In obesity fight, school bans birthday cupcakes

Students celebrating their birthdays this fall at the Chandler School in Duxbury can expect their classmates to sing "Happy Birthday," but cupcakes are out of the question.

Concerned that the children are eating too much junk food, the Chandler School Council and the Parent Teacher Association are forbidding parents from bringing sweets to their child's classroom birthday party.

"We love birthdays, but we decided to shift the focus onto the child and not the food," said principal Deborah Zetterberg, who is also cochairwoman of the school council. "What we proposed was to have a birthday package, as we're calling it."

The package includes a special birthday chair cover that will be placed on the back of the student's chair, Zetterberg said. The birthday boy or girl can also wear a sash. They get a special pencil and a sticker with the school's mascot, the Happy Dragon, she said. Preschool and kindergarten students also get to wear a birthday crown, she said.

A letter was sent home to parents this week alerting them to the sweets ban. Zetterberg said most parents have been supportive of the issue, but some have been bothered by the decision to curtail a childhood tradition.

Nancy Krahmer, a mother of four with a son in kindergarten at Chandler, said she supports healthy eating and the school's proposal for a birthday package instead of sugary treats. But it takes away from tradition, she said. "It seems like it's very complicated for such an easy topic," she said. "People go to birthday parties all the time and get cake and ice cream. It's the kid's special day and now it has to be regulated."

The Chandler School has approximately 850 students in preschool through second grade, Zetterberg said. School committee members could not be reached for comment last night.

Traditionally, parents bring in treats for an entire class when it is their child's birthday, Zetterberg said. But a new practice will begin in September when parents will no longer be allowed to bring in sweets, she said. The decision to change course came after conversations with parents at PTA and school council meetings. "Childhood obesity is a national issue," she said. "Anything we can do to help our children eat healthier is step in right direction."

Cattina Giumetti, who also has a child in kindergarten, said she sees both sides of the issue. "I do see that they're doing something special to take the place of the cupcakes," she said. "I think the kids will love what they're doing. I went to Duxbury schools and the cupcakes were tradition. Is it going to hurt the kids that they're not going to get a cupcakes? I don't know. . . . But they have some weeks where they're having three or four birthdays in one week. That's a lot of cupcakes."