Does the gov't have the right to weigh our children in public schools and tell the parents they are obese?

Question

When I was in high school, they weighed us and sent a letter to the parents telling them their children were either at risk of or are obese. Do they think parents don't know? It is nice that the government is trying to help kids and parents get healthy, but isn't there another way to do it? And it isn't just in high schools, they are doing it in Elementaries also. My niece is 10?! No one should ever tell her she is fat! They are so worried with the appearance of people that they aren't seeing the bigger picture! How many people they will hurt and how many self-esteems will be injured because of their journey to creating a better health in Americans. It is of free choice people eat so much they get sick. Let them be ignorant and harm their bodies. Don't hurt the children because mommy and daddy can't eat a vargetable or two or cook a meal rather than go to McDonalds.

Answer 1

i'm not familiar with how health care works in the United States but in Canada it's the tax dollars that pay for health care. (preventable) obesity is the cause of many other health care issues which are costing the government and the taxpayers billions of dollars, if not more, yearly. i don't think the school system is so much worried with appearance issues as they are trying to educate on a healthier society.

Answer 2

That is the problem exactly - self-esteem. Nowadays everyone is so politically correct that they are afraid of hurting someones self-esteem. Give it a rest! Self-esteem is not everything and I'm so tired of the feel-good education and other feel-good things we do in this country.

Obviously if parents were paying closer attention to their children and what they were consuming the schools wouldn't need to send a letter home telling the parents that their child is considered obese. Parents should wake up and smell the coffee. Regulate what their children are eating and how much they are exercising. Maybe once parents took control of their children's lives instead of throwing a Big Mac in front of them and letting the television babysit school systems wouldn't have to intervene.

Also, you mention that we shouldn't hurt the children because mommy and daddy can't eat a vegetable or two.....why can't they?? Who says mommy and daddy have to eat a vegetable? Buy a can of mixed veggies and give some to your child. It's not difficult. Also, it's actually more practical and less time consuming to cook a meal at home (pasta and a veggie?) rather than drive to a fast food resturant, wait in line, and drive home again. There's just too many excuses.

Better health is important to the society as a whole. We'll have lower health insurance costs, less time off work, increased productivity and longer living people.

Answer 3

Im in high school and i have never been weighed like that. im almost 100% sure that they are not able to do that. talk to the principle and/or district administrator and tell them what is going on because sometimes they dont even know that is going on. but yeah you are right they have no right to tell children of any age that they are fat or obese or at risk for being that way. if they ever did that to my kid i would be seriously mad and talk to that priciple or whatever. why do they have to weigh them anyways ? that's what a pediatrition is for !!! it's none of the schools business how much your child or you weigh. it's only the parent and the childs problem if they are overweight. the school should back off !

Answer 4

Obesity is a sign of neglect. In my school they used to send letters home for bad eyesight and crooked teeth. If parents don't want their child's feelings to get hurt then they need to open their eyes to what their children are putting in thier mouth. If a kid is obese, this type of letter will be last on the list of crap they will go through. How about parents saving their kids from all the teasing and tormenting they will endure. And stop worrying about letters that schools send home.

Answer 5

I think it's fantastic. Parents need to be parents for a change and get more kids off the video games and off their dead butts and outside running around, playing, biking, doing sports and burning off fat. It also teaches discipline...something most children are sadly lacking in. I see the kids in charge of the parent everywhere I go. I want this, I want that, I'm not doing it, whatever! Parents should be concerned about obese kids. Show me an obese kid and I'll see a parent who doesn't care very much about their kid...except to make excuses.

Answer 6

I agree with you. I think the BMI testing is not doing as much good as the government thought it would. I think the government initiated the BMI readings in an effort to show that they are concerned for children's health. However, I think BMI doesn't always take into account all factors. For example, an athlete will typically have more muscle weight and muscle weighs more than fat. I have known of athletes who have been told they are overweight according to the BMI. I think the government could find other ways, such as being stricter on what foods schools can serve and exercise programs, than focusing on BMI.

Answer 7

being fat- i can understand where you are coming from. i work in a school district where the nurses are required by law to do body mass indexing. this requires weight measurement along with other things to record in a childs' health records. not sure if the government records this information for scientific research or if it is of any relevence at all.

consider for a moment that there are parents who cannot afford to take their child to doctors. a responsible parent can make responsible choices for their child to ensure that their health and well being are being addressed at a young age.

this may mean going back to the golden day ages and telling children that they must eat all of their veggies before they can have another peice of bread or dessert. the bitter reality is parents buying junkfood on a consistent basis causes a childs development to be brutally harmed.

this day in age- people do not cook meals instead, they heat up pre-made; fatty; preservative filled; cholestorol full CRAP and shovel it in their kids. blame parents...blame the food industries...blame the government...blame science even!

in all honestly, i think there is some sort of help that could arouse better/higher metabolism for youths and adults alike. my opinion is that the government feeds of of its' population to survive and obesity is a guarenteed way of widespread panic. through raised food prices- cost is the same to pull into any drive through and buy dinner for the family instead of spending valuble time to cook a healthy meal meant to nourish-not solely please your tastebuds.

the scientific research says that obesity is just a matter of chemistry in our bodies. skinny people release a chemical that says "my body is full- i am satisfied; i don't need anymore." fat people release a chemical when seeing food that sounds appealing that says "ahh... man i want some- i'm sure i could have just a little more."

i say it IS not the childs' fault- it is our society. if junk wasn't so readily available to americans and the freakin' government would address the scientific evidence and find a for sure solution- the obesity level wouldn't be this bad.

Answer 8

I don't think they should weigh children period. It is quite embarassing when they do it at my school. And if the kid is really obese, don't you think the parents know already?