Some parents at an elementary school in the rural south Ottawa suburb of Greely are angry over a decision to end the sale of chocolate milk to students, and say they should have been consulted.

Near the end of the last school year, Castor Valley Elementary School's council voted to remove chocolate milk from its milk sales fundraising program.

Students can still bring their own chocolate milk to school, but parents can no longer pay to have it distributed to their children in the classroom.

Jamie Janes, a parent at the school, said the change "caused quite a stir" when it was announced on social media, and that "it feels almost [like] borderline shaming."

Parent Jamie Janes says parents should have had a say in the school council's decision to end the sale of chocolate milk to students. (CBC)

'Better than no milk at all'

"A lot of my friends and other parents in the community, they've come forward stating that chocolate milk is kind of a staple for their child to ensure adequate nutrition, so to remove chocolate milk from the milk program is really a disservice to them and ... they're not happy about it," she told CBC Radio's Ontario Today.

"Nobody is going to argue that chocolate milk is better for anyone than plain white milk. However, there are some arguments to be made on whether chocolate milk is better than no milk at all."

Janes said the school's milk program was especially handy for busy parents like her.

"For me to go out to Costco, get the individual containers, get an ice pack, get it ready every day — maybe some moms have time for that. I know many don't."

The benefit of the milk program was threefold, Janes said.

"It's a fundraiser for the school, it was helping some children get the nutrition they need, and it was just overall convenient."

Reducing sugar

The school declined an interview but sent the following emailed statement:

"Castor Valley Elementary School Council, supported by the school, made a decision in May to only sell white milk and remove the options of juice boxes and chocolate milk from their food program. This was done in an effort to reduce the amount of sugar school council offers students during the school day," it reads.

"If parents would like their children to have these products during the school day, they are welcome to send them with their children."

It isn't the first time chocolate milk bans have made headlines.

Eight years ago, Ontario's Education Ministry decided not to implement a proposal to ban chocolate milk in all the province's schools.

And in New Brunswick, an existing chocolate milk ban is now becoming an election issue. The province's Liberal government introduced a ban on the milk and other sugary drinks and snacks from being sold in schools, and the Conservatives have promised to reverse it.