School bans UberEats

Westlake Girls takes a stand against fast food deliveries to school grounds.

New Zealand’s biggest state girls’ school has banned UberEats and other fast food drivers from delivering food to students.

Westlake Girls High School has stopped deliveries after noticing drivers were coming on the grounds, violating its health and safety policy of not having strangers on school property.

After tabling the issue at an earlier Board of Trustees meeting — whose panel includes a student representative — school principal Jane Stanley said a vote at the latest meeting agreed to an outright ban.

“At the last board meeting, the board discussed the issue of student food deliveries and agreed that unauthorised vendors coming into the school grounds did not comply with our health and safety policy,” she said in a written statement.

“The board resolved that unauthorised vendors may not come on to the school grounds to deliver food.

“Students are able to purchase food at the school canteen and we are currently looking at an online order option.”

UberEats launched in Auckland this year, delivering restaurant-fresh food for a fee.

It didn’t respond to requests for comment, but previously said the app was only available to people over the age of 18.

UberEats drivers undergo criminal checks, and where trespass orders or bans were made against the company, drivers were informed.

Secondary Principals’ Association president Mike Williams said he had never heard of a school banning UberEats or delivery drivers, and didn’t think it was an issue among other schools.

Across the ditch, however, several secondary schools in Australia have moved to ban UberEats, after concerns about healthy eating and security.

The school’s move has been praised by the Ministry of Education’s chief health and nutrition adviser, Professor Grant Schofield.

However he warned the word “ban” could backfire, and prompt students to buy treats outside of school.

“But on the other hand, good on them for taking a stand.

“The evidence is [particularly] strong that a good day’s eating not only is good for health but is important for learning.”