Posted on 02/17/2005 8:36:23 PM PST by CounterCounterCulture
By Kim Vo
Mercury News
In the underground economy of school lunches, third-grader Siobhan Rickert explained, the demands are straightforward: ``If you give me this cookie, I'll give you this pretzel.''
But no more. This month, Ormondale School in Portola Valley began cracking down on lunch swaps. No more trading mom's turkey sandwich for a peanut butter and jelly -- or exchanging chocolate chip cookies for, well, just about anything you want.
Ormondale joins a smattering of Bay Area schools that have banned swaps, citing food allergies and concerns that, unbeknown to their parents, students following kosher or all-organic diets were sneaking pepperoni at lunch.
(Excerpt) Read more at mercurynews.com ...
God,wouldn't you hate to be a kid today?
The first I learned of lunch swapping was in high school on TV. I never swapped back in grade school when I actually brought a lunch.
Don't know how I ever survived. Traded lunches, no special child seats in cars. I'm lucky to be alive!!!
A: 1 jello square = 2 fish sticks
God,wouldn't you hate to be a kid today?
YES. At first I thought this happened in communist Europe or China. Then I realized it was the Bay Area...same thing!
Society is forcing parents to raise wusses.
I packed my own lunch everyday...so it had what I wanted - no need to trade.
If the Bay Area schools have time to devote to "issues" of this magnitude, they must be an educational Nirvana.
"...how else are kids going to grow up and become good free market citizens if they dont know the street value of a jello square with a grape in it?"
And that,Dude, is the real point to all of this. Repeat after me; it is BAD to be a free market citizen.
It's great the education system cares about protecting parental values (unless they're providing RU-486 or putting condoms on cucumbers, then it's hush-hush)
Blah! They're evil. Back when I was in elementary school I loved trading my stuff. Still do. Back then I would bring a high worth trade item to get school bread or tatertots/fries.
FMCDH(BITS)
On the lighter side... the school has just required students to study during their breaks between recesses.
That would be a gherkin in my case....
FMCDH(BITS)
BTW- I brought my lunch so had all I needed. Still though, I missed hot bread and potato items. I loved bread and potato products but it wasn't nearly enough motivation for me to buy the unsavory luches.
I think this is a good thing. Teaches the kids how an oppressive nanny state takes away every joy in life, so maybe they'll grow up despising it and rebel. Perhaps then their children can attend schools where the goal is education, not codifying every private act and having it administered by the State.
Is this sharing lunch thing new? I don`t recall this when I was a kid.
I never had any desire to share my lunch with my classmates. They put a hand on my PBJ sandwich, they got a smack upside the head. And if I had a chocolate chip cookie, it wasn`t going anywhere but in my stomach.
It sounds like the schools own doing with their share and be nice atmosphere they cram down the kids throats.
I'd give it free to my friends but for all others I'd trade and get foods I liked.
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