New Haven school Skittles incident

The New Haven school Skittles incident occurred on February 26 2008, when a student from Sheridan Middle School was suspended from the New Haven, Connecticut, USA school system for being in possession of a bag of Skittles brand candy. In 2003, the New Haven school system passed a rule banning all candy sales as part of a wellness policy. In 2008 the rule was used to discipline an 8th grade honors student named Michael Sheridan for buying the candy from another student.

Sheridan was removed from his role as class vice president, barred from attending an honors student dinner and suspended from school after buying the Skittles from a classmate. The suspension was initially for three days, but it was reduced to one day. Sheridan said that he did not know he was breaking any rules by buying the candy, but that he noticed the other student was being secretive about the transaction.

School spokesperson Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo said that, besides the nutrition issue, students create security problems when they carry money. According to WNBC, the district's policy states that "no candy or junk food fundraisers will be allowed on school grounds" and that only healthy snacks will be sold in vending machines. Michael's mother, Shelli Sheridan, said he is a top student with no previous disciplinary problems. She said of the punishment, "It's too much. It's too unfair. He's never even had a detention." School principal Eleanor Turner said, "I am sorry this has happened. My hope is that we can get back to the normal school routine, especially since we are in the middle of taking the Connecticut mastery test." In the wake of the incident, Sheridan has been a guest on three national talk shows. On Fox News Live, a representative from the Mars company, the makers of Skittles, surprised him by giving him a lifetime supply of Skittles as well as other candy from the company. Sheridan said that he would continue to eat Skittles, but not at school.

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