New Haven school Skittles incident

The New Haven school Skittles incident occurred on February 26 2008, when a student from Sheridan Middle Schoolcite news |url=http://www.sheridanmiddleschool.org/ | title=Sheridan Middle School| work=www.sheridanmiddleschool.org | accessdate=2008-03-20] cite news |url=http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.content=%2FMAIN_REP%2FArticle%2F2008%2F03%2F12%2F1720457 | title=Young candy buyer finds penalty unduly bitter | author=Benton, Elizabeth | work=New Haven Register | date=March 122008 | accessdate=2008-03-20] was suspended from the New Haven, Connecticut, USA school system for being in possession of a bag of Skittles brand candy. [cite news | url=http://www.drudge.com/news/105386/honor-student-suspended-buying-skittles | title=Honor Student Suspended for Buying Skittles | work=Drudge Report | date=March 142008 | accessdate=2008-03-15] In 2003, the New Haven school system passed a rule banning all candy sales as part of a wellness policy. [cite news | title=Conn. 8th-grader suspended for buying Skittles in school, violating district wellness policy | url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/03/12/america/ODD-Skittles-Suspension.php | work=International Herald Tribune | publisher=The New York Times | date=March 122008 | accessdate=2008-03-15] In 2008 the rule was used to discipline an 8th grade honors student named Michael Sheridan for buying the candy from another student.cite news | url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20080312-0841-odd-skittlessuspension.html | title=Conn. 8th-grader suspended for buying Skittles in school, violating district wellness policy | author=Associated Press | work=San Diego Union Tribune | date=March 122008 | accessdate=2008-03-14] cite news | url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23618831/ | title=School backs off Skittles suspension: 8th-grader gets back class office, has record cleared after candy violation | author=Associated Press | work=MSNBC.com | date=March 132008 | accessdate=2008-03-14]

Sheridan was removed from his role as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner and suspended from school after buying the Skittles from a classmate. The suspension was initially for three days, but it was reduced to one day. Sheridan said that he did not know he was breaking any rules by buying the candy, but that he noticed the other student was being secretive about the transaction. [cite news | url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,337419,00.html | title=Connecticut School Rethinks Suspension for Eighth Grader Caught With Contraband Candy | work=FoxNews.com | date=March 132008 | accessdate=2008-03-15]

School spokesperson Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo said that, besides the nutrition issue, students create security problems when they carry money. According to WNBC, the district's policy states that "no candy or junk food fundraisers will be allowed on school grounds" and that only healthy snacks will be sold in vending machines. The school has a zero tolerance policy, with no candy sales allowed by students or from vending machines. The policy also prohibits bake sales and other types of food sales during school hours. The policy does not make mention of students sharing snacks if no money is exchanged.cite news | url=http://www.wnbc.com/news/15574015/detail.html | title=Conn. Student Suspended For Buying Candy In School | work=WNBC.com | date=March 122008 | accessdate=2008-03-14] Michael's mother, Shelli Sheridan, said he is a top student with no previous disciplinary problems. She said of the punishment, "It's too much. It's too unfair. He's never even had a detention."

School officials later decided to reinstate Sheridan to his post. [cite news | url=http://www.rationalreview.com/content/43730 | title=CT: Dangerous Skittles criminal pardoned! | work=Toronto Globe and Mail | date=March 132008 | accessdate=2008-03-15] School principal Eleanor Turner said, "I am sorry this has happened. My hope is that we can get back to the normal school routine, especially since we are in the middle of taking the Connecticut mastery test." [cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/03/13/skittles.suspension.ap/index.html | title=School clears kids in contraband candy caper | work=CNN.com | accessdate=2008-03-14] Turner explained that the school policy against food sales is a serious policy that has been adopted for good reasons. She said, "When students are allowed to break school rules like this, it does lead to problems. Letting students carry large sums of money around, letting them buy and sell and eat candy in classrooms, disrupting the instructional day and the risks it poses to students with allergies, are truly hazards."

The "New Haven Register" called the event "Skittlegate", an allusion to Watergate. [cite news | url=http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.content=%2FMAIN_REP%2FArticle%2F2008%2F03%2F13%2F1728241 | title=School candy furor finds sweet conclusion | author=Benton, Elizabeth | work=New Haven Register | date=March 132008 | accessdate=2008-03-15] In the wake of the incident, Sheridan has been a guest on three national talk shows. On "Fox News Live", a representative from the Mars company, the makers of Skittles, surprised him by giving him a lifetime supply of Skittles as well as other candy from the company. [cite news | url=http://www.nhregister.com/WebApp/appmanager/JRC/BigDaily;jsessionid=hQhbHcyb0qnyGjqcS9JHz8lkJl3vppSTYrJWGd1l8Qw6LnB1Kp4V!-1410432021?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pg_article&r21.pgpath=%2FNHR%2FHome&r21.content=%2FNHR%2FHome%2FContentTab_Feature_1741601 | title=Student gets star treatment, candy for life | author=Benton, Elizabeth | work=New Haven Register | date=March 152008 | accessdate=2008-03-15] Sheridan said that he would continue to eat Skittles, but not at school.cite news | url=http://www.wtnh.com/Global/story.asp?S=8002717 | title=Students suspended for Skittles reinstated | work=WTNH.com | date=March 122008 | accessdate=2008-03-14 | author=Muro, Jamie]

References

External links

* [http://video.aol.com/video-detail/student-disciplined-over-skittles-purchase/2366986914 AOL Video news coverage]
* [http://www.nhps.net/ New Haven Public Schools website]
* [http://ruddsoundbites.typepad.com/rudd_sound_bites/2008/03/skittles-taste.html#more/ Rudd Sound Bites blog entry: "Skittles: Taste the Media Frenzy"]