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Hi, Wendy!

I live in Illinois, and I have NOT had ANY luck with my school district.  I even 
asked if they would let me buy a microwave and keep it in their cafeteria 
kitchen so my little girl could have hot lunch (provided and paid for by me) 
warmed up for her once in a while.

The principal of the school originally told me they do not have room for a 
microwave, but looking in the kitchen, I saw they had room for a coffee pot 
(it's an elementary school), a radio, and a wicker basket of fake flowers.  The 
principal also told me other parents would get mad if their kids didn't get to 
use the microwave, too (she didn't ask anybody, though).  

I went above her head to the Superintendant of the school district, who told 
me they don't have enough cafeteria staff to allow someone to microwave or 
warm up any gluten-free lunch for my daughter.  She said it would be too 
much for a cafeteria worker to take time away from dealing with the rest of 
the children to help my child.  I've asked if they could do this for my child 
ONCE IN A WHILE, not every single day.  The super is going to "look into it" 
and get back to me.  

It kills me because I'm not even asking the school to pay for the microwave or 
the gluten-free food!  I've heard that some schools do provide gluten-free 
lunches for kids at the expense of the school, but the ones I've heard of are 
not even in my state.  You might be able to find them in the archives.  

Now that the weather is cold, I wish I'd have a little success here.  I was 
reading that "public entities" are not required to give these equal opportunities 
if doing so would alter the functioning of an already existing program or 
activity, and that's what I think the school district is hiding behind.  I also 
read that in these situations, people can file a complaint with the Justice 
System within 180 days of the original denial of the request.  I saw it in the 
archives, as well.  If you need help finding that, let me know.  

I'm interested in knowing how things turn out for you in Colorado.  GOOD LUCK!

Lyn 

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