Cupcakes in the Classroom? Malverne's Wellness Policy Revised Again

The Malverne school district's Wellness Policy is less than two years old and yet it's already been revised three times as parents and school officials continue to debate whether treats like cupcakes should be banned from classrooms.

The during Tuesday night's meeting of the Board of Education when Danielle Henshaw, a parent and member of the district’s Wellness Committee asked why the latest revision to the policy permits students to celebrate their birthdays in school with unhealthy food.

“We went from one extreme to the other,” said Thomas McDaid, the district’s business administrator who chairs the committee. He explained that instead of forbidding treats like cupcakes altogether, now classes will be permitted to celebrate all the students’ birthdays that fall into a given month on one day, and the previously banned baked goods will be permitted at the parties.

“This meets in the middle,” McDaid said. “We should be teaching students moderation and not things taking away from them.”

The latest change to the much-disputed policy came after a group of high school students expressed concerns to the board at December’s meeting regarding the policy. They said the ban on selling candy in school was hindering their ability to raise funds for their senior class trip.

McDaid said the students also spoke up on behalf of kids in the elementary grades, asking that the policy be revised to allow them to celebrate their birthdays with cupcakes or other restricted foods. Ultimately, McDaid explained, the board will have the final say on whether the policy is revised, adding, “All the committee did was make recommendations.”

Henshaw had a number of concerns with the proposed changes, ranging from increased sugar consumption and food allergies, to the added stress it would place on teachers, who would be turned into “party planners.”

“This is ridiculous, redundant and silly…we need to move on from this,” she said. “Everyone has to meet in the middle. We can’t keep revising policy every time someone’s not happy with it.”

Board President Karen Aker agreed that the policy should remain unchanged, at least until the end of the school year.

“This policy has been a joke since Day One,” she said. “We set limits here and then all of sudden, they are lowered. I don’t know what harm there would’ve been to wait until the year is over. “

Board Trustee Gina Genti, a mother of two and one of the strongest proponents for banning the unhealthy treats from classroom parties, along with all food-based rewards, also favored keeping the existing policy intact.

“This policy…never got off the ground and was never enforced,” she said. “Why even go through these motions of crating policies and doing the research when we don’t give it time to see if it has a profound effect?”

Genti suggested the board allow students to celebrate their birthdays in ways that do not involve food such as 15 minutes of extra recess. Other suggestions from the public included throwing a dance party or allowing kids to bring in their favorite books to read aloud.

“They are very excited about it,” said Maria Obiol, a Malverne parent and New York City teacher who practices the book idea with her students. “In three years, I have not had one student ask for a cupcake.”

Representing ‘Team Cupcake’” though was Joyce Berry. As a mom of a son with food allergies, Berry said she understood the severity of the issue, but argued that “cupcakes once a month are not going to kill these kids.”

She added, “These kids are being taught 24/7 and aren’t having any fun time. Let them be kids.”

Aker and Genti rebutted Berry’s comments by discussing the childhood obesity crisis plaguing the entire country.

“This board has the responsibility to health and wellness,” Genti stated. “You want to give your kids cupcakes do it. You can give your child anything  you want in your home, outside of these buildings.”