Add Citrus County, Florida, to the list of communities with school districts drawing the line on the kinds of foods being sold in the cafeterias of its schools because of obesity concerns.
The St. Petersburg Times reports that the district has banned the sale of unhealthy snacks such as frosted honey buns, cookies and fried potato chips, and now is considering pulling out the soda machines (which would cost the district $400,000 in sponsorship money) and getting rid of pizza and French fries.. This comes after the district sent notes home to the parents of overweight kids urging them to take their children to the doctor.
According to the paper, educators “are touting an online program that allows parents to monitor everything their children buy at school lunchrooms for up to two weeks. Parents can then ban specific foods. A message saying ‘snacks not allowed’ pops up on the cashier's computer screen if students try to sneak something through.” In addition, “school officials also are considering a pilot program that would put 200 middle school students on special diets.
“The students would be encouraged to wear pedometers that measure how many steps they take each day. At the end of middle school, the students would again be screened to assess their progress.”
Students, understandably, are annoyed.
The St. Petersburg Times reports that the district has banned the sale of unhealthy snacks such as frosted honey buns, cookies and fried potato chips, and now is considering pulling out the soda machines (which would cost the district $400,000 in sponsorship money) and getting rid of pizza and French fries.. This comes after the district sent notes home to the parents of overweight kids urging them to take their children to the doctor.
According to the paper, educators “are touting an online program that allows parents to monitor everything their children buy at school lunchrooms for up to two weeks. Parents can then ban specific foods. A message saying ‘snacks not allowed’ pops up on the cashier's computer screen if students try to sneak something through.” In addition, “school officials also are considering a pilot program that would put 200 middle school students on special diets.
“The students would be encouraged to wear pedometers that measure how many steps they take each day. At the end of middle school, the students would again be screened to assess their progress.”
Students, understandably, are annoyed.
- KC's View:
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One of the students expressed her frustration to the Times while sitting in the cafeteria. While nibbling on a Snickers bar that she’d purchased on the way to school.
Which sort of sums up the whole problem when you think about it.
At some level, kids are going to find a way to break the rules, and as parents, we have to hope that they only break the little ones. A little rebellion, after all, is good for the soul.
Strikes us that the best part of this program is the element that gets the parents involved. Tell you one thing, though. If the kids have to wear pedometers, then the parents should wear them, too.
If they’re gonna talk the talk, they ought to walk the walk.
For real.
