[SheLion]

Anorexia anyone?

[SheLion]

Bump

[HEY4QDEMS]

I recently read an article online which stated that the BMI scale was out of wack for people over 5'10" and was totally rediculous if you were 6'2" and over.

For people 5'10" and over, the best barometer is the old Height-Weight proportionate scale.

[hobbes1]

Dick Brouillette

Is his middle name Creme'?

[11th Earl of Mar]

Next story:

TEACHER FIRED FOR TELLING KIDS THE TRUTH

[hobbes1]

unfrickinbelievable ping.

[demnomo]

"What about the kid's self-esteem?"

Sigh. I'm so glad that I homeschool. Liberal public school education = liberal hypocrisy and stupidity.

Leave the kids alone. They get enough messages from our culture that they must be perfect otherwise they are losers.

[CheneyChick]

Perhaps she's doing them a big favor and teaching them awareness of their health and physical condition.... This is a PE course after all.

Kids today need to start moving more. They are going to be in serious health later on - NOW is the time to get started on taking care of their bodies.

[PoorMuttly]

If they gave a test for Fat HEADS, the "Department of Education" would be in trouble.

[Mr. Bird]

I think it's a good idea to identify kids who may be developing a weight problem. Whether BMI does this, I don't know. I DO know that labeling a kid a fatass in front of his peers is a great way to crush him.

It appears this PE teacher just failed to think things through. But, PE teachers are probably less apt to feel the pangs of oversensitivity. Everyone can see who finishes last in a foot race, or who can't play a certain sport because of their limitations, etc. The teacher was probably thinking, "hey, you can't run the 200 meters without collapsing, why are you surprised when you discover you're overweight? We're not..."

[Jonah Hex]

"I told you guys already, dammit! I'm not fat, I'm just big-boned!"

[Boxsford]

If I had wanted it done I would have had it done at the doctor's office."

Could this be? A parent who gets it?

[ladyjane]

We're a nation of victims. Years ago we'd all line up and the school nurse would weigh us. We didn't even know we were victims.

[verity]

Dear Sir/Madam:
You are hereby advised that your child is too short for his/her weight. :~)

[krb]

Why do they need a "laser" to calculate the BMI? The BMI is a ratio of the weight to the height. A scale and a tape measure are all you need.

[Viva Le Dissention]

You're fat or your not,"

This is a professional journalist? My God, I weep...

[timm22]

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.

I thought school was supposed to be about educating students, not wasting money on laser machines and evaluating the fat content of the kids like they are a cut of pork at the store.

Just one more reason to stay away from public schools.

[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.

[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.