Parenting
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Moms irate about bake sale ban
user
- by CafeMom, on Mon Oct 5, 2009 6:04pm PDT
A
ban on bake sales is the
latest effort by New York City schools to curb
childhood
obesity. But both students and parents are livid over the
new policy.
Would this law fly in your school?
Here's why NYC school officials have instituted the new
policy banning bake sales:
- Roughly 40 percent of the city’s elementary and middle school
students are overweight or obese. Officials hope that prohibiting
bake sales will help to limit how much sugar, fat, and
calories students consume during the school day.
- Officials found a correlation between student health
and performance on standardized tests—better health is
linked to better academic performance. Therefore, officials hope
that prohibiting junk food at school will help to increase academic
performance.
Here's why students and parents are so opposed to the
bake sale ban:
- Many school clubs and teams
depend on the money generated from weekly bake sales.
- Banning bake sales is not an effective solution to the problem
of obesity. There are better ways to improve student
health at school including more physical activity/gym
time, making more fresh, healthy foods available in the cafeteria,
and teaching nutrition in schools.
What do you think? Is the ban on bake sales smart or
idiotic?
Written by Kim Conte for
CafeMom's Food & Party Buzz
Related Posts:
Related: new york city schools, fundraisers, childhood obesity, cafemom, bake sale ban
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Posted by rockin' mom Tue Oct 6, 2009 12:10pm PDT
WHAT????? A BAN on something uplifting, something that brings children and parents together and is POSITIVE???? Great job, schools! NOT. Ugh. That's so crappy.
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Posted by Katie B Tue Oct 6, 2009 12:29pm PDT
Hm... well it seems to me that school children were healthier when they still taught home econ and physical ed... But maybe it's just my (and my mothers) imagination since I was born a generation too late for that...
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Posted by Ani Tue Oct 6, 2009 12:38pm PDT
Just because there isn't a bake sale at school won't stop the kids from either going down to the store or home to open up a bag of cookies! And, with the economy going the way it is, they need things like bake sales to help school teams with FUNDING games and school activites.
The whole school system is turning into one big mistake. I don't know what these people are thinking. This idea is plan stupid.
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Posted by Vix Tue Oct 6, 2009 1:05pm PDT
That seems like a case of throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Why not simply suggest that at least 50% of the items offered should be healthy alternatives, like fruit tarts, chocolate covered bananas, or cookies and cakes sweetened with Splenda or juice instead of sugar? NYC schools are desperately underfunded and their clubs really need these economic boosts.
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Posted by Bobbylane Tue Oct 6, 2009 1:34pm PDT
They did that to our elementary school in our area to, they said the food could cause illness in people who might have an allergic reaction. I mean really, you would think those types would use better judgement in choosing things to eat off at table than to killjoy the idea for others.
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Posted by STRAWBERRY Tue Oct 6, 2009 1:47pm PDT
What's wrong with car washes, raffle tickets, things of that nature. Bakes sales are not the end all, be all.
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Posted by MrsKlingonPasadena Tue Oct 6, 2009 2:02pm PDT
Bake sales didn't make American children fat! I blame it on video games and ready-made foods. Junk foods with artificial ingredients, and frozen pizza rolls. Value meals at fast food joints and 3+ sodas a day. Being driven everywhere instead of walking or riding a bike. Playing baseball on an XBox instead of stick ball in the field.
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Posted by another hockey fan Tue Oct 6, 2009 2:28pm PDT
Bake sales have been a staple of generating funds for years. I'm all for healthier lifestyles, but who says just because you buy it you have to eat it anyway? It's about the money, not the stupid food.
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Posted by Jacklyn Tue Oct 6, 2009 2:48pm PDT
I agree with the decision. There are many other ways to raise money for schools and clubs without contributing to the fat epidemic. My daughter's school holds carnivals with rented inflatable jumpers and slides, and game booths. Tickets are a quarter, or you can pay five dollars for a wristband. Also "discount cards" are a golden idea. Just go to local businesses, and ask them to provide a small discount or bonus to card-bearers, print off and laminate the cards, and sell them for 10-15 dollars each. In my hometown, most of the restaurants and grocery stores participated, even Wal-Mart! Our local Mexican restaurant even allowed cardholders to buy one combination platter and two drinks, and receive a second combo free on Mondays. Be creative. Also, all that fundraiser money would be gone in a flash if one 1st grader with a peanut allergy died because you had your chocolate chip cookies on the same plate with your peanut butter cookies. I don't agree with the lawsuit centered society we have, but that's how it is.
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Posted by Jed Tue Oct 6, 2009 4:24pm PDT
I agree with Vix, there has got to be happy middle ground. And I would add that Bloomberg is simply taking things too far. Its a fine line between making smart social policy and trying to micro-manage people's lives through overly intrusive legislation... This (and his stalled effort to ban smoking outdoors, if you ask me) are crossing the line.
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