Parents Air Frustrations With LPSS Over Labels, Lunches, Other ‘Surprise’ Policies as School Year Begins

There hasn't even been a full day of school with all students in attendance yet and parents are already airing their grievances about some of the new policies.

A mother with children in the Lafayette Parish School System reached out to us to say she was shocked when her kids got home from their first day of school and told her they couldn't bring their lunch back to school unless it was in a clear bag. This was confusing since the mother purchased the required clear lunch bags that she believed to be in compliance with the new LPSS policy.

She soon realized that the clear lunch bag wasn't the issue, but instead, the name-branded packaging of the items in the lunch bag was against school policy—a policy that she hadn't heard of until her kids made her aware of it.

According to the lunch policy, chips and other snacks need to be transferred to clear Ziploc-type bags and labels were not to be advertised.

After putting out a message on Facebook, the mother realized she wasn't the only one who didn't know about the policy.

Chips in the lunch box can’t be in a regular bag?! First I’m hearing of it!

The middle school informed the mother that "anything in a pre-packaged or labeled bag" must be transferred into a clear baggie. She was told that even bottles with labels like Gatorade have to have the tag torn off.

When the mother asked the school for a written guideline for the new policy she was told there was no written policy.

they have no written guidelines to email me. I think until it’s written you can’t enforce such a policy?!?!. And don’t get me started with the clear lunch bag I just ordered

After having no luck in getting the guidelines from the school, the mother went to the LPSS website and had no luck finding it there either.

Another Lafayette Parish School System parent blasted LPSS to "do better," posting a list of frustrations with the new safety policies.

From confusion over the new lunchboxes to the amount of drinking water that students are allowed throughout the day, Jobie Lagrange's Facebook post is currently going viral among local parents who share her sentiment.

Another element that can easily add to the frustrations that many parents may be facing is the fact that different schools may have their own different rules based on how they choose to enforce some of the new policies.

Growing pains are definitely a part of the process when new policies and changes are enforced, compounded by the fact that we haven't even had all of the students back in school at the same time yet.

LPSS officials are dealing with the new policies for the first time along with the parents—and if we're being honest, it will probably take a few weeks to get things smoothed out as we start the new school year.

I can totally understand how frustrating some of these changes must be on top of everything else that parents, faculty, and school board members have to deal with, but hopefully, we won't lose sight of what matters most.

And speaking of the kids—they're definitely watching. Best of luck to all parents, teachers, and students; and here's to a great school year.