In a stunning overreach of authority, a school principal banned children from bringing lunch from home. According to the principal, this is to encourage nutrition and healthy eating. We're just now hearing about this policy, but did you know that it's been in effect for six years? That's right, six years! So why are parents just now speaking up?
I've eaten school cafeteria food, as I'm sure many of you have. There's no way it's healthier than what I could send for my child to eat. Most of the school food is bland and gross! Some children who are picky eaters choose to go without rather than eating it. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of providing nutritious meals if they're so unappetizing the students won't eat them?
And seriously, does anyone really believe this is about nutrition? That sounds like such a noble thing, encouraging children to eat in a healthy way. But is that the responsibility of the school or the parents? Ummm, yeah. Let's take a minute to think about who really should be making those decisions.
Did you know that most schools receive funding based on how many lunches they provide? So this school is getting money from the government for 100% of their enrollment! I know I might sound cynical, but that seems like a pretty good motivator to ban all lunches brought from home.
In full disclosure, I homeschool my children. We eat home-cooked food, usually leftovers from the night before, every day for lunch. If not leftovers, then something simple like sandwiches or quesadillas. Even pancakes. Stories like this make me thankful that homeschooling is an option. I wouldn't want a school telling me I couldn't send lunch for my own children, especially when I know that I could provide a healthier lunch than the school.
So what do you think? Should a school be able to ban students from bringing lunches? Maybe just soda and junk food? Where do we draw the line?
Tell me what you think.
oh my goodness, that's horrible! I do remember that there were parents who packed some pretty bad lunches for their kids (soda, candy bar, chips), so I can see the argument on that end that school lunches might be healthier. But I was SO glad that I got to bring my own lunch most days.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe they'd ban food from home. What about kids with allergies who can't eat the terrible processed stuff they serve?
ReplyDeleteI read our high school is trying to have whole wheat yada yada on it's menu but I remember the line of vending machines selling sugared pop and candy. They still have them.
I think the schools need to focus on what they serve instead of the parents. My folks would send me to school with chicken soup and a sandwich since that's all I could in 12th grade due to an ulcer. I couldn't imagine school food.
I have been following Fed Up with School Lunch blog for a long time and she posted the article. She gave an example or two of some lunches brought from home and they were not good.
ReplyDeleteWe send our daughter to a private Christian school. The school is small and it doesn't have a true cafeteria. We pack her lunch 4 days a week and they do have pizza Friday which is a treat.
I can't imagine having someone tell me that we couldn't pack her lunch.
Absolutely not! What about the families who have more than 1 kid in school and can't afford school lunches. And what about the families who want their kids to not eat processed foods and want their kids to eat whole organic foods? I don't have any kids in school, I have a 2 year old daughter, but I am REALLY leaning towards homeschooling her, more and more each day...especially since she has a severe peanut allergy. That's another thought! What about the kids who have different food allergies, parent's want to be sure they know what their kids are eating b/c food allergies are tricky these days. I just don't think that this school should have the right to say "you can't bring lunch, you have to buy". It really is rediculous!
ReplyDeleteThis feels like a violation of rights...hmm....
ReplyDeleteJust our government wanting to take over everything! We lose more freedoms each and every day. SAD!!!
ReplyDelete