WOW - Chicago schools *BAN* lunches brought from Home

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At his public school, Little Village Academy on Chicago's
West Side, students are not allowed to pack lunches from
home. Unless they have a medical excuse, they must eat the
food served in the cafeteria.

Principal Elsa Carmona said her intention is to protect
students from their own unhealthful food choices.

"Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at
the school," Carmona said. "It's about the nutrition and
the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in
the lunchroom). It's milk versus a Coke. But with allergies
and any medical issue, of course, we would make an
exception."

Any school that bans homemade lunches also puts more money
in the pockets of the district's food provider, Chartwells-
Thompson. The federal government pays the district for each
free or reduced-price lunch taken, and the caterer receives
a set fee from the district per lunch.

At Little Village, most students must take the meals served
in the cafeteria or go hungry or both. During a recent
visit to the school, dozens of students took the lunch but
threw most of it in the garbage uneaten. Though CPS has
improved the nutritional quality of its meals this year, it
also has seen a drop-off in meal participation among
students, many of whom say the food tastes bad.

"Some of the kids don't like the food they give at our
school for lunch or breakfast," said Little Village parent
Erica Martinez. "So it would be a good idea if they could
bring their lunch so they could at least eat something."

"(My grandson) is really picky about what he eats," said
Anna Torrez, who was picking up the boy from school. "I
think they should be able to bring their lunch. Other
schools let them. But at this school, they don't."

But parent Miguel Medina said he thinks the "no home lunch
policy" is a good one. "The school food is very healthy,"
he said, "and when they bring the food from home, there is
no control over the food."

At Claremont Academy Elementary School on the South Side,
officials allow packed lunches but confiscate any snacks
loaded with sugar or salt. (They often are returned after
school.) Principal Rebecca Stinson said that though
students may not like it, she has yet to hear a parent
complain.

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