Who is Julie Kaputa? New York high school student suspended over coffee, challenges school’s new food policy
A senior at a high school in New York faced suspension for bringing a cup of coffee to class, yet she contested the school administrators for implementing a new policy regarding outside food without informing the public.
Julie Kaputa recounted that just minutes into her final first day of school, a teacher approached her regarding her cup of coffee on September 3 at Beaver River Central School in Castorland, NY.
Kaputa addressed reporters from WWNY, stating, “I walked in, I had my coffee with me. I got to my first-period class and my teacher said, ‘I’m either going to need you to dump that out or consume it on the spot or go down to the office.’”
Julie Kaputa’s in-school suspension
According to the report, she mentioned that she received an in-school suspension for breaching Beaver River Central School’s policy regarding outside food and beverages, which had recently been incorporated into the school’s code of conduct.
Kaputa contended that the school district implemented the policy unlawfully, as there was no public hearing held regarding the issue during the school board’s meeting in August.
Julie Kaputa’s mother speaks out
The enraged mother of Kaputa inquired of other parents whether they had noticed any announcements from the school regarding a public hearing for the recently adopted student code, which is a necessary procedure prior to the formalization of any policy.
Expressing her disbelief regarding the validity of the code in a statement to WWNY, MaryAnne Kaputa stated, “She said, ‘It says there’s supposed to be a public hearing. When was that? We never knew about it. Did they announce it?’ And I said, ‘I don’t know, look.’ And we couldn’t find one.”
“Meeting minutes from both July and August (where the code may have been discussed) were never published to the website until today when I pointed it out to the District Office, and the district office had no record of a public hearing being conducted. Just wondering if anyone else saw it and I missed it,” she wrote in Facebook.
“I am certain that the school can not enforce a substantial change to the code of conduct without a public hearing,” she stated.
What is the school food policy?
The recently implemented policy has been incorporated into the school district’s 2026-2027 Standards for Community-Wide Conduct, which were published prior to the commencement of the school year and apply to both middle and high school students.
According to the school district’s policy regarding Food from Outside Vendors, “The following food and drink guidelines help minimize distractions, protect students with food allergies, and promote a calm, equitable school experience.”
“Students arriving with drinks or food will be asked to finish them before entering school.”
Julie Kaputa returns to school
Kaputa inquired about the policy with school officials and, following their discussion, was permitted to return to class while holding a cup of coffee, according to her mother.
The school board is scheduled to reconvene on Monday to conduct a public hearing regarding the adoption of the new policy on outside food and beverages, during which they will gather input from students.
