I will try to make this as brief as possible. DD started K this year. Had a meeting 2 days prior to school starting w/ nurse/teacher. The school already has a district policy in place concerning PA. No food is to be used in the curriculum, snacks/birthday treats are to be brought in from a safe snack list given by the school. Felt like teacher understood- kind of, from the meeting. Asked good questions, stressed that she wouldn't want to be the one responsible for anything happening to DD, etc. Nurse epi-trained her (to my knowledge) and epi is in the classroom (and other places in school). Despite safe snack list I have chosen to have a snack box for her due to substitute teachers, etc and to avoid confusion w/ DD.
On day 5 of school the teacher gave my child a food item to eat that was part of what she was teaching. I didn't find out until after the fact, but teacher stressed she read the label and thought it was ok. I sent a page long email about how it was my understanding food was not to be used in the classroom, and that if something like this comes up again I want to be notified ahead of time. She assured me there weren't any other planned projects w/ food. I also educated her in the email about how even if a food reads safe, I still may not be comfortable w/ DD having it and why (how labeling is voluntary, blah blah blah). I also expressed concern about a PTO project involving boxtops. Number of them brought in = some sort of food party at given increments. Was told by the teacher not to worry about it, but one week later she stopped my husband in the parking lot and wanted to know if a particular gum that she had purchased for the gum party would be safe! Fortunately it was, but obviously I was given no notice, and DD would have likely been excluded if it wasn't safe. Also discussed this with her, and she said she would talk to the person in charge of the program. Fast forward to last night- I find a pack of gum in DD's back pack. I asked her where she got it, and she says it was passed out by a classmate at the end of the day. I asked if the teacher was aware of this, and she said "yes". To give her the benefit of the doubt I did note what brand it was..it was NOT the same brand I approved one week prior. And, obviously I was not informed.
My question is this- do I go back to the teacher AGAIN- since like I said before, these situations weren't discussed because it was my understanding they wouldn't happen. Or, do I talk to the nurse- who DOES seem to "get it" for the most part, or the principal -which I assume would likely upset the teacher?? Do I inquire about a 504 for her? I felt it wasn't needed due to the policy they have in place. I'm just so new to this- I'm not sure what to do. Am I out of line for being upset by this?? DD is coming from a daycare/preschool that did NOT allow ANY outside food to be brought in, and all food used in the center (including the lunches) were approved BY ME. So, right now she is under the assumption that if the food is from school, it is safe. So one week she was given gum that WAS approved by me (last minute), so how is she to know that gum given to her a week later is NOT safe! This is too confusing for her and I fear that something could happen if I don't do something about this.