Honor student suspended for buying candy

NEW HAVEN, Conn., March 12 (UPI) -- A New Haven, Conn., eighth-grader was suspended from school and stripped of his class vice president title for buying a bag of Skittles at school.

Sheridan Communications and Technology Middle School handed down the punishment in accordance with a 2003 New Haven school system policy banning all candy sales in schools as part of the district wellness policy, the New Haven Register reported Wednesday.

Michael Sheridan 's suspension was reduced from three days to one, but his mother said she still believes the punishment is too severe for the crime of purchasing candy from another student in the hallway.

"It's too much. It's too unfair," Shelli Sheridan said. "He's never even had a detention."

However, the district said it has been very clear about its policy toward candy sales on school grounds.

"There are no candy sales allowed in schools, period," said school spokeswoman Catherine Sullivan-DeCarlo.