Pals, and Boysmom, thank you for the replies. Boysmom, that was my point exactly as I am researching and taking notes and getting ready for a meeting with the superintendent. I know there were rumors of tampering etc in the past and some were even just urban ledgends. Mothers were telling their kids that people put nasty stuff in their Halloween treats just to get them to not eat them all before they got home from trick-or-treating.

I want to ask him if he really thinks that the lower class families are going to go through the trouble to make toxic cupcakes for their childs' birthday party in school when they don't even bother to show up to meet-the-teacher nights, or other parental mandatory events?

And as far as the allergies go, there are more harmful ingredients in those store-bought products than there will ever be in home baked goods. Every class I have been in with my 2 girls have had children with allergies and not once has there been a problem. As class parents we notify the teacher and we make sure that there are extra treats and enough for everyone where that child would not feel excluded.

I understand that some schools have this policy but I don't get it. Wish me luck.

AnnieGirl, do you know the argument used in implementing the new policy? If it is the same as in pals' district, you could make a pretty good counter-argument that all the tampering was in fact done with store-bought items. If it's the allergy factor, I would think the concern would again be greater for mass-produced items, where factories are no doubt used for multiple items and cross-contamination and mislabeling could occur much more easily than in a home kitchen where someone would only be making one batch of whatever.

Our school district has had this policy for at least seven years(thats how long I have had a child here).The main reason it was started was when all the sickos were tampering with over the counter medicine and halloween treats. If a parent sends in homemade stuff they are sent right back. It has just become part of the "system" ...not much help to you but just wanted you to know that it is very common in upstate new york.

I recently found out that one of our elem schools in out district of 3 elementray schools has implemented a policy of not allowing home baked goods to be brought into the school. Neither for parties or bake sales. I have a BIG problem with this. I am afraid that the superintendent is going to force and implement this new policy in all the elem schools and I am getting ready for a fight.

The reason is that I am a baker by trade. I realize that there are children with all sorts of allergies in the classrooms. SInce my children started school we were notified of a child with an allergy and either brought items in for that child or the teacher was responsible to tell the parent that we were having an event and they should send a little extra snack for their child.

I am ready to purchase a packsge of 24 cupcakes from Costco and cut the label, then make my own at home and cut every label from my ingredients and bring it to the superintendent if I have to.

There has not been a case of injury or illness from home baked goods in the district at all, so this doesn't even come at a time like that. It's just something the new principal implemented and now we all may have to suffer for it. I won't do it withougt a fight. There are more preservatives and junk ingredients in those 3-day old cupcakes from costco than there will ever be in my fresh made cupcakes, cookies or brownies.

And we worry as a country about children and obesity? That's exactly where they're headed and teaching children if they do this. Teaching them to take the convenient way out as opposed to the fresh way? Any insight on this one from you all? Thanks.