Posted on 02/17/2005 5:45:26 AM PST by Engine82
Kids could have another reason to fear getting an "F" on their report card — especially if F also stands for fat.
Georgia lawmakers concerned about childhood obesity are proposing legislation that would require schools to list students' body mass index — a measure of whether they're overweight — on their report cards.
The intent is to "wake up parents who may not be aware their children are obese or heading that way," said state Rep. Judy Manning (R-Marietta), one of the bill's co-sponsors.
Students' weight problems are "showing up in their grades, their ability to stay awake, their ability to focus and their ability to run at recess," Manning said.
House Bill 497, introduced Wednesday, would require that the report card not only show twice a year a child's body mass index — a formula based on weight and height — but also tell parents whether it is below, within or above the normal range.
Parents of students in the above-normal range would receive literature about diabetes and other health consequences of obesity.
Some school officials and parents said Wednesday the legislation goes too far.
"It's ludicrous," said Mike McGowan, spokesman for Cherokee County schools. "There may be a problem, but why is that public education's responsibility? What does that have to do with reading, writing and arithmetic?"
Sharon Riviere, a mother of three children in DeKalb County public schools, said a child's body mass index and weight are nobody else's business.
"Can you imagine the teasing that would go on?" said Riviere, who has worked in health care and noted that weight is a subject people want kept confidential.
Georgia would not be the first to grade students' weight. Arkansas requires body mass index to be included along with grades on students' report cards. Pennsylvania will begin measuring students' body mass index by 2008, and Texas is considering doing the same.
Don Rooks, lobbyist for the Georgia School Boards Association, said schools would be forced to weigh each student, calculate their body mass and deal with the paperwork.
"My first question is: Where is the funding for this?" Rooks said. He also said he worries about privacy issues.
Rep. Stephanie Stuckey Benfield (D-Atlanta), the bill's chief sponsor, said it would require the weighing and measuring be done in a manner that respects students' dignity.
"It wouldn't be any more embarrassing than getting your grades," said Benfield, the mother of a preschooler.
The Georgia Division of Public Health estimates that one in three middle-school students ages 11-14 are overweight or on their way to becoming overweight. In high school, 26 percent of students ages 14-18 are classified as overweight or at risk for being overweight.
This is not the first attempt by Georgia legislators to weigh in on the issue of child obesity. Attempts to ban soft drink machines in schools, require recess and add physical education classes to the school day have failed.
Chris Rosenbloom, associate dean in Georgia State University's College of Health and Human Sciences, said she believes schools should be involved in the fight against obesity.
"Schools frequently take the lead in vision and hearing screening, so why not screen for height and weight and body mass index to inform parents and educate children?" she said.
Rosenbloom cautioned that a licensed and registered dietitian needs to be included in any weight report card initiative so that clear and meaningful nutrition messages are sent home to parents.
— Staff writer Patricia Guthrie contributed to this report.
Are teachers going to be graded, too? Or how about raising their health insurance premiums if they're overweight? Fair's fair.
Tha parents have to be pretty dumb if they can't tell Patty is a porker.
Step 1 in regulating everyone's eating behavior. Step 2 involves a fast food tax.
Yeah, I'm kinda dumb for spelling "The" as "Tha".
English-A
Science-B
Reading-B
Broken Desks-3
You'd be amazed. That said, I still think this is a dumb idea.
Schools are for LEARNING.
Parents are for PARENTING.
If the kid is sporting a chow blister, let the PARENTS deal with it and everything that comes from having a butterball for a child.
"Step 1 in regulating everyone's eating behavior. Step 2 involves a fast food tax."
Step 3 involves treating overweight people as the dregs of humanity, shunning and persecuting at will.
How close we are.
This just makes my blood boil on so many different levels. I read that NY is also trying to get this done. These people will just not quit!! It's very simple:
SCHOOL WORK ---> PARENT & TEACHER
WEIGHT & HEALTH ISSUES ---> PARENT & PEDIATRICIAN
End of story, now somebody tell these morons to go do some REAL work for a change!
The foundation has already been laid.
Ding-ding-ding! We have a WINNER!!!
Sorry, no sympathy here. As a frequent traveler on business, I HATE IT when I have to be squeezed into my seat and have the blubber of some fat body in my lap, on a plane ride, I'm ready to eject them!
Hey teachers! (and administrators) Leave those kids alone!
A good question in the article; how is this going to be funded? I hear all the schools whining about not having enough money and they want to waste it on this?
What about kids that are all trim and very fit. Will they be accosted for bringing a Twinkie in their lunch? Afterall, how can you let some (trim kids) have Twinkies when you deny them to others? The insanity continues!
Maybe the schools should at least wait until they are better capable of teaching reading, writing and arithmetic before they tackle the weight issue? It isn't as if American students are so far ahead in all substantive academic areas that we need to find other issues to fill the school day. Of course, between celebrating diversity, marking Earth Day, building self esteem, etc., it's a wonder there is any time for academics already. Thomas Sowell had a great piece on this not too long ago....
What about the kids who are underweight?? Will they be in trouble for not eating enough?
Ohfercryinoutloud.
Is this what we send people to legislative office to do........really?
Obviously, you missed my point.
How is it FAIR to me, who works to keep myself in shape at 43, to have some disgusting blob next to me and have to experience their flab hanging on me? Pretty nasty. I personally, DO NOT care if someone weighs 500 lbs, I just prefer not to have it hanging on ME!
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