I feel that is the responsibility of schools to inform parents on the issues of obesity, nutrition and vaccinations. Schools should be there to help parents. Since students spend at least six hours a day in school nutritious lunches should be provided. However it is a problem when students choose not to eat the healthy part of their lunch such as fruits and vegetables and will just eat a slice of pizza. Schools should be responsible for offering health classes and nutritious lunches but they can't control what students choose to eat. With the help of parents hopefully students will learn to make good choices when it comes to nutrition. I work at a charter school and many of the children are provided a free breakfast. However, I've noticed that the breakfast is generally very unhealthy but it is cheap for the school to serve. Often times the breakfast will be animal crackers and a muffin. It's good that the students are eating something but I wish that is was more nutritious. I thought that is was interesting to find out that children who ate breakfast at school had lower body-mass indexes, on average than peers who did not eat breakfast (Monica Bell). Celeste's and Amanda's presentations were interrelated. Obesity is being caused by children eating unhealthy and by not getting enough physical activity during the school day. A study done by Robert C. Pianta showed that about 30% of the school day is taken up by routine and classroom management activities. There needs to be more of a balance during the school day so that there is more time for constructive learning and time for free play. Behavior problems are increasing in schools because students are unable to stay focused for such long periods of time. Physical education classes should be offered to students more than once a week if possible. Free play is also necessary so that students can be imaginative and work on their social skills. The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a report saying that play is essential for a child's healthy development (Linda Jacobson).
In regards to the vaccination issues I feel that it is very important to have a nurse in each school to keep parents informed on what they should be doing to keep their child healthy. Many parents do not know what to believe when it comes to information about vaccinations. For example, I had heard a lot about vaccinations causing autism and I did not know whether to believe that information or not. In reality the Center for Disease Control says many studies have shown no link between disablities like autism (Christina A. Samuels). It is helpful to have nurses at schools that can provide accurate information to parents and teachers. It is ultimatesly the parents choice on whether their child eats healthy, exercises and gets their vaccines. However schools can do a lot to help influence parents and children to make the right choice about health issues.
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I totally agree with you on the ideas of free play and recess. Some children may not even have the opportunity to play at home;I think that recess should be made mandatory. In the article,"Children's Lack of Playtime...School Issue", M. Thompson,a psychologist, said that a rise in childhood obesity, anxiety, depression and ADHD are partially because children are missing out on "free, undirected play." Why can't we make sure they have that? Won't that help the test scores that we are so concerned about? It would,at the least, help burn off those empty calories that they ate for breakfast!:)
ReplyDeleteYou know, that's the frustrating thing about it, Deb: if we address all of these isues we've been discussing, those "test scores that we are so concerned about" will go up--studies have shown this over and over. We would actually be using our time more efficiently, getting better academic results, and, even more importantly, well-rounded and healthy citizens.
ReplyDeleteI do believe it is the parents responsibility to take control of their child's life. I also feel it is our duty to sub as another parent when at school. I am also frustrated with the school's free breakfast and lunch. Instead of the schools providing 7 unhealthy options provide two healthy options. This way you are not spending any more money than what you would normally spend and you are forcing the students to eat healthier.
ReplyDeleteIsn't the whole point behind the free breakfeast is to keeep the students healtheir and get them ready to learn. In essence we are giving these students no more advantages by gving them unhealthy foods that are going to give them sugar highs all day at school. Instead we should offer only healthy food, which is probably hard for financially suffering families to prurchase at home because healtheir food is often more expensive. As I have heard my parents say many times a hungry child will eat no matter what is put in front of them. So if we only offer healthy foods then they will soon except it and start to get some much needed nutrients at school. It may take a awhile to get them to eat all of their healthy breakfeast but eventually they will breakdown and eat it and hopefully learn to appreciate healthy food!
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