I wanted to hear y'alls input. My son just started Kindergaten in WCPSS. He buys lunch on some days which as part of the lunch cost includes a milk. Well my son is milk intolerent and has been on say all his life. His teacher suggested we contact the Health and Nutrition people about seeing if they would order him soy milk instead of regular milk. Today we were told by them that "my sons's milk intolerance under the new guidelines which now go along with the disabilities act does not warrant the school buyng milk for my son because the school provides water." My reponse to this is BS!!! As part of the lunch schools are required to provide balnaced and nutritious meals which include milk. Water does not substitute the protein and calcium that milk provides. We told them that if they are not going to provide the milk then his lunch should be reducesd the cost of the milk and they are balking at this. Supposedly they are having a department meeting to address the situation. Surely our child cannot be the only milk intolerent child in the school system so what are they doing with all these other kids?? I feel like I am working with the Government here and we all know how well that has been going for me, just look at my Stimulus check thread!!!!
Keep in mind they buy in bulk. There are alternatives to milk as a beverage offered. (He doesn't have to have milk, but should be able to get a juice or bottled water.) They are not required to provide milk, but they are required to offer it. I know my school has several lactose intolerant children, and they get the other options. Of course, my school is in JC, but all the schools I've been at in other systems have been the same.
most parents that I know provide their child with something else, a thermos of soy milk or 100% juice boxes.
I have a child that may or may not have celiac and the nurse in Johnston County said that if he does have it, the school has to provide whatever the cafeteria offers, but gluten free. For example, if they are serving pizza and he wants pizza, they have provide one with a gluten free crust. I CANNOT believe that they are going to make all the children that are lactose intolerant bring their own soy milk or make them drink water. I would fight them hard on this one. I also have a diabetic son and they better play ball fair when it comes to him being at school :boxing: Good luck and keep us posted.
So you are saying that if the child wants to buy lunch that day that he should pay for the milk that he can't drink and ask for a glass of water or bring a thermos or juice box from home? Oh and of course the school will probably charge him a quarter for the glass of water too. The child is not being picky, he has a medical condition. If the schools can make things gluten free, peanut/peanut oil free, etc. why not help this kid and possibly others out? What I have found in Johnston Co schools (and before I get blasted I am not talking about everyone, just a small percentage) is that usually they try to get away with answers like this so they don't have to work, but if you nicely push back and show that you aren't going to take their first answer lying down, you can usually get at least some kind of compromise. This usually works outside of the schools too. I have noticed that the key is to still be nice but be firm. Good luck to you.
When I taught in elementary school I had a couple of children who could not drink milk. The school already buys juice for breakfast so they happily substituted a juice in place of the milk each day for lunch. It was never an issue. I spoke with the cafeteria manager at the beginning as soon as I found out the kids had a medical need and she was great.
I think meals and beverages are priced separately - so he would be charged for whatever he chooses to drink.
Can you not read I said the parents that I know do this, it is there decision, did not say that I agreed or disagreed, get off you freakin high horse and read! And just an FYI these parents also send most of the kids meals for the week because they dont eat the food there.
See it was when I let my anger get the best of me, I didn't even get a compromise...it was when I was nice yet firm that I could usually get things to go a little more my way if not all of what I wanted. Now, not sure if you have kids or not, but mine wanted to buy lunch on some days and on other days they didn't. If I tried to make mine take their lunch on a day when they wanted to buy it became a very ugly morning all around. So because this child has a medical problem that is not his fault he should have to bring his lunch everyday?
If they wont buy the soy milk, then ask them to remove the cost of the milk from the lunch and you will send your child with the proper beverage.
Looks like you can have your child's Dr. sign this form and get them juice instead of milk. http://www.wcpss.net/child-nutrition/Diet Order.pdf
you know parents dont take responsibilities like this anymore, we pay taxes for them to be taken care of at school now.
I would be more inclined to pack his lunch and beverage daily, with his allergy. Kids that young tend to share and sample each other's food. And what about other items that might have milk in it unbeknownst to him or you? Err on the side of caution, and take the school lunch program out of the equation.
I so agree. I have a nephew that has SEVERE allergies to eggs and peanuts...we're talking ER trip. He starts K next year and I have a feeling mom will be packing for him. She is very nervous about lunch/snack part of the day just bc of the severity of the allergies.
My daughter also attends WCPSS. She has a milk allergy and a few food allergies. We packed a lunch on the days that she could not eat what was on the lunch menu and she bought her lunch on days she could eat the food... taking along a jug of a drink she could have. The school did offer orange juice for her instead of milk but she couldnt' have that either. They will try to work with you.
I have a child who is a vegetarian. There are 3 days he can have a hot lunch every month, so he buys then and brings his lunch the rest of the time. I've suggested they have cheese only pizza, but the vendor doesn't supply that is what I was told. So...he enjoys baked potato day, stuffed shells day, and spaghetti day (he leaves off the meat sauce and uses ranch dressing on the noodles...)
