AUSTIN, Texas - Amid tense debate over education funding, Texas House members paused to take up a matter dear to school kids everywhere: cupcakes.

Legislators in an unanimous vote Wednesday cleared the way for public school students to once again nibble on the sweet treats — complete with candy sprinkles — to celebrate their birthdays.

"We have an opportunity to really make the children happy here," said Rep. Jim Dunnam, asking fellow House members to approve the measure requested by his school-age daughter, Lauren.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs, whose agency oversees the state's school lunch program, imposed new healthy food rules beginning this academic year aimed at limiting or eliminating junk food and food that competes with cafeteria fare.

In August, soon after setting the new rules, Combs issued a "cupcake clarification" stating that cakes and cupcakes could be brought to school for birthdays.

Lawmakers Wednesday couldn't resist making jokes.

"If we vote for this, can we all call you 'Cupcake?' " Republican Rep. Peggy Hamric asked Dunnam.

"As long as I can call you 'Sugar Plum,'" Dunnam replied.
Source
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So glad texas kids are allowed to bring cupcakes to school... another law you need to wonder about.

WoooOOOoooo.. cupcakes.... my scholl never got cupcakes.. the texas kids are lucky people are fighting for their right to have cupcakes on their bdays...

Cupcakes? The school must be some kind of utopia for people to worry about something as meaningless as cupcakes.

...Cupcakes? Eeeeh, I never get any at my school...

Ha! Here in Ireland we always had those!

Geez, cupcakes what a major educational issue that is!

...and sometimes they would give the children small cups of ice cream too,

You guys never get cupcakes? I'm a senior in high school and we still have cupcakes around and kids bring them in sometimes. I can't think of any school year without cupcakes...

uh.. not fair... like i think only one school ive been to ever had cupcakes on birthdays... but none of the other..6 did....oh well.. i hope you all love your cupcakes...Lucky..

Wow, if you even BRING soda to my school you get sent to the dean, much less cupcakes. Wow, I wonder what they would do...

Back when i was in high school, some people put some hash in cookies and pass them out. I wonder what would happen if someone tried that with cupcakes.

The whole education system would go to pot. Or potter even.