McDonald's Rewards?
While watching the "Colbert Report" last night, one of his segments really caught my attention.
In Seminole, Florida, not far from where I grew up, their school system rewards students who have earned Honor Roll/Dean's list with a coupon for a free McDonald's "Happy Meal."
A mother of a student would not allow her daughter who earned the honor roll to go to McDonald's and get her free meal. The mother spoke out saying that she feels that McDonald's is undermining her role as a mother. The fact that schools in general have to "advertise" a particular fast-food entity or cola companies to have enough money to keep their school fuctioning is an outrage.
It's teaching students to use food as a reward.
Plenty of studies show that students do not perform as well on tests, or in class if they eat sugary foods that provide little nutrition. Is it no wonder so many kids are diagnosed with ADHD?
But besides that, it is showing the influential power the food industry has, even over schools! There is the separation of church and state. Well, I believe there should be the separation of fast-food chains and state (school).
Isn't it bad enough that fast food chains target children at home with their enticing commercials and toys? But, to target them at school?
I understand that cafeteria food doesn't taste good and is often just as unhealthy as fast-foods. That needs to change. An initiative here in Los Angeles has been to get the LAUSD to offer a salad bar and more healthy options.
Why not try to do healthier options in schools all over? Don't contribute to the overwhelming profits big companies like McDonalds and Burger King obtain!
It is bad enough that 16-17% of children are obese, some ten year olds weighing as much as 200 pounds. But now, you can't even argue that schools are helping...they're not! They are conspiring with these companies by even acknowledging their existence. Let alone offering them up as a reward.
Maybe as a reward, offer instead coupons to an amusement park or a movie theater, or offer as a reward for 4 honor rolls over the whole year, a field trip to the zoo or Disney World, (obviously this one can't apply all over the country), or some other local fair. Offer a treat that is not food. If people always look to food as rewards then they start to use it as an emotion squelcher.
Don't even get me started on how often food is used to numb emotion and sadness, anger, pain, and depression.
But, if we are trying to, as parents, teach children healthy eating and healthy living, why then would a school offer a reward of a free McDonald's Happy Meal or even food in general? Yes, it is the responsibility of the parent to say to their child, sure we can go to McDonald's for your reward, but why should a child have the idea put into their head to begin with? Override their parents parenting?
I am offended at the idea of rewarding children with food that is known to be unhealthy. We really need a governmental, lobbyist, school system overhaul.
Separate fast-food from state. Seriously.
In Seminole, Florida, not far from where I grew up, their school system rewards students who have earned Honor Roll/Dean's list with a coupon for a free McDonald's "Happy Meal."
A mother of a student would not allow her daughter who earned the honor roll to go to McDonald's and get her free meal. The mother spoke out saying that she feels that McDonald's is undermining her role as a mother. The fact that schools in general have to "advertise" a particular fast-food entity or cola companies to have enough money to keep their school fuctioning is an outrage.
It's teaching students to use food as a reward.
Plenty of studies show that students do not perform as well on tests, or in class if they eat sugary foods that provide little nutrition. Is it no wonder so many kids are diagnosed with ADHD?
But besides that, it is showing the influential power the food industry has, even over schools! There is the separation of church and state. Well, I believe there should be the separation of fast-food chains and state (school).
Isn't it bad enough that fast food chains target children at home with their enticing commercials and toys? But, to target them at school?
I understand that cafeteria food doesn't taste good and is often just as unhealthy as fast-foods. That needs to change. An initiative here in Los Angeles has been to get the LAUSD to offer a salad bar and more healthy options.
Why not try to do healthier options in schools all over? Don't contribute to the overwhelming profits big companies like McDonalds and Burger King obtain!
It is bad enough that 16-17% of children are obese, some ten year olds weighing as much as 200 pounds. But now, you can't even argue that schools are helping...they're not! They are conspiring with these companies by even acknowledging their existence. Let alone offering them up as a reward.
Maybe as a reward, offer instead coupons to an amusement park or a movie theater, or offer as a reward for 4 honor rolls over the whole year, a field trip to the zoo or Disney World, (obviously this one can't apply all over the country), or some other local fair. Offer a treat that is not food. If people always look to food as rewards then they start to use it as an emotion squelcher.
Don't even get me started on how often food is used to numb emotion and sadness, anger, pain, and depression.
But, if we are trying to, as parents, teach children healthy eating and healthy living, why then would a school offer a reward of a free McDonald's Happy Meal or even food in general? Yes, it is the responsibility of the parent to say to their child, sure we can go to McDonald's for your reward, but why should a child have the idea put into their head to begin with? Override their parents parenting?
I am offended at the idea of rewarding children with food that is known to be unhealthy. We really need a governmental, lobbyist, school system overhaul.
Separate fast-food from state. Seriously.
posted by Dana M. Ellis, MPH, R.D. @ 11:37 AM
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