BOE slips in controversial policy change
Over the past several months, the WCSD Board of Education has sparked controversy as a result of their calamity days policy. And as if reducing our snow days from five days to two days in what is expected to be a long winter were not bad enough, the BOE is now attacking fundraising at WHS.
At their Dec. 23meeting, the BOE slipped in several policies in what we can assume was an attempt to hide them from the community.
According to BOE Policy 5830 student organizations and clubs are now permitted to sell edible merchandise during the school day and at sporting events [removing the athletic booster’s domain on winter concessions], but not during lunches [BOE 8550].
Students are still not permitted to sell food during the logical lunch time periods. This will allow the food service department to continue their monoply over snacks.
The policy will have a much broader effect than anticipated by the BOE, as The General Grounds coffee shop sells during lunch periods. According to this policy they will not be able to sell during that time any longer.
The district also does not want you to read into the fact that student organizations are bound by USDA dietary standards. Which again, at first, sounds fair. But it is only fair if everybody has to follow the rules.
The district has exempted the food service department from following these standards, saying in their policy that the department is not limited to selling foods approved by these guidelines. [BOE 8500]
So, as clubs are now forced to sell carrots and squash [with no dipping sauce] as a fundraiser or any snacks under 200 calories, the WHS cafeteria can continue to cook up their grease filled “burgers” and fat filled tater tots.
At the end of the day it comes down to this- if the BOE wants to make a policy, it should include everybody. Their continued insistence on holding a dictoral control over food sold during lunch periods is going to have a negative impact on a student organization that has given this community so much.
The student body demands answers; will we get them? Probably not.
