Insanity is a dish best served microwaved

I’ve got a good one today.   I was speaking to one of my school this afternoon and she told me that four of her seniors were being suspended for having a barbeque on campus.  The story goes something like this.  The students approached the staff member and asked her if she would supervise their barbeque.  They were not doing it for a fundraiser and were not preparing food for anyone else but themselves.  The staff member told the students that she would do it, but they needed to get the administration’s clearance first.  They came back and said it was okay. 

So the barbeque happened on campus and no one got injured.  It went fine and that was supposed to be the end of that.  UNTIL the food service manager on campus came UNGLUED about having food served that competed against the cafeteria.  The food service manager reported the barbeque to the district food service director and the e-mail chain was on. 

The “beef” the food service department had was that they felt the barbeque (remember—neither a fundraiser nor food being given away) competed against their lunch program AND they had soda.  They also were claiming that it was against board policy.  Perish the thought that students be caught on campus with a soda they brought from home!  The food service department wanted to count this barbeque against one of the food sales days that schools are entitled under Title V.  The staff member wasn’t going for this at all. 

The administrative teams sent out an e-mail notifying that the students were given a choice of either a two day suspension or missing their senior picnic because it was given proper clearance by the administrative team.  The students chose the two day suspension.  Needless to say, the hornets’ nest has been rattled.  The students are already down at the district office asking for board policy opposing or outlawing student barbeques.  The strike against the admin team is that there have been other barbeques supervised by teachers and cooked by students without incident.   The administrative team took it a step further and contacted all pizza places in the area instructing them NOT to deliver to the campus.  This thing has front page of the newspaper written all over it.

I have many questions for this administrative team.  One, what is the offense in the Ed code for which they are suspending?  Two, why is this the hill you are dying?   Three, what benefit do you hope to gain from making an example of these students? 

I would have spoken to the students.  Explaining the procedures to do such an event and note that they did get proper supervision, but were missing some elements.  I would also get on the PA announcing that non-school sponsored barbeques will not be allowed on campus.  I would not try to make an example of the students that were trying to have some wholesome, bonding experiences at their lunch.  I would just try to guide them to try to do other types of meals that didn’t require an open flame next time.