Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio.
Posted on 01/19/2005 7:31:14 AM PST by SwinneySwitch
AUSTIN — A Texas lawmaker filed a bill Tuesday that would require school districts to measure the body mass index of students and include the information in regular report cards.
More Coverage Read the text of SB 205
"We should be just as concerned with students' physical health and performance as we are with their academic performance," said Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio.
When the measurement, which calculates body fat based on height and weight, indicates a student is overweight, the school would provide parents with information about links between increased body fat and health problems, Van de Putte said.
More than a third of school-age children in Texas are overweight or obese, according to the Texas Department of Agriculture. Such obesity has serious health implications, including Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
"I'm just trying to keep our kids healthy," Van de Putte said. "It might create some discomfort, but I've seen 8- and 9-year-olds who now inject insulin three to four times a day."
A similar law implemented in Arkansas during the 2003-04 school year required all public schools to weigh and measure students and report findings to parents.
Most parents don't need to be told their child is overweight, said Eric Allen, a spokesman for the Association for Texas Professional Educators.
"I know they're trying to tie academic success to a healthy body and healthy mind, but it doesn't have a place on a report card," Allen said.
Van de Putte's bill, SB 205, does not specify how the program would be funded, and the senator said the bill likely will change as it goes through the legislative process.
Looks like she should worry about her own BMI and leave the rest of Texas alone.
First, they need to send out a body mass index on all of our Texas lawmakers, and publish it in all the major metropolitan newspapers. My guess is that Senator Faticia Lard de Butt would top the list.
So, you are saying that we should measure the body mass index of democrats?..........sorry, don't want the job.
Next thing you know Ted Kennedy will want to give breathalyzers at schools.
Next thing you know Ted Kennedy will want to give breathalyzers at schools.
Next thing you know Ted Kennedy will want to give breathalyzers at schools.
BMI is a bunch of hookum. By the rekoning of the statistics used to compute BMI, athletes such as barry bonds and sammy sosa would be considered "obese".
Blimp Ping!
I wish people would just learn to mind their own business and quit trying to tell the rest of the world how to live. Honestly, people thought the Republicans would be resonsible for 'BIG BROTHER', but I swear it's the liberals who are doing it. Sometimes I think that the prime directive from the old Star Trek series is a very good idea.
First of all, keeping other people's kids healthy isn't your job. Second, the 8 and 9 year olds that you see injecting insulin 3 or 4 times a day are probably Type 1 diabetics, but you're too stupid to know the difference.
Big Brother just doesn't give up.
I thinks Leticia needs to check her own back yard on this one
People with butts that are measured in terms of multiple axe handles don’t need to be telling people their kids are fat.
I wonder if she wrote this on a napkin from the all you can snarf buffet
I think a better idea would be to weigh these Senators--especially Van de Putte--daily and publish the results daily. That ought to put a stop to it.
Sheesh. Kids have enough to worry about. If a kid is fat, chances are his family is fat, too. It's up to the individuals to do something about it--or not. Freedom extends to eating--at least at this point in time. Shaming a fat person usually makes them more depressed or, in the case of a conservative, ticked off!
What's next? Outlawing red meat, candy, etc. to people who are considered overweight?
Democrats want to control every aspect of our lives. Of course, looking at this big, fat mamma--it's do as I say, not as I do.
This is getting way out of hand...
This more serious than we would think.
Fat people are the next target for liberal (gov't sabctioned) discrimination. Today, people who do not fit the lib idea of perfection are singled out...tomorow, services will be denied to these children.
The more you allow government to get into paying for healthcare the more you cede the right of the government to pass laws to control your health to cut costs. This is of course the first step.
Good Shot!! (I was going to make a witty remark but you about summed it up.) ROTFLMAO!!
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