What Will They Intrude Upon Next?

It seems that schools in Connecticut are going to ban “junk” food. Concerned that children are becoming more obese (they are) the school system is going to ban all bad food. I imagine they are not talking about cafeteria food but can’t be sure.

I think that this is going a bit too far. The school system should actually offer balance so that those kids who eat junk food have an opportunity to work it off. Instead, children sit at desks all day. They are in front of computers and there is little time for good old fashioned recess. Well, there might be time but the schools have limited the activities that are allowed so that things like dodge ball are taboo. Children need activity. Taking away junk food and feeding them a great diet (forget the cafeteria and go with it) will not keep the pounds off without activity to increase cardiovascular strength. Aerobic activity will help keep the pounds off. Any food can cause obesity, junk food just does it faster because of all the raw calories.

I remember in high school we did not have a soda machine. We did not have snack machines. If we wanted a soda we had to sneak in to the teacher’s lounge and buy one from their machine. I have an idea. If they want to ban the machines then they have to ban them completely. No machines in the teacher’s lounge. Then they can make the teachers go outside and monitor recess. All the kids will get fit and the teachers will shed a few pounds.

I’ll bet if they tried to make that part of the deal it would fall completely through! Read the story here at My Way News.

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10 Responses to “What Will They Intrude Upon Next?”

  1. Adam says:

    Yeah, it’s a shame how many schools count ketchup as a food group. I say replace cola machines with natural fruit juices, and vending machines with fresh fruit and vegitables. Screw choices. Screw freedom. Encourage physical activity and reading in schools. If a kid had a healthy diet of excercise and book reading, American schools would be heading in the right direction. Instead I fear schools become assembly lines more every year. Holding pens for children. C.S. Lewis would roll over in his grave if he saw how many kids these days have no taste for imagination.

  2. Adam says:

    …but quite a taste for junk food, I might add.

  3. Big Dog says:

    I mostly agree with this. I think that if they do away with vending machines then they should do away with all vending (including teachers). The question is, what do you do to students who bring a lunch and have a soda and “junk” food in the lunch from home. The school has no say over what food a child brings from home, only what the school sells (their jurisdiction).

    Ketchup is not really bad for you. It is what you put ketchup on that is usually not good. It is like eating a salad. Salads are great until you load them up with bad stuff!

    Kids need a healthy balance between diet, exercise, and education. Children will not grow up obese if they are active and eat some junk food. Hell, the school athletes can eat just about anything and never gain any body fat. So more exercise and balance. As they say, everything in moderation.

    Very good points though Adam.

  4. Surfside says:

    Two areas of common ground in one day! Yes Adam, C.S. Lewis would roll over in his grave knowing what has happened to imagination. He should be required reading in every school. Give childhhood back to imagination and wonder — and remove sex and violent video games. The world would be a better place for it.

  5. Surfside says:

    I agree, Big Dog, that balance is needed. Children absolutely don’t get enough exercise because they’re usually sitting in front of TVs and video games after school. I don’t think it’s the school’s fault. They aren’t utilizing a curriculm much different then when we where in school. The difference is the after school activities allowed by the parents. I believe it is a parental problem.

    Kids don’t generally make good choices when it comes to food. Do you really think any of them need more sugar in their diets? Why put temptation in front of them? I don’t think this is a “freedom of choice” issue when it concerns children. It’s hard for adults to resist junk food.

  6. Big Dog says:

    I don’t think it is a matter of freedom or choice as I generally believe that children have no rights unless they are given by their parents. I do not believe children have the right to decide what they want, that is what parents are for.

    When I wen to school we did not have these vending machines, but the teachers did. If the purpose of the ban is to promote a healthful lifestyle then the machines need to be taken from the teachers as well so they can set an example. We also do not address what happens when a kid brings a soda or candy bar to school in a lunch box.

    I believe the school has every right to put whatever machine they want in the school or exclude what they want. The school does not have the right to decide what a child may bring for lunch and therin lies the problem. Once again we fall back to parental control. I just find it difficult to take this idea that the school needs to regulate sales to promote health when they ask kids to hawk candy bars and Joe Corbi’s pizza’s for fund raising. They also have no problems selling these forbidden foods at football games so the school can raise money.

    Perhaps the children should tell the administration no, we won’t sell candy bars and pizzas. That would promote poor health and we just won’t do it.

    It is like the Catholic religion. You should never eat meat on Friday unless the church bull roast happened to be on a Friday…..

  7. Adam says:

    Take them all out. Let people bring junk from home if they want it. Parents can give children junk food if they want it. That’s the parent’s say, as Big Dog has talked about. Teachers can get it wherever. How about vending machines with the Chronicles of Narnia and a green apple in them? Then it would get kids eating healthy and reading stories that culture imagination and at the same time are filled with secret Christian innuendo. Win, win. Apple a day keeps the doctor away. C.S. Lewis can’t be all that bad either.

  8. Big Dog says:

    It would beat condom machines in the bathrooms

  9. Adam says:

    Good idea. Let’s make oranges come out of condom machines, and celery sticks from the tampon vendors. Okay, maybe I’m taking it too far…

  10. Sgt. Belcher says:

    You better lay off the junk food, or I’ll have to turn you in!!