School Sends Letter to Parents of Obese Kids

ABCNEWS.COM ^ | 03/20/02 | Joann Loviglio

[breakem]

Hide the donuts Martha, they're coming up the sidewalk.

[dakine]

hahahaha, you got to be kiddin'!

[GraniteStateConservative]

Dear Little Jimmy's Parents,

Little Jimmy isn't so little anymore. Chocolate is not a food group.

Regards,

Your School

CC: Child Protective Services

[Publius6961]

"When an examination reveals a child has vision problems, hearing problems, we inform the family; we weren't doing anything for weight," said George Ziolkowski, director of pupil personnel services

Better start working on your resume George...
Along with whomever came up with this darlin' Brave New World idea.

Ya really think fat kids' parents don't know their kids are fat?
Gheeeez.
Talk about adding fuel to a (sensitive) fire!

[Nathan Jr.]

"When an examination reveals a child has vision problems, hearing problems, we inform the family; we weren't doing anything for weight," said George Ziolkowski, director of pupil personnel services for the East Penn School District, about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. "If we have information that may have some bearing on a child's future health, why just put it in a drawer?"

Because, unlike a vision or hearing problem, a child's weight has nothing to do with their ability to learn! Someone tell me why these kids are being screened for weight problems???

[Skip Ripley]

Being overweight can hinder mental functioning. Have you ever tried reasoning with a fathead?

[hsmomx3]

This is amazing. So then if your kid is not their "ideal" weight, they tell you to go to the doctor and then what, they monitor the kid and/or family as well?

HOMESCHOOL Bump!!!

By the way, what happens if one is a homeschooler and the doc says your kid is overweight--a call to CPS?

[lady lawyer]

Exactly, Nathan. Also, weight is obvious. Vision and hearing problems aren't. Who do these people think they are?

[TexRef]

I have no doubt that the rampant availability of forks to these students is the main contributor to their obesity. Not only are traditional metal forks available, but cheap, poorly manufactured plastic forks that are easily concealable. Only by limiting the availability of these forks can we address this problem.

For the children.

[Malacoda]

The district now mails home letters to parents of children who are underweight, overweight or at risk of becoming overweight

That describes most children. For a LOT of them, they grow OUT before they grow UP.

HOWEVER

"It's wholly appropriate for the public health community to identify children in this way," Tershakovec said. "It's a public health issue."

This cr@p concerns me. Wait until that info is released to the HMOs and health insurance companies.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Blimpie, we can't offer you coverage. Our records show that you've had a weight problem since grade school, and we took a glance at your shopping records, obtained through your "Acme Super-saver" card. We noticed that you're not trying to control your weight, and are, in fact, eating foods that are contributing to the problem. The cost of covering weight-related health problems is just too high."

It will happen, mark my words.

[gnarledmaw]

Try doing an "add topic" and adding "US: Pennsylvania". These folks need to see this but it wont let me add the "unknown topic".

[Malacoda]

(Sorry for the double...)

I'll notice they're not whining about the number of soda machines and candy-vending machines in schools, either.

[riley1992]

or at risk of becoming overweight

Or at risk of developing an ingrown toe nail or permaturely going bald. What a bunch of garbage.

[dead]

P.S. - Does Fatty have any access to a gun?

Love, the nosey-biddies at the government run school.

[Tench_Coxe]

When asked about the letter sent home to the parents of Simon, notifying them the child was circumsized, and therefore probably Jewish, this was the response:

"It's wholly appropriate for the community to identify children in this way," Tershakovec said. "It's a public safety issue."

[Psycho_Bunny]

"The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calls overweight and obesity "a public health epidemic," noting that the percentage of children and adolescents who are defined as overweight has more than doubled since the early 1970s."

Lets see some facts and figures.  How is this being computed?  I recall the last study of American "Obesity" from the US Government almost classified me as being overweight....literally.  

And I'm 33 years old, 6'2, 186 pounds.  I simply couldn't believe what I was hearing.

Is the government still using the same criteria from the 70's?  Was this information actually tracked in the 70's and was it reliable?  If they've changed the criteria since the 70's, did they compensate for the criteria changes?

Until they cough up some facts and figures this entire article can be dismissed as a lie.  What I see on a day to day basis belies the statement that 13 out of every 100 kids are obese.

 

[Salvation]

Health bump!

But the biggest culprit here is the fat-filled school lunches.

[tracer]

When forks are outlawed, only outlaws will be fat.

If they want to take my fork they'll have to/// never mind.....

[Mugwump]

I'll tell you what concerns me. this will spread to all Americans, and not only will insurance coverage be denied, I believe there will be a number of other things denied citizens until they fall into line.

I looked at the "new, revised" weight tables not long ago, and there aren't many of us who stand a chance of falling within them -- at least if we're middle-aged. The ideal weight for my age and build is supposedly 170 pounds, max. Hit 180 and I'm in the "near" overweight category.

I'm 6' medium build, and about 215 pounds. Yes, at 215, I'm overweight and am doing something about it, but I've also been 170, and I can tell you that I look positively cadaverous at that "ideal" weight. 185 to 190 suits me just fine -- but not Uncle Sam, evidently.

Where do I report for my ration of Bulgur wheat, broccoli and tofu? < /sarcasm >