Maine: School's body-fat test causes uproar

Press Herald ^ | 10-23-03

[madison10]

These kids are too young to be tested for "body fat." They are 4th-6th graders, many who haven't even matured or lost their "baby fat." If they want to test adults/high school students. Fine. These kids are too young.

This age is difficult enough without some freaky gym teacher telling the whole world they are "fat."

[larryjohnson]

OK, without reading any of my FRiends comments,here is my reaction...
As a kid about the age of these 4-6 graders, I was weighed in school by the nurse and put in remedial gym classes. I was told I was overweight, had flat feet and could not do one pull up so I did special excercises for those.
What I learned was that my problem was of concern to others. The Air Force also cared and told me I was overweight when I was in my 20's.
My lifelong battle of the bulge continues. If you don't like the government (school,state or fed) informing you or your kids about your health,fine. Just drop out and don't accept anything from them,including medical care.

[retrokitten]

This such a bad idea. Those kids are 9, 10, and 11 years old. Their bodies are quickly changing and they need to be eating.

I'm sure everyone knows at least one person who when they were 9-11 years old was very pudgy then came back from summer break a couple of years later and had sprouted up so fast they were now skin and bones.

Growing kids need to eat. They don't need someone telling them they are too fat a nine years old telling them they are too big.

Bottom line, it's the parents business. No one elses. The state doesn't care about slimming down our kids. They care about fattening up thier wallets with big fat grants for idiotic things like laser BMI calculators.

[Boxsford]

hi larryjohnson, long time no see. Hope everything is going well with you.

I think you hit the nail on the head. Folks connected to public schooling have to take what's dished out or get out. It's too big of a monster to try to change.

[xm177e2]

Some were confused or suddenly worried about their weight.

Let's see: on one hand, liberals are waving their arms and screeching because kids are too fat, and it's all McDonald's fault. On the other hand, actually telling a child, "hey kid, you could stand to lose some weight" is traumatic. We shouldn't actually TELL kids when they're too fat, and they need to eat healthy/get exercise. We should just blame McDonald's and the EEEVIL junk food industry.

[Boxsford]

You are so right about this issue not being about educating.

[Boxsford]

Ever eat any of those school lunches? My first year teaching I gained 10 pounds eating school lunches.

[retrokitten]

a nine years old

should be AT nine years old....

[Willie Green]

The furor began about two weeks ago when gym teacher Mary Jo Hodgkin measured students' body mass index, or body fat compared to height and weight, using new laser equipment that the school system had purchased through a grant.

For 4~6^th graders???

Crimeny sakes. Just have the whole class do jumping jacks or play dodgeball. Something like that.

Where'd anybody ever get the idea that gym teachers know how to operate equipment like that anyway? Sheeeeeeesh.

[CSM]

"Bottom line, it's the parents business. No one elses. The state doesn't care about slimming down our kids. They care about fattening up thier wallets with big fat grants for idiotic things like laser BMI calculators."

Exactly, enough of these tests take place and we will have stats that will allow the children's diets to be controlled or the parents will be fined by the state for overweight children. Think, loss of dependant tax break! If it can be shown that x% of our school kids are overweight, then the lawsuits by Bansaff and his ilk are more likely to sway a jury. This is just another small step towards more control of individuals by the government!