State (Texas) Places Restrictions on Foods of Minimum Nutritional Value

Public School Newsletter ^ | 9-2-2003 | School Newlsetter

[GovernmentShrinker]

Actually I think you're still allowed to hand out Tootsie Rolls -- the letter says the Texas gubmint has outlawed hard candies and gummy bears, but not chocolate.

[Joe Hadenuf]

The state being over run will illegal aliens, and the government is concerned with cup cakes?

[GovernmentShrinker]

If I was a parent of an overweight child, and was seriously trying to get a handle on the problem, I'd certainly appreciate these rules. In-school birthday parties could be a more or less weekly event in larger classes. And what ever happened to inviting school friends over to your home for your birthday party? I attended a wide variety of schools as a child, and don't recall a single birthday party at school -- maybe singing Happy Birthday, but that was it.

[myprecious]

I live in a rural school district with a scrict set of principals. The major battles faced by drivers in other area would be too much, I can count on backup on campus. I have even built bonds with the difficult parents because we have kids on the sports teams together. Basically, I just keep it between the ditches on the one lane roads and teach social skills:

>When you get caught, it is usually best to say Sorry, it won't happen again.Then don't let it happen again!

>Don't sit by someone who is going to get you in trouble.

>If you let other people's behavior change the way you act, you are letting them control you. Decide who you are and stick with it.

>If someone else it getting in trouble, don't make it become about you.

>Always Go and Learn Something!.

I have never done anything so meaningful for so little money.

[GovernmentShrinker]

Yes, which is why the schools shouldn't allow any food to be brought in, except what parents have packed for their own children's lunch (and no "sharing"). How is a parent supposed to exercise any control over what their child eats, when other parents are sending their kids to school with mountains of sweets, and the school allows this junk to be passed around to all the kids?

[Physicist]

In-school birthday parties could be a more or less weekly event in larger classes. And what ever happened to inviting school friends over to your home for your birthday party?

Sending in a few cookies doesn't constitute a birthday party, but I otherwise agree with your point, and not just because of the waistlines. In some cases, it turns into a sort of birthday arms-race, with the parents springing for pizza and sending in bags of plastic chi-com crap. The school should definitely put a stop to that. But banning home-baked cookies is beyond the pale, IMHO.

[CindyDawg]

Wow. I'm impressed. It sounds like you do a fantastic job. I still think bus drivers need an assistant riding though.

[Texas2step]

"It does not apply to lunches or snacks that individual students bring to school as long as they are for personal use."

C'mon folks, let's not get our panties in a wad! Read the article. The state of Texas, has decided to ban zero-nutritional foods in the public schools of Texas. The last time I looked, the state of Texas runs the public schools in Texas, and has every right to decide what to ban in this manner.

You can still put whatever you want in your child's personal lunch/snack. That hasn't changed at all. It's just now the state will not be offering foodstuffs that have no nutritional value.

What is the problem here?

[myprecious]

Thanks. I agree on an assistant, wish it was in the budget. I have had good luck putting the most troublesome kids in charge of helping me with the littlest, wiggeliest ones. These high maintainance kids just work well together.

Plus I pray a LOT over them all.

[Marie]

This is exactly what my daughter's school does. Parents are responsible for sending a healthy, packed lunch. The school does not monitor these lunches. It's between the parent and their kid. It's a bit more of a pain in the butt than throwing a child a buck as she heads out the door, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

And yes, I send her a low-carb, gluten free lunch. IT'S OUR BUSINESS!

They also do frequent stretching, jogging in place, push ups, etc throughtout the day to keep the kids awake. So far the kids enjoy taking two minutes in the middle of class to get the blood going.

[deziner]

The stupid thing is - they aren't attacking cupcakes, donuts, brownies, and bars of chocolate! They are attacking hard candies. Not only is government sticking it's nose where it doesn't belong, but it doesn't even make sense! It allows the pizza, chocolate and crap that fatten people up, but doesn't allow hard candies. And it STILL should be the parents responsibility to teach their kids to eat right. My daughter would never pour syrup on a donut. She doesn't binge out on sugar because I don't make it a forbidden fruit. It's around my house all the time and I allow it in small quantities. Both of my girls are skinny and tall because all-in-all their eating habits are healthy. And no one is talking about the schools making money by selling sugar - they can't even GIVE the stuff away - and you can't bring it to the parties either. And a party a few times a year isn't going to make kids fat. It's the everyday eating habits that do it - not binge days a few times a year.

[deziner]

AND I think PE is a waste of time, too. 45 minutes twice a week isn't going to make my daughter physically fit. She plays soccer outside of school - THAT'S what keeps her in shape. My oldest daughter practices swimming 6 days a week - THAT'S EXERCISE. It is MY responsibility to make sure my kids are healthy and eat well and exercise - not the government's and surely not the school's. They should be in school to learn to read, write and do math. Not waste time.;

[deziner]

The problem is - it's not just that the state isn't providing these things. Parents can't even bring them to the school. Teachers can't give out a little hard candy for a job well done, even if they pay for it out of their own pocket. I can understand it not being provided at lunch - but the government really doesn't have any business telling me I can't send gummi bears to school at Halloween.