my personal life, I enjoy occasional sweets. My own two children fondly remember making chocolate chip cookies together, or the specially decorated cakes for their birthdays. Part of my job as your principal is to design and enforce procedures that create a welcoming and inclusive learning environment for our diverse community. I have to balance personal liberty with public responsibility.
I appreciate the supportive comments I received when this new rule was first announced, and I also appreciate the questions because they challenge me to clarify and communicate my thinking.
I hope all the Ospreys who participate in the holiday of Halloween will have a fun and safe experience. I look forward to seeing many of you at the Monster Mash this Friday night!
Julie