<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Dear John: I understand your concern~ but  I also know how limited
school cafeteria's are in menu selections. I have Celiac Sprue, but my
kids have not yet exhibited symptoms (12 & 8 years of age). My own Sprue
did not emerge until I was 37 years of age. I think there are some
things worth fighting for, and others that can be handled with a simple
creative soultion.
Here are some of my thoughts on the matter- I hope this help you put it
in perspective.

1. Do you really want you kid to eat cafeteria food? I was never really
impressed with their menu selections in the first place.

2. Can you fully trust that they will get it right every time? Even
though I have Celiac Sprue, I am very careful about not ingesting
gluten, but still get hit with hidden ingredients. Even if you could
train the head cook how to deal with the Celiac diet (let's admit it is
tricky)- who's to say if he/she is out sick or at a meeting or someone
else is doing the cooking on any given day, that your child would get a
GF meal 100% of the time.

3. I think you can simplify by giving you child a sack lunch- hot
lunches are really not a necessity- considering the child can have hot
breakfast, and dinner. This way the child would blend in with the other
kids (I would think a parent delivering a hot lunch daily to a 5th grade
student would be embarassing to any child). You can know she is not
getting any gluten, and solve the problem. Maybe she can have milk money
to buy some @ school. Also if a HOT lunch is something you feel is
essential- get her a thermos, send along soups, stews, chili etc...

4. As for snacks- how about gettng a tupperware container to re-stock
weekly for her to have nuts, raisins- non-perishable items available for
snacks?

5. I don't mean to discount the need for Celiac kids to feel like
equals, but  I think this one can be easily solved. You can trust
yourselves to give her GF everyday & know she is getting a good balanced
diet as well.

6. In closing, I only ask you to consider putting it in perspective~ I
would think the fight to get proper labeling so we can know if foods &
drugs are safe or not may be the fight worth fighting, as opposed to an
individual "right to lunch".

7. Consider also, there are kids who need to inject insulin (diabetic
children), and others on medications, who have much more complex
disabilities that have to somehow be accomidated by the school as well.
I'm not discounting Celiac disease (I live with a high degree of
sensitivity & even trace elements give me the dreaded reaction).I would
not want to put the task in the hands of the cafeteria staff. Your child
may not have the ability to asses if something looks questionable to not
eat it. When an airline serves up a so-called gluten free meal- I view
it as a mystery to be solved- is there actually anything that really is
GF on this tray? There may be items that are clearly not & some that are
questionable that I just skip. The difference is most of those foods are
labeled. Many school lunches have no labeling whatsoever. Your child
would be playing roulette daily. You may rest easier knowing you have
FOR SURE provided your child a GF lunch & she is blending along with the
other kids who bring lunch.

=  >  Hope this helps, Fran/ Oregon