When this unsuspecting mother packed her daughter’s school lunch, just as she did every day, she had no idea that today would be different, that the act would inspire an alarming outcome…
Out Of Fruit And Veg
Leeza Pearson woke up early that fateful morning to lovingly prepare her daughter Natalee’s, lunch. She kissed her child goodbye as she headed off to school at the Children’s Academy in Aurora, Colorado.
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Running Out Of Time
She woke up a little later than usual, but she had managed to pack her daughter’s lunch on time. Using the ingredients she had in the house, she whipped something healthy and delicious for her child and didn’t think twice about the meal’s preparation.
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Surprised
Pearson said she was stunned when she picked up her 4-year-old later in the day. Something strange had went on at her child’s school. She struggled to understand what had transpired.
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Children’s Best Interest
Leeza always had her children’s best interests at heart. Every day she took the time to prepare their packed lunches with nutritious food that would keep them energized and satisfied throughout the school day.
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Hard Days
Being a single mother, juggling her career and home life was not always easy. Grocery shopping always proved to be a difficult task. Despite the challenge, she did her utmost to make sure that the house was stocked with things that were filling and healthy. Like all kids, her children loved sweet snacks and sugary candies.
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Cause For Concern
Her daughter was a happy young girl, who got on with most things without complaint. She was loved by her peers and teachers. Her mom only ever heard positive feedback from her teachers at the annual parents’ evening. When she returned home one day with a note from the school, she was truly concerned.
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Confusion
Her child got into the car and said “Mommy, i’m hungry” to which she replied “Did you not eat your lunch?” Her daughter immediately went quiet. Leeza’s motherly instinct was raised and she began to feel suspicious. Her daughter always ate her lunch and was rarely hungry when she was picked up after her day at school.
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Arriving Home
When they got home, her daughter stated yet again, that she was hungry. Leeza wanted to see how much of her lunch she had eaten, she remembered giving her a hearty lunch including snacks.
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Utterly Shocked
When she opened her daughter’s lunchbox, she saw a note sitting next to the unopened packet of Oreos that she had packed for her earlier that day. When she picked it up to read it, she was truly astounded at what she saw.
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Not Impressed
When she read the note, she became enraged. She did not feel that the school had the right to send her child home with such a ridiculous note. But what was said that got her all riled up?
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What The Note Read
“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 healthy snack from home, along with a milk.” But that wasn’t all.
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Outraged
“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”
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Bread And Potatoes
She wondered to herself, how does having starchy bread and potatoes make for a healthy meal? Where have they got this information that proved that was considered a nutritious lunch?
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Absolutely Baffled
Pearson said she is baffled and concerned by how the school handled the delicate situation. Her daughter came home hungry and confused. This protective mother does not feel that it was dealt with in a proper manner, especially as the school does not provide lunches to the children, themselves.
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Over The Top
“I think it is definitely over the top, especially because they told her she can’t eat what is in her lunch,” Pearson told ABC News. “They should have at least allowed to eat her food and contacted me to explain the policy and tell me not to pack them again.”
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Officials Answer Back
Officials at the Children’s Academy said they have no public comment when contacted by ABC News. However, Patty Moon, a spokeswoman for the Aurora Public School system, which provides funding for some of the children to attend the private pre-school, said a note to parents in a lunchbox is not standard practice.
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Inconsistent
“From our end we want to inform parents but never want it to be anything punitive,”. Moon said the school was simply trying to promote a healthy diet but Pearson said that effort has been inconsistent and has outraged many of the children’s parents.
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Contradiction
During this year’s Easter holiday, she said the school asked students to bring in candy for the annual celebration. Her child also receives sugary jelly beans as a snack when she stays for after-school care, Pearson said.
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Frustrated And Confused
Part of Leeza’s frustration stemmed from the fact that the preschool seemed to contradict themselves in practice. They shamed her for packing cookies, yet frequently requested that parents send candy to school for class parties.
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Being Punished
“They say I can’t decide what to feed her but then they sometimes feed her junk food,” Pearson said. “Why am I being punished for Oreos when at other times I am asked to bring candy?”
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Not The Case
The child was offered an alternative and healthier snack, the teacher said. But Pearson said this was not the case and she was angered that her child had returned home hungry. She stated that it is her right as a mother to decide what she feeds her own child.
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Healthy Child
“She is not overweight by any means and I usually try to feed her healthy,” Pearson said, noting her daughter’s lunch also included a sandwich and some string cheese. “It’s not like I was offering cookies to the entire class and it’s not like that was the only thing in her lunch.”
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To social Media
When Leeza didn’t get a response from the school’s director when asked about the incident, she vented some of her frustration on social media. To her great surprise, many online users were just as frustrated as her by the school’s imposition. “I just got a bunch of outrage from friends I hadn’t heard from in years,” she said.
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Healthy Lunch Boxes
Due to the school’s inconsistent policy, and the fact that parents are always tirelessly looking for healthy food options for their kids, two California moms and a group of former teachers came up with an idea. The group would create already packed lunchboxes, with healthy snacks in them, called ‘Revolution Kits.’ Each meal is in sodium and preservative free.
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Moving Forward
Moving forward, Leeza has said that she will make a concerted effort to make sure that her daughter’s lunch is healthy and filling, just as she has always done. She maintains that the school needs to rethink their policy and be wary of overstepping boundaries. Each child is different, so what may be right for one child, may not be for another.