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The Iowa Board of Education is thinking about banning junk food from schools in an attempt to teach healthier eating habits. However, opponents say that snack bars are big money makers in cafeterias.
Now, I thought banning junk food was a pretty drastic step. Then I read this...
If you are eating ice cream and cookies for lunch everyday then someone needs to tell you what you can and can't eat.''I don't think anybody should tell you what you can and can't eat,'' said Megan Brady, 15, a student at Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in West Des Moines. ''That's horrible.''
Brady skips the lunch line nearly every day to buy vanilla ice cream and shortbread cookies from the snack bar.
Ideally, a system could be put into place where a student can buy ice cream sundaes or nachos only after they buy a more healthy main dish.
Students need to learn about a balance diet and it seems schools could get creative and come up with point systems, punch cards, or tickets that could be used for students to earn a trip to the snack bar.
4 comments:
I support banning junk food. While I'm a big fan of letting people make their own choices and take responsibility for their actions -- these are kids. They're still learning.
It seems an easy step, to me, to ensure at least a modicum of health in our children...
When I was in school back in the 1800's they had a "canteen" that was open after school and during sporting events. You could buy popcorn and a soda, maybe an ice cream bar. But as I mentioned, this service was not available until AFTER school, so no one could skip lunch to eat junk.
The high school at the district I teach in turns off the pop machine during the lunch hour.
Why don't we ban all fast food restraunts? While we are at it, lets ban candy and butter popcorn from movie theaters, all nonorganic and nonnatural foods from grocery stores, peanut butter, small cars, play ground equipment taller than 3 feet, latters, kitchen knives, and the list could go on and on.
This is America, land of the free and home of the brave. Just because some parents can't control their kids and some kids refuse to be healthy, don't tell me I can't eat what I want to eat or ban products from my children that I teach them to consume responsibly.
Moderation, resposibility and using your brain. If you can't do it, please don't ask the government to do it for you, it makes life not as enjoyable for those who do and have earned an enjoyable life.
I agree there is a differnce between adults who have earned an enjoyable life and students/children who may not be able to make the right decisions for themselves yet.
I would argue that is may be the role of parents first to make sure their students are eating healthy and making the right choices, but I still would support banning junk food (at least during the lunch hour) at schools.
Schools should be supporting the healthy development of children not tempting them to make the wrong decisions.
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