Amity Regional Students: Fighting for Their Right... to Snack!

WOODBRIDGE, CT - Despite a ban prohibiting the practice, students at Amity Regional High School have started circulating a petition to allow them to snack throughout the school.

As of this morning, March 15, 811 students had signed the petition on Change.org, and organizers are seeking 1,000 signatures.

Snacking is allowed in the cafeteria, but nowhere else in the building.

"Recently, the administration of Amity Regional High School decided to enforce students from snacking in the school building, barring the cafeteria," organizers wrote on Change.org. "This rule has not been enforced in years; even the faculty have ignored it. Why now? This rule is not only limited to food; it includes all liquids that are not water (ex. sports drinks, tea, coffee, juice). The students of Amity Regional High School contend that the recent enforcement of the 'no snacking' rule is detrimental to their ability to learn and unfair as the faculty does not abide by this rule themselves."

School principal Anna Mahon tells the New Haven Register that while there are reasons for the ban she supports the students' effort, from a free speech perspective. She also hopes it will lead to an open dialogue on the issue.

Among the reasons for the ban include protecting students with certain food allergies from coming in contact with those foods in unexpected areas, according to Mahon.

Click here to view the petition on Change.org

Click here to read the full story on the New Haven Register website.

Patch file photo.