GothamSchools — daily independent reporting on NYC public schools

“Viva el cupcake!”

That was a battle cry of parents and children protesting outside City Hall today against new rules that restrict what foods can be sold at school bake sales. The regulation, passed last month by the Panel for Educational Policy, limits bake sales to packaged foods that are pre-approved by the Department of Education.

Parents and students who oppose the new regulation say that it won’t accomplish the city’s goal of reducing childhood obesity and will instead cost parent and student groups dearly needed funds. ”It’s an ill-considered policy,” Public Advocate Bill de Blasio said today, over cries of “NYC DOE: Read our lips, no more chips” and “Hey hey, ho ho, junk food has got to go.”

At the center of the rally, which drew well over 100 parents and children, were two tables featuring homemade baked goods, including tofu empanadas and carrot muffins, and the packaged foods that the city requires.

Chloe Leon, a third-grader at the Earth School who was monitoring the “banned” sweets table, said she prefers baked goods made at home. “A lot of ingredients are more fresh and organic,” she said. “It just tastes better.”

Her mother, Leigh Anne O’Connor, said without the funds raised by bake sales, the Earth School is facing a future without important special activities, such as the overnight camping trip the third grade has scheduled. (more…)

• City officials stand by the schools’ new bake sale rules, which many parents are opposing. (Times)
• The city’s new “Trayless Tuesdays” program to cut down on cafeteria waste kicked off yesterday. (NY1)
• The Post criticizes Trayless Tuesdays as a distraction from the business of teaching and learning.
• Students from PS 59 in the Bronx are dancing at the White Houses St. Patrick’s Day celebration. (Post)
• The new principal of Khalil Gibran Academy is Arab-American. (GothamSchools, Post, Daily News)
• The Daily News says Khalil Gibran’s first principal wasn’t discriminated against but was a bad leader.
• The Obama administration’s next job is to convince skeptics about its education plans. (Times)
• Education policy could be a source of bipartisan consensus after the divisive health care debate. (Time)
• Former education secretary Margaret Spellings agrees that NCLB is ready for a revamp. (NPR)
• Chicago’s schools chief is banning teachers union campaigning at city schools. (Chicago Tribune)
• Teachers and officials in Chicago are sparring over how bad budget cuts will be. (Chicago Sun-Times)