DARIEN -- A new policy enacted by Darien's Supeintendent of Schools is generating a ton of opinion.
Parents of elementary school children are no longer permitted to go have lunch with their kids at Darien's five public schools. But, Darien Board of Education said there's a good reason.
The Chairperson of the BOE says they didn't have anything to do with this decision, adding that the wheels started churning when the principals of the five elementary schools approached the superintendent.
With an increasing number of parents showing up to eat lunch with their kids at Darien's elementary schools, principals and the superintendent decided to pull that privilege.
"It’s sad because you can’t go in and have lunch with your little ones," said Lyvia Sanabria, a Darien mother.
One mother of two children in elementary school told FOX61 she recently ate a birthday lunch with her third grade son in school and she does not think parents are being disruptive.
"But, I also recognize I am not in administration," said Meggan Warren. "I’m not a teacher. So, I don’t know if there something I’m missing."
Darien's Board of Education Chair, Tara Ochman, in a written statement, said:
"Our children’s safety is a top priority, and knowing who is in the building, for what reason, and with what supervision, is a reality that indicts no one, but is done for the benefit everyone. "
"Perhaps it’s for security," said a longtime Fairfield County teacher, who did not want her identity revealed. "Perhaps it’s for the idea that these younger, growing children need to become more independent and not reliant on their parents."
She said more parental involvement in some communities would be a good thing, but "perhaps there’s a bit too much here."
"I kind of disagree with that because they will be on their own at some point in their lives and I think when they’re young they need to share a lot of things, just like riding in a car with you," said