It baffles me that schools are not paying attention to kids long-term health

[Anonymous]

1. All the screens make it difficult for them to entertain themselves without, cause eye strain, make them distracted.

2. Crap processed food everywhere you turn. Compare to France and Japan where they have freshly cooked appetizing school lunches, no snacks allowed

Yes I know we as parents can tell our kids to not get distracted by the school laptops, and to only eat their healthy packed lunch. And hopefully they will listen. But why do schools make it so tempting for them to do things that will affect their long-term health? Why not inculcate healthy habits instead?

[Anonymous]

just trying to make everything "fun"

like the overall culture

hard to demand that they be leaders in this when their constituents largely DGAF

[Anonymous]

Individual schools can’t do anything about the food issue. It’s due to low school lunch reimbursement rates & Tyson lobbying to have their crap served to kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Individual schools can’t do anything about the food issue. It’s due to low school lunch reimbursement rates & Tyson lobbying to have their crap served to kids.

You are right, the responsibility falls on the admin/dept of education

[Anonymous]

According to Wikipedia, in France families pay for half of a school meal. In the US, a lot of the meals are more heavily subsidized or even free. You can't expect the US government, or individual school districts, to provide the kind of meals France serves for free.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_meal#:~:text=Students%20can%20get%20lunch%20at,the%20meal%20varies%20by%20region.

[Anonymous]

Pack your kid’s lunch, limit screen time and don’t allow a phone at a young age. Why should this be the school’s problem?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pack your kid’s lunch, limit screen time and don’t allow a phone at a young age. Why should this be the school’s problem?

Because schools won’t stop incorporating screens into their lessons for some reason, and a kid can’t pack their own lunch for school if there is no food in the fridge. I don’t know why the fact that kids don’t choose their parents is so hard for people to comprehend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to Wikipedia, in France families pay for half of a school meal. In the US, a lot of the meals are more heavily subsidized or even free. You can't expect the US government, or individual school districts, to provide the kind of meals France serves for free.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_meal#:~:text=Students%20can%20get%20lunch%20at,the%20meal%20varies%20by%20region.

Uh, France doesn't provide those meals for free

[Anonymous]

How many parents actually think the current amount of screen time in schools is a good idea? How many parents will actually challenge this for their child vs accepting this as the new “normal” when there’s really nothing normal about it? How many question the food choices and find ways to challenge processed junk being offered at each meal? I’ve worked at schools that had better food options but it was because of parent push back.

Most parents though don’t push back against changes as much as they should, they would rather say that’s just how it is now than take charge over their child’s education. If you are accepting of it without question then you’re part of the problem. Teachers know it’s not working, it’s part of the reason teachers are quitting in droves, but until the parents step up the madness will continue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pack your kid’s lunch, limit screen time and don’t allow a phone at a young age. Why should this be the school’s problem?

First, it is the school’s problem because children who get too much screentime and junk food can’t learn as well, so it makes things more difficult for the teachers. Second, why should schools be promoting bad things like screens and junk food?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How many parents actually think the current amount of screen time in schools is a good idea? How many parents will actually challenge this for their child vs accepting this as the new “normal” when there’s really nothing normal about it? How many question the food choices and find ways to challenge processed junk being offered at each meal? I’ve worked at schools that had better food options but it was because of parent push back.

Most parents though don’t push back against changes as much as they should, they would rather say that’s just how it is now than take charge over their child’s education. If you are accepting of it without question then you’re part of the problem. Teachers know it’s not working, it’s part of the reason teachers are quitting in droves, but until the parents step up the madness will continue.

Guilty. I hate the amount of screen time and junk food in public school, but instead of pushing back I opted out and decided to send my children to a $45k private. Would rather spend the money than waste time trying to campaign against things that are being heavily promoted by $$$ lobbying (food companies, tech companies)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Pack your kid’s lunch, limit screen time and don’t allow a phone at a young age. Why should this be the school’s problem?

A choice in the matter should be the norm for parents rather than constant forced screen usage in school settings.

Some children don’t have the luxury of packed lunch.

[Anonymous]

Because we live in the USA where everyone is on their own. No one cares for anyone. Just indivisible families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because we live in the USA where everyone is on their own. No one cares for anyone. Just indivisible families.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How many parents actually think the current amount of screen time in schools is a good idea? How many parents will actually challenge this for their child vs accepting this as the new “normal” when there’s really nothing normal about it? How many question the food choices and find ways to challenge processed junk being offered at each meal? I’ve worked at schools that had better food options but it was because of parent push back.

Most parents though don’t push back against changes as much as they should, they would rather say that’s just how it is now than take charge over their child’s education. If you are accepting of it without question then you’re part of the problem. Teachers know it’s not working, it’s part of the reason teachers are quitting in droves, but until the parents step up the madness will continue.

Guilty. I hate the amount of screen time and junk food in public school, but instead of pushing back I opted out and decided to send my children to a $45k private. Would rather spend the money than waste time trying to campaign against things that are being heavily promoted by $$$ lobbying (food companies, tech companies)

I’d say you made the right choice for your child and family. At least you noticed enough to do something differently, most parents don’t even do that. Majority can’t afford an alternative so I’m just always surprised by how little parents push back in public schools when that’s really the only way that change is made.