THE JOURNAL & TOPICS NEWSPAPERS | THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 2008
State Board Rips School Dist. 25 Over Food Policy
By TOM ROBB
JOURNAL REPORTER
The Illinois State Board of Education (IBSE) scolded Arlington Hts. Elementary School Dist. 25 for the way it is handling its food policy related to allergens.
The IBSE admonished the district for failing to notify all parents of changes to the district's food policies and practices and for failing to let all parents know that more changes are currently under review.
Current Dist. 25 policy states, "Due to the increase in peanut allergies, our program does not serve peanuts."
In a letter to Dist. 25 Supt. Sarah Jerome, dated Monday, Apr. 7, State Board of Education Nutrition Division Manager Christine Schmitt said, "No notice that you currently offer items containing peanuts has been provided to parents whose children have been identified as having peanut allergies or to parents at large."
Schmitt recommended that Jerome immediately notify all parents on the current practices by the school's food services department.
"Because of the serious health risks associated with peanut allergies, ISBE would highly recommend that, for the safety of your students, you notify all parents in the district that you are working to revise the policy and in the meantime, some foods may actually contain peanuts," Schmitt wrote.
Schmitt took issue with the fact that the word "program" was used in the current policy and that it did not spell out that it does not refer to items on the a la carte menu or food served at other functions.
"I want to take this opportunity to let you know the district is studying foods, wellness and good allergy procedures. At this point allergen free lunches are available by contacting the Food Services department," said Jerome in an automated phone message last week to all Dist. 25 parents.
The message concluded saying, "Other cafeteria items may contain nuts or nut extracts."
The new draft policy comes in the wake of several incidents that started over a year ago.
Denis Jones, the parent of a Dist. 25 student who has a life threatening allergy to peanuts, told the Journal that in April 2007, while he and his son, were at a school function, his son, a fifth grader at the time, asked a food service worker if food being served contained peanuts.
Jones said the worker referred him to Dist. 25 Director of Food Services Coletta Hines-Newell who was attending the school function. Hines-Newell told Jones she could not guarantee that the food was peanut free.
Since that incident Jones claims and Jerome confirmed that a cereal product containing nuts was found on the regular food line.
Jerome said the school board disciplined a food service employee in a closed session over the incident.
At that same closed session Jones claims and e-mails between Jones and Jerome confirm that the school board made an interpretation of the school's policy to allow the sale of peanuts on their a la carte menu in possible violation of their own policy.
Jones told the Journal that IBSE officials said they were "appalled" by the actions of Jerome and the Dist. 25 school board.
IBSE Spokesman Matt Vanover refused to characterize the actions of Jerome or the board to the Journal, saying only that Dist. 25's board was not accountable to the IBSE but to the voters.
A letter from Schmitt to Jones dated Tuesday, Apr. 8 said the same thing.
The IBSE became involved after Jones testified before an audit committee of the IBSE and Schmidt on Wednesday, Mar. 19 and later met privately with U.S. Rep Mark Kirk (R-10th) and some of his staff.
Shortly after Jones testified at the hearing, Jerome gave peanut allergic parents a draft of a new district food and allergy policy stressing more responsibility be shifted to students to look after their own welfare regarding their diet and care of medications.
Parents were given until Tuesday, Apr. 15 to comment on the policy. The school board is expected to review the policy at one of its meetings in May.
Neither new School Board President David Page nor Jerome returned calls for this story.