It is my opinion that schools not only have a right but a duty to look after the welfare of their students. Schools are well within their rights to impose sanctions on what foods are allowed and not allowed to be included in the children’s lunch boxes. Yes, there are those who believe that being in a free country should give parents the freedom to do as they please. I agree with that theory in part. I think parents should be able to feed their kids whatever they want – in their own home. At school, there is nothing wrong with imposing restrictions on sugary foods. On the contrary, it’s commendable.
I am writing this in defense of Clifton Park Primary School, who are embroiled in a “Lunchbox War” with some parents over such a ruling:
A LOCAL school’s decision to monitor the contents of their students’ lunchboxes has sparked heated debate within the Bunbury community.
In last week’s edition of the Bunbury Mail, the mother of a Clifton Park Primary School student was outraged to learn her five-year-old son’s lunchbox snacks were being confiscated due to their sugar content.
The Bunbury Mail office was flooded with letters and Facebook posts from residents voicing their opinion.
Joy Whysall’s letter said it was an example of the world gone crazy.
“What gives others the right to choose what we eat?” she said.
“This is a disgraceful state of affairs when a teacher can go into a child’s lunchbox and take out what they feel is unsuitable for the child.”
I am sorry to disappoint the irate parents of Bunbury, but when they send their kids to a school, they are getting a lot more than a child minding service. We teachers not only educate your kids, but we care for them and about them. We educators strive to give your kids a safe, positive learning environment in which they can thrive. Instead of seeing this as a violation of privacy, see this as a show of care and dedication.
I hope this exhibition of anger does not intimidate other schools from following Clifton Park’s fine example.
Tags: Education, food, Health, life, Nutrition, Obesity, Parenting
Topical Teaching 
December 23, 2010 at 1:13 am |
I agree. Often parents don’t know what’s best for their children. In a world where obesity is becoming a major problem in most developed countries, teachers have a total right to decide what’s healthy for a child while they are under that teacher’s supervision.
On the other hand I can see how a parent would be angry that they spend money on food for their child and the school takes it away. But then again, that food could be a risk. What if a diabetic child who doesn’t know better trades his cheeze and cracker packs for some candy bars, eats them without informing his teacher who already took his blood sugar before the meal and infers that the healthy foods he is eating will put him right on the correct blood sugar amount, and then is at a serious health risk.
I don’t see why parents would want to send their kids to school with unhealthy foods in the first place.
December 23, 2010 at 8:09 am |
If the school is allowing children to bring lunches from home, they have no moral right to confiscate items in those lunches. If the school wishes to control student nutrition at lunch time, then they should be providing the lunch.
Some limitations are reasonable: forbidding peanut products at one table in the cafeteria and for any classroom-wide treats to prevent serious allergic reactions, for example. Prohibiting alcohol and other mind-altering drugs in student lunches, for another.
It is certainly reasonable for schools to educate youngsters (and their parents) about what constitutes healthy lunches, but confiscation of food at lunch is definitely over the line.