I think that several different issues and people come into play in this situation. The home life for many children is not always the most stable situation (ex. poor meal choices, no meal choices). So for these children the examples that they are following are more often than not, very negative. Often times for children with a poor home life, school is going to be the most stable situation for them. If the schools these children are attending are not setting a positive example like offering mini-donuts, or pop-tarts for the breakfast being served, children are going to think that all of these situations are okay to follow.
These foods that are being served in such large amounts in the schools are what I think are leading to such high obesity rates in our country. The article entitled Studies Suggest School Cafeterias Still Need to Trim the Fat showed this example “elementary school students were more likely to be overweight when their schools offered French fries or desserts more than once a week. Among middle and high school students, attending a school with vending machines stocked with junk food was associated with obesity.” I think this example showed that because the elementary students were offered those options in their lunches, that they ate it, but the middle and high schools students had options to choose from in their vending machines and may have opted to go with a “better choice”
The article “Oregon Teachers Want a Bite at Forbidden Junk Food” was very irritating to me. I agree with the teachers that said “As adults, teachers say, they should have the right to decide whether they want to gulp sugary sodas and munch snack foods” They should be able to eat and drink whatever they so choose, but the reality is they are the ones who really are setting an example for their students.I think that there is a time and place for everything, but maybe to set a positive example for their students, they should not be eating these "high-calorie snack foods" in front of them. “It’s not about treating teachers like kids. It’s about teachers being role models and creating a healthy environment for kids.” It may be a little extreme to be banning all high-calorie snacks from school property, but I do think that the teachers should have the option of choosing the snacks that they would like during their lunch time in the teacher break room.
I really think it comes down to this, any adult that has an active role in a child’s life is going to influence the decisions that they make, including the food that they choose to eat. It may not seem like the schools should be so involved but that is where children are spending a majority of their time.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
I just want to address the part about the "Oregon Teachers..." I read that article and I did agree with the teachers who were saying we should have the ability to eat and drink as we please. I understand what you are saying about being a role model but why can't a teacher have a Diet Pepsi during lunch in the teachers lounge where students are not suppose to be. I am a person that drinks Diet Pepsi everyday with lunch but my lunches are also the most healthy compared to the rest of my teaching staff. I also eat where students are not allowed to be and I never take food or drink unless it is water into my classroom. I don't think I am being a bad role model and I am an adult that is perfectly capable of doing research and knowing what will happen if I eat or drink certain things. I think the school went to far when they wouldn't allow the teachers to think for themselves and that also shows the teachers that the school doesn't trust them to make good decisions. The teachers were upset that the machines we taken out of the lounges and those lounges are just for teachers so if the food and drink stay in them the students would never know what is being eaten or drank by their role models.
ReplyDelete