School says no to Oreos in child's lunch

Jessica Oh | KUSA-TV, Denver

Show Caption Hide Caption Mom: School said no to Oreos in my child's lunch A Colorado mom says a teacher at her daughter's preschool refused to let the little girl eat part of her lunch, because it wasn't nutritious.

AURORA, Colo. — A Colorado mother claims a teacher at her child's preschool refused to let the little girl eat part of her lunch because it wasn't nutritious.

Leeza Pearson, of Aurora, Colo., is upset her child wasn't allowed to finish part of her lunch.

Pearson packed her 5-year-old daughter a ham and cheese sandwich, string cheese and a 4-pack of Oreos on Friday. The child came back home from Children's Academy with the Oreos and a note from her teacher which read, in part:

"Dear Parents, it is very important that all students have a nutritious lunch. This is a public school setting and all children are required to have a fruit, a vegetable and a heavy snack from home, along with a milk. If they have potatoes, the child will also need bread to go along with it. Lunchables, chips, fruit snacks, and peanut butter are not considered to be a healthy snack. This is a very important part of our program and we need everyone's participation."

The child said her teacher didn't allow her to eat the cookies during lunch, because they don't have enough nutritional value.

Questions over the note remain. Brenda Dean, the director of Children's Academy, a private preschool program through Aurora Public Schools, said she is investigating the note, adding that it should not have gone out to any parent.

Dean said it is not school policy to tell parents what children can or can't eat for lunch. She plans to speak to the teacher to find out the situation.

Pearson is concerned this points to a larger issue.

"What the school thinks is healthy for her is not what I think is healthy for her," said Pearson. "She needs to eat what she's going to eat. That's between me and her and our doctor — not the school."

Dean said school policy is to promote healthy eating, but to leave that up to the parents.

Aurora Public Schools plans also plans to look into the matter as the school receives funding through the district.