Federal law backed by Michelle Obama would prohibit school bake sales

Do you know what happend to PE and the playgrounds?

Folks harboring political beliefs that seek to eviscerate social spending by cutting funding without reckoning the collateral damage.

I won't even touch your video game scenario issue. I think you recognize the silliness.

 

No, but what IS being said is that schools shouldn't contribute to the problem. And offering junk food hand-over-fist is contributing to the problem. This proposal aims to end that. You wanna feed your kid Twinkies and let 'em play "Left 4 Dead" all night long? Fine. But that doesn't mean the state or fed should facilitate that behavior. During the day, at school, they will be offered more healthy food options. You really object to that?

Oh, and I agree: more exercise programs, recess and "playground time" would be valuable as well. What should we cut to make that happen, eh? Reading time? Math time? Science time? Fine arts (which are already cut to the bone, by the way)? Where do you suggest we find the extra hour in the day, because I guarantee you the districts aren't willing to pay extra to lengthen the school day.

 

I understand. So, if this was a bill in the State of Texas congress, you'd be okay with it? Or, perhaps if the school board came up with it?

Because, as I mentioned in a prior post, the mechanism of the federal govenment bribing school districts to participate in the federal program already exists today. Our approach to nutrition in schools is already being driven by the USDA. I like it like that. But, if you don't like it, this current bill isn't your real problem; you should be arguing to repeal the National School Lunch Program that bribes districts to adhere to Federal standards.

I completely agree with you. As I had alluded to earlier, I think it is terribly shortsighted and a disservice that schools have considered things like recess and PE to be expendable and have cut into them. I would not be opposed to strengthening the standards included in the bribe to require more exercise time.

Now, this is just dumb. I know you're just being snarky and exxagerating for effect. But, I'm sure you can understand that there is a difference between standards for the operation of a public school to achieve an acknowledged public good and legislation that curtails the rights of individuals in their homes engaged in private endeavors.

 

Good. Then I made my point. If you are going to decide food must be regulated by the feds to combat childhood obesity and diabetes, they you must combat ALL the reasons that cause childhood obesity and diabetes. This includes lack of exercise and heredity.

The first part of your response makes no sense. Recess/playgrounds and social spending have no relationship. In elementary school there are no organized sports like football, basketball and baseball.

 

Btw, does anyone (on my side of the fence) have an insight for me on the real reason Palin and friends oppose better nutritional standards in schools? I have a hard time believing that Palin (or rather, her advisors) really believe it's an issue of personal freedom. Is it just an effort to make the Obamas look bad with an eye toward 2012, or is there some other advantage to be had here?

 

It really is a personal freedom thing. The anti-nanny state/too PC/ government overstep take. The outrage over 'Seasons Greetings' over Merry Christmas'

We've had the same arguments in Canada (with much less theatrics and flag waving) when schools try to limit pop, candy, peanuts and the like. And, thankfully, I don't think Palin even knows who we are -- even though we can see Alaska from our back porch.

 

I thought this is was what parents are for?

 

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=impact+of+funding+cuts+on+school+funding+for+physical+education

 

We wanna handcuff parents. . . . then handcuff schools
then blame them both for the products.

I think schools should be have healthier food.
I think they should severely limit the junk food [even candy machines]
Bakes sales etc. . should be special . . .not weekly/daily

Rocket River

 

I'm not talking about high school and college sports. I'm talking about elementary school where recess was eliminated 20 years ago. If academic results would have improved, I might have second thoughts. However, with the elimination of those 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon and an hour for lunch where kids could play tag or climb on the monkey bars, etc. academic results declined.

High school sports still are more "pure" than college sports, where I believe players should be paid since relatively few take academic advantage of the scholarships they receive. Still, we place too much emphasis on high school competitive sports -- it would be cheaper to have intramural sports among the student population of a school. Afterall, flags don't cost as much as pads.

 

You are completely delusional. You realize playgrounds cost money to build right? And that adding exercise/recess time would either mean taking time away from something else (meaning more tutoring/make-up lessons or lower test scores, both of which cost schools money) or extending the school day (meaning teachers/paraprofessionals working more hours, which costs schools money)? You really don't understand that? What color is the sky in your world? Green?

 

Agreed. Just don't ignore the fact that the cuts in spending intended to starve the beast don't have collateral damage.

As I think JV alluded to earlier, when it's time to allocate shrinking dollars, what gets cut PE or Math?

 

You know what's absurd? Comparing healthier food in school cafeterias to freedom of speech being taken away. I'm just trying to figure out if you and your ilk really are a bunch of pansies that are scared by everything the government does or if your hissy fits are just for political purposes. Actually, it's probably both.

 

You don't believe that government should have the right to specify what it's money is used to purchase? The government already has regulations on what their school lunch money can be used for. This just changes what those specifications are to make the items healthier.

Try again. You're either being disingenuous or don't really know what is in the bill that you oppose.

 

Yes. If Obama's for it, she's against it. It's really that simple. It's the thumbs approach to leadership.

 

As has been mentioned before. thumbs and rtsy are perfect examples of how the right has moved so far to the right that even their conservative deity, Reagan wouldn't be allowed in the party.

History of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports

President Ronald W. Reagan, 1981-1989

Although he was the oldest man to serve as the nation’s chief executive, President Ronald Reagan took an active role in the physical fitness program of his Council and frequently met with Council members, consultants, advisors, and staff at the White House. President Reagan also appeared in TV and print advertising campaigns promoting fit*ness and sent a taped message to an awards dinner for the National Fitness Foundation in New York. What was arguably his most influential contribu*tion was his appointment of dynamic and proactive NFL coach George Allen (1981-87) as chairman of the Council. In response to Allen’s recommenda*tions, President Reagan issued Executive Order 12399 (Dec. 31, 1982), which called for the Council to do the following:

* enlist the active support and assistance of individual citizens, civic groups, private enterprise, voluntary organizations, and others in efforts to promote and improve the fitness of all Americans through regular participa*tion in physical fitness and sports activities;
* initiate programs to inform the general public of the importance of exercise and the link between regular physical activity, good health, and effective performance;
* strengthen coordination of federal services and pro*grams relating to physical fitness and sports participation and invite appropriate federal agencies to participate in an interagency committee to coordinate physical fitness and sports activities within the federal government;
* encourage state and local governments to emphasize the importance of regular physical fitness and sports partici*pation;
* seek to advance the physical fitness of children, youth, adults, and senior citizens by systematically encouraging the development of community recreation, physical fitness, and sports participation programs;
* develop cooperative programs with medical, dental, and other similar professional societies to encourage the implementation of sound physical fitness practices and sports medicine services;
* stimulate and encourage research in the areas of sports medicine, physical fitness, and sports performance;
* assist educational agencies at all levels in developing high-quality, innovative health and physical education pro*grams that emphasize the importance of exercise to good health;
* assist recreation agencies and national sports govern*ing bodies at all levels in developing “sports for all” programs to emphasize the value of sports to physical, men*tal, and emotional fitness;
* assist business, industry, government, and labor orga*nizations in establishing sound physical fitness programs to elevate employee fitness and reduce the financial and human costs resulting from physical inactivity.

Ever the enthusiastic coach and motivator throughout his six-year tenure as chairman, Allen stimulated the Council to stretch, to imagine all possibilities and make them happen. Under his leadership, the Council established regional sports clinics and private-sector employee programs; established programs to inform the general public of the importance of exercise and the link between regular physical activity, good health, and effective performance; conducted public service advertising campaigns (usually two major media campaigns a year); worked with the U.S. Postal Service to issue a phys*ical fitness postage stamp; published a Council newsletter; published numerous public information materials in cospon*sorship with private companies and groups; established Governors’ Councils on Physical Fitness, State Demonstration Centers, and State Games; established the State Champion program recognizing schools with the highest percentage of students earning awards; expanded activities for the Presidential Sports Award; cosponsored medical sympo*siums for physicians and physical educators, which focused on the role of exercise in disease prevention; organized the National Fitness Coalition, a cooperative effort by the Council, the National Recreation and Parks Association, and the National Association of Governors’ Councils; and initi*ated National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, encouraging local communities to increase participation in sports and fitness activities such as fitness fairs, fun walks and runs, media events, and panel discussions.

Other initiatives spearheaded by Allen and the other Reagan administration Council members were the National Fitness Foundation; the U.S. Fitness Academy; the National Fitness Classic; the Adult Fitness Card; the National Fitness Testing Week; and Youth Fitness Forums.

During the Reagan administration, the Council appointed 44 special advisors. In 1983, the Council hosted the White House Symposium on Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine and proclaimed May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. In 1984, the Council sponsored the National Conference on Youth Fitness; held six regional public hear*ings on physical fitness and physical education; and sponsored the first National Women’s Leadership Conference on Fitness, with the first lady as honorary chair.

During that period, the Council, in cooperation with the American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD), introduced a program known as “Fitnessgram,” based on the AAHPERD National Youth Fitness Test. The program was developed by the Institute for Aerobic Research and funded by the Campbell Soup Company. A pilot study was conducted in Oklahoma during the 1982-83 school year and expanded the following year.

In 1985, the National School Population Fitness Survey was conducted, the last survey of its kind by the Council. This resulted in the establishment of a new award, the National Physical Fitness Award, to recognize children who scored between the 50th and 85th percentiles on the Presidential Physical Fitness Test, as well as children who performed at the 85th percentile and above, who continued to receive the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.

By the mid-1980s, the youth fitness test had five compo*nents: sit-ups; pull-ups, push-ups, or flexed-arm hang to measure upper body strength; a one-mile walk/run; a V-sit reach; and the shuttle run. In 1986, the Council adopted the name “President’s Challenge Youth Physical Fitness Awards Program” for its youth physical fitness testing. In 1988, the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), in collaboration with the University of Indiana School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation (HPER), became the administrator of the President’s Challenge program.

One of the most popular initiatives undertaken by the Reagan administration was the Healthy American Fitness Leaders Awards (1984 to 1996). The annual awards ban*quet, cosponsored by Allstate Insurance and the Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees), recognized 10 outstand*ing fitness leaders each year. The awardees eventually formed the National Fitness Leaders Association (NFLA), headquartered in Washington, D.C.

C. Carson Conrad served as executive director during President Reagan’s first term; Asahel E. (“Ash”) Hayes was executive director from 1984-1989.

 

Once again (third or fourth time, I'm losing count), I have no problem with the goals of the legislation. I am uncomfortable with the federal edicts that are being used to strip away parental control of the school systems and implement big brother methodologies.

 

My point is that the federal government has always had those edicts. This just changes what can be served, but the federal government has always put guidelines on what their money can be used for. Remember how Reagan tried to redefine ketchup as a vegetable so schools could count it towards their health requirements? Those requirements have always been around since the school lunch programs started.

A local school couldn't take school lunch money and serve kids candy & donuts with it. All this does is refine the guidelines to ensure that the meals served are healthier than they were.

And parents still have full control of the school systems. They don't have to take federal money for school lunches. But if they do, then the government certainly has a right (and arguably, obligation) to limit what that money can be used for.