Michelle Obama: "We Can't Just Leave It Up To The Parents"

yizuman

yizuman

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Michelle Obama on $4.5 Billion Child Nutrition Law: “We Can’t Just Leave it Up to The Parents”…

(CNSNews.com) -- Speaking at Monday's signing ceremony for the “Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act”-- a law that will subsidize and regulate what children eat before school, at lunch, after school, and during summer vacations in federally funded school-based feeding programs -- First Lady Michelle Obama said of deciding what American children should eat: “We can’t just leave it up to the parents."

The law gives the federal government for the first time the authority to regulate the food sold at local schools, including in vending machines.

“Everywhere I go, fortunately, I meet parents who are working very hard to make sure that their kids are healthy,” said Mrs. Obama. “They’re doing things like cutting down on desserts and trying to increase fruits and vegetables. They’re trying to teach their kids the kind of healthy habits that will stay with them for a lifetime.

“But when our kids spend so much of their time each day in school, and when many children get up to half their daily calories from school meals, it’s clear that we as a nation have a responsibility to meet as well,” Mrs. Obama said. “We can’t just leave it up to the parents. I think that parents have a right to expect that their efforts at home won’t be undone each day in the school cafeteria or in the vending machine in the hallway. I think that our parents have a right to expect that their kids will be served fresh, healthy food that meets high nutritional standards.”

The Senate approved the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act legislation in August and the House approved it earlier this month by a vote of 264-157 (with 153 Republicans and 4 Democrats voting no, and 247 Democrats and 17 Republicans voting yes). The law will be administered by the Department of Agriculture, which will craft new school nutrition standards under the law.

The law increases spending on school nutrition programs by $4.5 billion over ten years and encompasses a range of provisions, including offering qualified children breakfast, lunch and dinner at school, as well as meals during the summer. It also includes a pilot program for “organic foods.”

President Obama said at the signing ceremony—held at the Harriet Tubman Elementary School in Washington. D.C.--that he was following in the tradition of President Harry S. Truman, who signed the first federal school lunch program into law, and President Lyndon B. Johnson, who signed the Childhood Nutrition Act of 1966.

Obama said that if the bill had not reached his desk for his signature, “I would be sleeping on the couch.”

The law has been championed by the first lady as part of her campaign to end childhood obesity. Michelle Obama said that while it may seem ironic to be addressing childhood hunger and obesity at the same time, “it’s really just two sides of the same coin.”

Critics of the bill include former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, a Republican, who took cookies to an event in Pennsylvania in November to illustrate what she said is the “nanny state run amok.”
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Source: Michelle Obama on Deciding What Kids Eat:

So the Government decides what our kids should eat and not the Parents anymore, huh?

Yiz
 
Actually, to me this reads that the schools are undoing what parents are trying to do with the junk food in the vending machines......not sure about the school kitchens....
 
Tousi said:
Actually, to me this reads that the schools are undoing what parents are trying to do with the junk food in the vending machines......not sure about the school kitchens....
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Well, if the school cafeterias is gonna give kids stuff they don't wanna eat, they'll be bringing their own sack lunches.

Kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it? A big waste of tax dollars on prolly half if not more on kids that won't eat their stuff.

Yiz
 
yizuman said:
Well, if the school cafeterias is gonna give kids stuff they don't wanna eat, they'll be bringing their own sack lunches.

Kinda defeats the purpose, doesn't it? A big waste of tax dollars on prolly half if not more on kids that won't eat their stuff.

Yiz
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but the deaf school in our state require students to eat lunch that cafeteria provided, also bring lunch from home isn't allowed either, it has been existed for many years.
 
Foxrac said:
but the deaf school in our state require students to eat lunch that cafeteria provided, also bring lunch from home isn't allowed either, it has been existed for many years.
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It varies by the school.

I grew up bringing my own lunch from home...with the exception of buying my own lunch almost once a week (especially pizza days). When I was in high school, I stopped bringing my own lunch.

I guess this whole thing is due to the large increase in overweight kids nowadays compared to the past. :dunno:
 
So the Government decides what our kids should eat and not the Parents anymore, huh?

Yiz

No, the govt is holding the schools accountable for providing junk foods and be more responsible with the kinds of foods they serve.

See this:

“But when our kids spend so much of their time each day in school, and when many children get up to half their daily calories from school meals, it’s clear that we as a nation have a responsibility to meet as well,” Mrs. Obama said. “We can’t just leave it up to the parents. I think that parents have a right to expect that their efforts at home won’t be undone each day in the school cafeteria or in the vending machine in the hallway. I think that our parents have a right to expect that their kids will be served fresh, healthy food that meets high nutritional standards.”
 
Foxrac said:
but the deaf school in our state require students to eat lunch that cafeteria provided, also bring lunch from home isn't allowed either, it has been existed for many years.
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Really? Where I work at, the students have an option to bring lunch from home or eat what the cafeteria has provided.

In response to the obesity crises, the lunch menu at where I work has been changed to more healthier foods and smaller portions. Before, the students would get two tacos...now they get one. Whenever they complain about still being hungry and wanting another taco, I tell them to eat the fruit and veggie bowls or go hungry. They wont be getting seconds. Also, the budget cuts played a role in the change as well.
 
shel90 said:
Really? Where I work at, the students have an option to bring lunch from home or eat what the cafeteria has provided.

In response to the obesity crises, the lunch menu at where I work has been changed to more healthier foods and smaller portions. Before, the students would get two tacos...now they get one. Whenever they complain about still being hungry and wanting another taco, I tell them to eat the fruit and veggie bowls or go hungry. They wont be getting seconds. Also, the budget cuts played a role in the change as well.
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Yup, in Alabama and obesity rate at deaf school in our state is almost non-existant since most students are normal, some are overweight (especially football players) but in hearing school, I see more obese students.

Having two tacos are okay, usually Mexican restaurants serve two tacos with rice and beans.
 
What is Michelle Obama going to do about the homeless kids that have no food to eat! I have not heard her talk about this!
 
The federal free/reduced price lunch program provides two meals per day--breakfast before school and lunch during school. Kids can't learn if they don't eat. During the summer, certain schools are open to serve the kids the two meals.

My kids' school lunch program is good. It's gotten better over the years. There is always fresh fruit, which kids love. I know that there are no vending machines in our elementary school but I'm not sure about the high school. I don't mind vending machines in the high school if they aren't available during lunch. Sometimes, the teens stay after school and they might want a snack.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
What is Michelle Obama going to do about the homeless kids that have no food to eat! I have not heard her talk about this!
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I think that homeless kids do go to public school and they are entitle to get free lunch so it had been for many years.
 
Parents may not be able to keep vending machines out of the schools. School administrators want the profit from those machines (even more so with budget cuts). Parents are not necessarily in a position to evaluate or reform school lunch programs either. As a parent, I appreciate support in this area. Parenting is a hard job and parents need support.
 
sallylou said:
Parents may not be able to keep vending machines out of the schools. School administrators want the profit from those machines (even more so with budget cuts). Parents are not necessarily in a position to evaluate or reform school lunch programs either. As a parent, I appreciate support in this area. Parenting is a hard job and parents need support.
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They could by changing the votes for school district and new candidate that running for school board may support to kick vending machines out of school.
 
Kinda curious, back in my day, in elementary school, I bring a dime a day for lunch. Wonder what the cost of lunch is today?

Yiz
 
yizuman said:
Kinda curious, back in my day, in elementary school, I bring a dime a day for lunch. Wonder what the cost of lunch is today?

Yiz
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Usually no more than $2 per meal.

When I was high school student in 2005-2006, lunch cost was $1.50 with full meal and bottle of juice.
 
Foxrac said:
Usually no more than $2 per meal.

When I was high school student in 2005-2006, lunch cost was $1.50 with full meal and bottle of juice.
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:jaw:
Really, my school charges $2.50 for a sausage roll. A full meal, main, side and a drink is over $5
 
I am laughing off about that one because...

recently; i went to high school local... for Christmas community event and some school fund for their sport activate. I was standing the line to buy... I happen notice while I was standing... the soda machine... ALL ARE DIET... no regular soda... I found that interesting... I understand that Diet drink is risking and put that machine to let student in risk too?

I found that funny because I don't see how that we can balance overall that USA end up being fat and fatter. How that Michelle Obama say that.. and have she visit all school public across the USA?

I found somewhat insult because I am the parent and I can see their parent who are fat while I am just little chubby as end up my kids weight just fine while I can see their kids are fatter just like parent. I am not here to judge who is fatter and point... my dad is fat and I choose to being copy or follow the well being sake for my health. So I choose that and I don't weight like my father current 400 pounds :(

So I think that has do with school or parent... It just can't point at school but maintain system require as student to use ID in order buy a food. So parents be aware from kids are eating at school instead point our finger at school.

It would nice to have system message 'decline' the food items as parent already present on front line at their system message that cannot have for food due health history or anything that can pass by from families history. Course; we are try to prevent our repeat mistake such as my one family and rest of their family have diabetes while cousin have high chance get one due parent example eating or drink...

I believe that have to do with parents job and school responsible to inform parents what kids are eating and similar as grade student if they are not doing well and then being inform parent. One thing... I do not understand if parent care about their CHILD and not being bother at school about test grade or question about school event...

However; it would be good and see improve with changing into future.
 
Zerodog, I pay for my kids' lunches online. I can check the balance and add more money on a website. I can also review purchases made by my kids. For the elementary kids, a parent has to give signed permission for a kid to buy chips and goodies during lunch. There's also a grade book website. I get email notification for good/bad grades and a weekly progress report. Kids, mom's watching you!
 
sallylou said:
The federal free/reduced price lunch program provides two meals per day--breakfast before school and lunch during school. Kids can't learn if they don't eat. During the summer, certain schools are open to serve the kids the two meals.

My kids' school lunch program is good. It's gotten better over the years. There is always fresh fruit, which kids love. I know that there are no vending machines in our elementary school but I'm not sure about the high school. I don't mind vending machines in the high school if they aren't available during lunch. Sometimes, the teens stay after school and they might want a snack.
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Well said. My son's lunch program provided breakfast and lunch...and any kid that stayed for after school activities could also get dinner if they wanted it. The kids loved the food...parent volunteers rotated cafeteria duty, so the kid's had nutritious and tasty meals.
 
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