Quote:
Originally posted by sugar and spice
...I think people need to think this through instead of just spouting off some opinion with no research behind it. All of these suggestions take money. Our schools are underfunded as they are. Our district got a couple million dollars from Coke every year to keep vending machines in the school. Why the hell should they pull that contract and lose out on the money when, if there's no soda machines in the school, kids will just bring their own from home or go down the street to buy some?
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I realize that some of the suggestions require money. I also said that I didn't have any of the answers and these were just my personal opinions. I know it's going to take a lot more than an uneducated opinion to help solve the issue of overweight children.
But by the same token, not every activity requires a lot of money. How much money do you need to have the children go outside for half an hour and complete a fitness program? Say, jumping jacks, push ups, some running/jogging? There are activites that don't require equipment. Have the kids run or walk for half an hour. I've seen the kids at my local elementary school running and walking along the sidewalk as part of their phys. ed program. That's all they do. How much money do you need to get a kid to do that?
I also don't think it's a bad thing to offer healthy choices in a cafeteria. I also think it's easier to control at the elementary level, maybe not at the highschool level. Some schools already tell parents their children can't bring foods containing peanuts into the school, why can't they say some thing like "no chips, no sugary sodas, no cookies, etc"?
If people are going to lay the responsibility on the schools then the schools need to come up with something. Anything.
But like others have said, it's not the school's job to do it, and I personally think they should leave well enough alone. If they don't do anything parents will eventaully have to take some responsibility.