How fucking dare they?!?!?!? The ass clowns that run Chicago's Little Village Academy public school
(story here) have decided that the school lunches are more nutritious than brown bag lunches from home and have banned, yes BANNED, students from bringing lunch to school unless they have a documented allergy. This offends me on so many different levels that it isn't even funny. First of all, what happens to the families that don't qualify for free or reduced lunch costs but still live on a really tight budget. In that school system, full price for lunch is $2.25 in elementary school. That's $11.25 a week...$45 every 4 weeks...or $405 for a standard 36 week school year. And, what if that family has more than one child in school? That is a potential budget killer. I know damned well a ham and cheese sandwich, an apple, a handful of baby carrots, and a drink won't cost me that much to put together. Secondly, what if your child is an extremely picky eater or even has food issues due to some disorder (not an allergy). Their dictate from on high makes no provisions for that. Third, what happens to the Jewish family that keeps kosher or the traditional Indian family that doesn't eat beef or the vegetarian kids? I know the first two examples won't be covered and I've seen the crap most school systems try to pass off as a vegetarian option. But, the most important issue of all is that those children at that PUBLIC school all have parents or guardians who are responsible for making decisions about their health and welfare. Last time I checked, we don't live in a nanny state and we haven't given the public schools the authority to dictate what our children eat. Those school officials need to dismount the damned pedestal they've put themselves on and remember that they are EDUCATORS not substitute parents.
16 comments:
That is insane and baffling. They really need to stick to educating. How about once all the students have textbooks and can read them they worry about what's in the brown bags.
It's probably just a cover for the fact that the school isn't getting enough funding and this is there method of covering their costs. It's ridiculous and you should definitely protest.
I would never stand for that! ughh, big brother much
That is total BS! I pack my son's lunch every day for less than that, and he has allergies. Never mind that the I don't want my kid eating a cat-meat sandwich, tater tots, and canned vegetables. That ignites my frugal ire!
Wow! I hadnt heard that!!! Crazy!
That is absolutely ridiculous! I can't even understand how they can logically argue the need to ban home brought lunches :/
WOW! I would be steaming if they attempted that here. I totally feel where you are coming from with this. How ludicrous!
That has to be THE most ridiculous thing I have ever heard! There is no way a school would tell me that my child could not bring their lunch from home. I would have to find a new school.
I'm a sub (have my teaching degree, still searching for a full time position in CPS) with CPS, and the funny thing is that 99% of the kids in the schools I work at don't bring their lunches anyway. So it really shouldn't be a huge deal (most receive free or reduced lunch). The crap the kids bring in their lunches isn't normal stuff you and I would pack our kids. Its stuff like Flaming Hot Cheetos, those little barrel looking sugary drinks and other random crap the students pick up for a quarter at the store on the corner. Truth be told, the principals at these schools are doing the students a favor by not allowing them to bring their own lunches. This is probably most of these students only chances to receive a warm, halfway decent meal all day. So I can respect the principals decision to do this.
What your article fails to mention is that 99% of the students at this school is considered "low income" and receive free lunches. Most, I should say hardly any, students don't pay full price for a lunch in CPS and I guarantee you that if they do, they aren't attending the school mentioned in this article. Here are the stats on the school mentioned in the article:
http://www.cps.edu/Schools/Pages/school.aspx?unit=2590
This makes me so angry I want to scream. We live in a free country, and these are PUBLIC schools. I'm sorry, the previous poster's argument that kids only bring crap to school and therefore shouldn't be allowed to make that choice is effing bullsh*t. IT'S THEIR CHOICE!!! What is this, George Orwell's 1984? "We know best, so we'll just take over from here." Aaaaaaarg!!! (Sorry for the rant!)
@Sandy-- Have you ever been in a Chicago Public School for lunch in an impoverished area of the city (which is right smack dab where this school is)? If not, I suggest you come visit some time. You will be enlightened.
This makes my head explode.
@ASP
Yes, I have taught middle school in both rural and urban (inner city) Arizona. My students would bring 2-liter bottles of Mountain Due to class, as well as Starbucks. Disgusting, yes. Forbid parents from letting their kids bring lunches because I don't approve? NOOOOO!!!! (This is a free country, not free for people who do what we like)
*Dew :)
Seriously stupid. I understand about wanting kids to eat better and healthier but to ban lunches from home? I seriously would have went hungry a lot as I rarely liked food that was prepared by someone else.
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