General

New York schools restrict bake sales

Parents protest regulations aimed at curbing obesity

New York City parents plan to stage a “bake-in” at city hall on Thursday to protest regulation that restricts student bake sales in public schools, the New York Times reports, noting that City Council is planning a public hearing on the matter later this month. School officials call it an effort to tackle obesity in a city where 40 per cent of 1.1 million schoolchildren are overweight or obese; restricting bake sales is “one part of a holistic wellness puzzle, said Eric Goldstein, chief executive of School Food and Transportation for the Department of Education. The rule says PTAs can only hold bake sales once a month or weekdays after 6 pm; otherwise, only fresh fruits, veggies and one of 27 packaged items that meet guidelines can be sold. But parents say the rules promote processed food (reduced fat Cool Ranch Doritos, for example, are included). Others say bake sales united communities and let all parents feel they were contributing, as well as being a successful fundraiser—according to one parent, weekly bake sales at a Queens school raise up to $300 each week, enough to send 11 students to Mexico on a trip last year.

New York Times

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