By Jill Colvin
DNAinfo Reporter/Producer
MANHATTAN —Bake sale restrictions at city schools are being lifted to raise money for Japan.
The department fielded so many requests from those hoping to help that it decided to allow schools to hold one extra bake sale before the end of the year to aid with the recovery efforts, spokeswoman Marge Feinberg said.
Under the department's current rules, parent groups and parent-teacher associations are allowed to hold just one sale of "unauthorized foods" per month as part of fundraising efforts.
But not everyone was happy about the exception Wednesday.
With thousands of teacher layoffs threatened, city schools are also "in crisis," said Upper West Side mom Rebecca Woodard, who sits on the executive board of the parents' association at the Computer School on West 77th Street.
"While I feel bad for the people of Japan, I find it a little disconcerting that we're changing the policy for that," Woodward said. "With the budget crisis, it's just as important for us."
Last year, schools were also given permission to break out the cupcakes and cookies to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti, Feinberg said.
