Parents Speak Out Against NC Nutrition Rules At Hearing

There was a hearing this week concerning the deliberate exemption of parental personal choice regarding the state’s child care nutrition rules this week.

“The NC Child Care Commission is a group of fifteen members appointed by the Governor and state legislators, and is tasked with adopting rules to implement state laws regarding child care.

In July of 2010 the legislature passed a bill (H1726) affecting nutrition standards for child care facilities, which would include NC Pre-K programs. The law, signed by Gov. Bev Perdue, required the commission to consider “creating an exception from the rules to allow a parent or guardian, or to allow the center upon the request of a parent or guardian, to provide to a child food and beverages that may not meet the nutrition standards.”

The staff of the Division of Child Development and Early Education drew up some nutrition rules in May 2011 for the NC Child Care Commission to consider. The commission discussed the proposed rules at a September 27, 2011 meeting. The minutes of that meeting show the commission members talked about allowing parents to make a “personal preference” for the food their children eat at school, including what they bring from home. According to the minutes, the commission’s attorney, Alexi Gruber from the Department of Justice, advised the members such preferences should supersede any nutrition rule.

The panel went against that advice, however, and deleted the word “personal” from the recommendation. The only exception left was for ethnic, religious or cultural reasons. The new rule cited a vegetarian diet as an example of the exception.”

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Here is one parent speaking at the hearing this week:

from Civitas Review:

“Dr. Scott Sweeney of Monroe said he had nine other people ready to object to the proposed rules changes and send the issue to the General Assembly for a hearing. Once the Child Care Commission makes its final decision on the rules it goes to the Rules Review Commission in the Office of Administrative Hearings. When that panel makes its decision if at least 10 people object to a rule then the rule is subject to a legislative hearing.

The Child Care Commission chair said the public comments would be considered during its meeting May 8.”

Se also: “Who’s Policing the Food Police?”