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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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?

Agreed. I have a first grader and have said to my DH several times that I'm convinced the intent of public schools is to get kids addicted to screens and junk food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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?

Agreed. I have a first grader and have said to my DH several times that I'm convinced the intent of public schools is to get kids addicted to screens and junk food.

It really feels that way at our school (which we are trying to leave). I found out about midway through the year that my kid was watching videos in half of their specials, just for the whole time. They'd show up to music or PE or whatever, and then the teacher would put on a 30 minute video. Sometimes the videos were interactive but not even all the time! Yes, even in PE. I was livid.

They give out candy daily.

At one point they were playing the kids cartoons during lunch. I only found out because my child (who takes a packed lunch) complained that she couldn't see the screen from her seat in the cafeteria. Like literally this school was showing cartoons so that the kids could zone out during lunch while eating their terrible processed crap lunch (the school lunch is bad but a lot of kids are bringing even worse lunches from home -- Doritos, lunchables, fruit snacks -- just low-nutrient processed garbage).

I cannot wait to put this school in the rear view. If I didn't work I would have pulled DD out to homeschool already this year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Because it feels like a losing battle when the opponents of change are these big corporations with lots of $$$. And I don't even know how you turn back the clock on technology at this point, it seems that all of the curriculums rely heavily on it now. Doesn't help that the only health-related things parents in our school seem to care about relate to Covid (still!).

I pretty much just don't allow any tablets at home, they can watch a TV show and that's it, and even that is probably too much because I know they've already gotten at least 2hrs of screen time at school.