Schools weighing in on students' size

Dallas News ^ | May 10, 2005 | Kimberly Durnan

[beaversmom]

Anger washed over Plano mother Annmarie Barajas when her 10-year-old son came home from school and declared, “I think I’m fat.”

Cameron Barajas, a Wyatt Elementary School fourth-grader, plays basketball, eats healthy food and packs on the muscle. But after participating in a series of tests to assess fitness as part of the school district curriculum, Cameron decided he was overweight, based on his body mass index, or BMI.

“I was a little upset,” Annmarie Barajas said. “I told him, ‘You’re not fat. You are proportionate to your height.’”

Fellow Wyatt fourth-grader Amanda Boland came to the same erroneous conclusion.

“She’s rail thin,” her father, Mike Boland, said. “She was a preemie and is still catching up. She’s 50 pounds soaking wet. I told her I thought (the BMI number) was wrong and she said she thought so, too.”

Principal Debby Moilanen said the school plans to send the BMI results, along with what they mean, home in a sealed envelope at the end of the year. The testing is part of the fourth-grade physical education curriculum and is facilitated through the Cooper Institute.

Although some districts already calculate their pupils’ BMI, a bill proposed by Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, would require schools to record the number on student report cards. The bill was sent in February to the Senate Committee on Education, where it has yet to be scheduled for a hearing, meaning the likelihood of passage is in doubt.

The legislation arrives as educators, legislators, parents and health-care experts are desperate to turn the tide on childhood obesity.

Van de Putte did not return phone calls seeking comment, but Richard Kouri, spokesman for the Texas State Teachers Association, said the buzz among educators is more about making sure physical education does not get squeezed out...

[ArmyBratproud]

1. Put a special tax on fast food restaurants and "junk food" grocery items

---

Uh..actually....they proposed a tax on snack foods down in Austin this year.......

No kidding.

They are getting nuts down there.

Thank God they only meet every two years.

If we let those loons work full time........not telling what they would be pushing

[SittinYonder]

Uh..actually....they proposed a tax on snack foods down in Austin this year.......

You think I'm joking? Write down my seven step plan, and in about 10 years see how much of it has happened. This is the same seven step plan (with some modifications for the specific product) that has been time-tested to control behavior.

[ArmyBratproud]

I don't think the education types care about anything but control now a days.

You are right....they have no business doing the parents job.

This BMI fiasco is proof that they have gone into areas where they don't belong.

But if you are in Texas, take a look at what is going on in Austin these days......
There is no end in sight.

As for physical fitness.......

There are too many school psych types out there screaming that PE is depressing to those who don't like to exercise.
They may feel outcast.....it may affect them long term...blah...blah...blah.

meanwhile...its perfectly ok for the kids to download violent games, music, and adult images on the school computers because......
It broadens their minds......

Something has gone really wrong....

[Gamecock]

Good idea.

My daughter was challenged to an "swimming tug of war" by a fit 21 year old before practice one day. A harness is attached to both swimmers and they swim in opposite directions.

She drug him across the pool.

I should get the principal in the pool with her....

[ArmyBratproud]

Oh, yeah...I agree.

I was just indicating how they have already started on the list....

[El Gato]

Do you think the American people had any interest in paying the butchers bill to fight through the streets of Berlin ? The Soviets lost quite a few men taking that city.

The BMI is just junk "medicine". If they did pinch tests, or real boby fat measurements, (which the kids would love since it involves being weighed underwater), that would be one thing, but this is crap.

[Michael.SF.]

bill proposed by Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, would require schools to record the number (body Mass Index) on student report cards.

Sen. Van de Putte, is the lard ass on the left.

Talk about a hypocrite.

[SittinYonder]

I caught about two second of FOX News this afternoon when I was home for lunch, they were talking about (I think Detroit) taxing fast food restaurants. Everywhere I turn, our individual liberties are under assault from the government that was supposed to protect those liberties. Some things they will legislate away from us, others they will simply take through regulation and taxation, and some they will wrestle from us because it's "for the children." Our Twinkies we will lose for the good of the chil'run.

[Army Air Corps]

That photograph caused a ripple in the Space-Time continuum...

[SittinYonder]

Thanks for posting the pic ... I knew it, but it's nice to have my knowledge confirmed.

[GOPrincess]

Some local schools here in a neighboring district have made positive changes in their P.E. programs which I applaud. They are no longer focused on competition (I certainly don't believe in shying away from academic competition, but let's face it, kids who feel like failures in P.E. aren't going to want to keep up with athletics for fun when they have a choice ) but instead they are focused on getting the kids *moving* and liking it. They're trying to get the kids to think of exercise as something fun that should be a lifelong habit. Some have put in exercise machines and they do machines and aerobics to music, Jazzercise, etc. The kids seem to like it and hopefully P.E. will have a positive impact, while not stepping over the boundaries into parents' roles.

[beaversmom]

Oh, you're cracking me up.

[ArmyBratproud]

I always liked PE. In High School...that time was taken up by Ath. Which was basically practice and off season training.

I remember in middle school.......playing basket ball, base ball, or what ever in PE...and then going to practice after school for Football or soccer or track.

I was getting to do all of them that way.

In high school.....it got limited. But to be honest, especially with off season running along with Soccer, I was getting all the exercise I needed.

[ArmyBratproud]

Maybe they should take a BMI of her and put it in the papers.

[Michael.SF.]

Thanks again ArmyBrat.

Or may I call you Amy?

;)

[Sofa King]

"Although some districts already calculate their pupils’ BMI, a bill proposed by Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio, would require schools to record the number on student report cards."

That's good, because parents obviously have no other way of telling whether or not their kids are getting fat.

[Sofa King]

I wonder if brain matter also weighs more than fat, because that could also be throwing them for a loop.

[luckystarmom]

I'd be happy if the schools removed soda machines from their campuses. My kids also get more unhealthy snacks at school The school parties just load up the kids with junk. At times it just gets to be toooooo much.

One of my daughters is a little chunky, so I don't like her eating junk. My son is really skinny, but he tends to eat the junk and skip the healthy food.

[beaversmom]

The school parties just load up the kids with junk. At times it just gets to be toooooo much.

I agree. It gets to be way too much. My son goes to Cub Scouts and the parents alternate bringing snacks. When it's our turn we try to bring something like cheese sticks, crackers, grapes, real fruit juice--something somewhat healthy. All the other parents bring is sugary, dyed junk. It's everywhere you go.

I think you used to post at Yahoo, didn't you? I remember you from the GWB club over there. I was jdla and egg over there.

[luckystarmom]

That was me. I haven't been active in the yahoo groups. I've just switched to free republic. It's time consuming enough.