Posted on 10/23/2003 10:11:01 AM PDT by SheLion
AUBURN - A gym teacher's tests of fourth- through sixth-graders' body fat at Webster Intermediate School have triggered complaints by parents who say some children were upset and embarrassed by the results.
"It didn't give any explanation," said Jane Clavet of the slip of paper her sixth-grader received. "It just gave a number. You're fat or your not," she told the Sun Journal of Lewiston.
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.
Such body mass tests are recommended by the Maine Department of Education, and Principal Dick Brouillette said his school has been working to promote healthy lifestyles among students.
But many Webster parents said they knew nothing about the test until their kids brought home a printout that they said designated them obese, average or underweight.
Some pupils were in tears when they told their parents about it. Some were confused or suddenly worried about their weight.
A few days after the test, at least three parents had written or called the principal. Others said they complained to the superintendent of schools.
While agreeing that kids should be educated about healthy eating, exercise and obesity, they were angry that the test was given without their permission and that their children were handed sensitive exam scores in front of classmates.
"They're not dumb, they know everybody's being tested for the same thing," Clavet said. "If I had wanted it done I would have had it done at the doctor's office."
Hodgkin did not return phone , but Brouillette said he thought the tests would be helpful.
The principal said he doesn't believe the school should stop doing body mass index exams. In the future, he said, his school might consider confidentiality and parental permission more carefully.
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.
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.
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.
should be AT nine years old....
For 4~6th 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.
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