A southeast Iowa community is doing away with the tradition of grade school kids bringing homemade snacks to share with classmates on special days, as administrators fear exposure to the illegal drug methamphetamine. The Mount Pleasant superintendent is sending a letter to parents of elementary schoolers, banning homemade treats from school because of the danger of meth toxins. John Roederer says the recommendation comes after a state meth specialist said the drug permeates homes in which it is produced and can be transferred to food. Roederer says parents are encouraged to send in prepackaged treats instead, which he says are enjoyable and are of nutritional value. He says it’s known that several children come from homes where meth is being made. He calls the residual effects of meth “scary.” Mount Pleasant has also canceled its formerly-annual culture fair at the middle school, where students prepared and sampled foods from dozens of countries. Some schools in the Des Moines metro area have already banned home-baked treats to prevent the spread of illness.
