Can’t blame McDonald’s or schools for children’s eating habits. Or can we?
Interesting news story today about the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based consumer advocacy group, threatening to file a lawsuit against McDonald’s, saying that the fast food chain’s marketing of its Happy Meal toys “has the effect of conscripting America’s children into an unpaid drone army of word-of-mouth marketers, causing them to nag their parents to bring them to McDonald’s.”
Blaming McDonald’s for obese kids is akin to blaming schools. I have disagreed on this issue with some of my food writer friends who believe that schools ought to be teaching nutrition through what they serve in the lunchrooms and that schools play a key role in childhood obesity.
I don’t think McDonald’s is the parent here. Nor are the schools. If parents don’t want their kids to eat french fries, say “no” when the kids ask to go to McDonald’s. If parents don’t like the calorie counts of school lunch options, pack a lunch for the child.
I remain leery of expanding the list of things that schools ought to take responsibility for, such as teaching kids to be civil, to perform CPR and to count calories. My wariness is a result of meeting with too many well-meaning organizations who believe that their agenda – whether financial literacy or organic produce — ought to be adopted by schools.
I see no problem with a toy in the Happy Meal. Is it a lure? Sure, but life is full of lures. Parents have to teach their kids to resist the negative ones.
I have friends who hate that some teachers offer candy to students as a prize or treat. I don’t. I just don’t think the problem is a peppermint or candy Kiss now and then.
According to the story:
McDonald’s has fought such criticism for years, and the company made a pledge in 2007 to advertise only two types of Happy Meals to children younger than 12: one with four Chicken McNuggets, apple dippers with caramel dip and low-fat white milk, or one with a hamburger, apple dippers and milk. They both meet the company-set requirement of less than 600 calories, and no more than 35 percent of calories from fat, 10 percent of calories from saturated fat or 35 percent total sugar by weight.
CSPI argues that even if those Happy Meals appear in advertisements, kids order the unhealthier meals most of the time.
Again, there’s parent in this scenario. I am not sure why the parent can’t say “no” to the less healthy version.
I know many of you will disagree with me, but I think parents have a lot to do with food choices. When I was a kid, I pleaded with my mother to buy soda (soft drinks to those not from the Northeast). Never got any. And I don’t buy them much now, regarding a six-pack of Coke as a treat for my teenage son and his pals. I don’t let my 11-year-olds drink them. (I do let them order sodas in restaurants as a treat.)
I agree with keeping vending machines out of schools. I don’t think we should make it easy for children to buy junk. Nor do I think schools ought to make money from kids’ poor choices.
But we can’t shift the burden of children’s eating habits onto schools or restaurants. Because last time I looked, there were no 7-year-olds behind the wheel in the drive-thru.
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106 comments Add your comment
@Maureen
June 24th, 2010
3:39 pm
Go ahead Devil’s Advocate, since you are so convinced the problem is that so many of you colleagues are weak teachers, submit a column to Maureen and ask her to run it on Learning Curve.
I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to oblige.
schooled
June 24th, 2010
3:50 pm
Maureen- Thanks for your response. I understand a variety of topics keep things interesting, but many bloggers have begged for you to ask the State Superintendent candidates about RTTT, Math 123, the lack of multiple diplomas and discipline. Why not ask these questions? You would get tons of interested readers and comments. I read the comments posted on the questions you gave the candidates. Let’s just say found a lot of information by just looking at the candidate websites. I hope Georgia voters will read and find out as much as possible about the candidates. Thank you for providing this forum for discussion of these issues. Please consider asking readers to suggest questions for the candidates.
I haven’t heard of a situation where a teacher fears for his/her life, but I do know it is difficult to conduct a class due to discipline. I am not a new teacher and have tons of classroom management experience, but unless the administrators, system, state and society in general back up the teacher’s authority in the classroom nothing will help. As a classroom teacher, I do not fear for my life, but fear for the kids sitting in classrooms where they can’t learn because two or three students continue to cause problems. Another poster mentioned administrators are good about sending kids to alternative school if needed. This may be the case in some systems, but most places only have a certain number of slots at the alternative school. If the kids get out of school suspension they are more likely to drop out. To prevent dropouts many systems just choose to keep these kids with the regular population which means they continue to display disruptive behavior.
Teachers are being held accountable for the way a kid behaves, they way he/she performs on test, whether or not he/she graduates on time, whether or not a kid is stimulated enough in class to do homework, student attendance and tardiness, and possibly his/her food choices. If food choices are the responsibility of parents shouldn’t everything else be the responsibility of mom and dad?
Ask MACE
June 24th, 2010
3:54 pm
Maureen, I’m sure Dr. John Trotter will give you all the background information you need to develop a blog topic for school districts not enforcing the discipline policies they have on paper.
Devil's Advocate
June 24th, 2010
3:56 pm
I think most teachers do a pretty good job, and I feel that the issue of poor teachers gets more than enough play on this blog. So, the last thing I would want to do is embark on a mind-numbing rant that eventually just serves to diminish an issue I hold dear.
What is Learning Curve? I am not familiar with it, and I am not aware of any questions that I haven’t answered.
@Maureen
June 24th, 2010
4:11 pm
“So, the last thing I would want to do is embark on a mind-numbing rant that eventually just serves to diminish an issue I hold dear.”
Mind numbing? Don’t sell yourself so short Devil’s Advocate. And don’t, whatever you do, admit you don’t know what Learning Curve is. You’ll hurt Maureen’s feelings.
Maureen Downey
June 24th, 2010
4:26 pm
@schooled, My AJC colleague Kristina Torres is doing the Atlanta Press Club school superintendent debates Sunday, which will air live at 7 on GPB. She asked me about possible questions and I suggested both the math issue and RTTT. She may not be able to ask both as there are other people asking questions as well.
I did not write the questions asked by the AJC Sunday package, but I did note in my coverage of the Georgia Schools Boards Association panel in Savannah last week that both John Barge and Richard Woods oppose RTTT.
JP
June 24th, 2010
4:29 pm
I had a student who constantly complained about the school lunches. I suggested to her that she bring her lunch from home. Her response was, “You can’t expect my parents to pay for my lunches. I eat free.”
@Maureen-here's some data
June 24th, 2010
4:40 pm
From the same Public Agenda study: “More than half of teachers said that behavior problems often stem from teachers who are soft on discipline because they can’t count on parents or their schools to support them”
What good does it do to spend BILLIONS teaching teachers “research based best practices” if the teachers aren’t going to be supported in putting them to use when it comes to discipline?
Asking candidates about education issues without asking about discipline, is like asking the President about Afghanistan without asking about the Taliban.
It’s a charade. And we have the bottom of the barrel ranking to prove it.
catlady
June 24th, 2010
4:41 pm
I know our meals at our school are carefully planned to meet all kinds of rules. HOWEVER, the food has too much fat, too much breading, too much salt, too much processing, too much plastic wrapping. I would like to see meals served that aren’t full of “ingredients.” Just simple things: turkey, apple, green beans, etc.
A few of our children bring good food from home. Most bring junk, plain and simple.
As to what parents allow their children to eat at home, not up to us. But at school, with our “captive audience” we can refuse to serve plastic, non-food, high-fat junk. If the kids eat, good. If they don’t, okay.How much a child eats is also NOt our decision. At my school 70% of the kids eat free. Give them wholesome food to choose from.
The problem is, the government subsidy allows the system to pay its workers. It behooves the food service to send the cheapest “food” to the most children. This is one reason why we cannot dismiss schools on snowy days until AFTER lunch is served, no matter how early we have to serve it (9:30 one day this past year!) no matter how hard it is snowing.
We don’t let kids get cokes, but they can go to the school snack store after lunch and get garbage. I am constantly surprised at how much the kids on free lunch spend at the store!
Devil's Advocate
June 24th, 2010
4:50 pm
@@ Maureen A OPINION POLL of teachers will always support your contention. Teachers love to play the martyr card about parents, administrators and discipline. Please show us actual academic research that suports your claims. That would be more interesting and useful.
Tweets that mention http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2010/06/24/cant-blame-mcdonalds-or-schools-for-childrens-eating-habits-or-can-we/?cxntfid=blogs_get_schooled_blog%3Futm_source%3Dpingback -- Topsy.com
June 24th, 2010
4:59 pm
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@Maureen-here's some data
June 24th, 2010
5:03 pm
Devil’s Advocate, it’s no opinion that up to one third of new teachers leave the profession, and that pay and discipline are the two major reasons given for leaving.
Now maybe some of these teachers needed to leave, but are we going to assert that ALL of them are wrong, and that there is NO merit to their opinion?
This paper has done research. Forty schools with ZERO discipline problems in APS and when called on it the reason giving was that their reforms are working so well that there are no discipline problems to report. Fifty calls to the Atlanta Police Department by one Atlanta high school, but the official discipline report said there were ZERO incidents of major behavior problems. If there are ZERO major problems, why are you calling the police over FIFTY times. The AJC let APS off the hook, by refusing to do a follow up story. It would be interesting to talk to some former AJC reporters and find out if they were ever “leaned on” not to do certain stories.
Alvin Wilbanks signed of a falsified data that underreported the discipline cases by forty THOUSAND. Forty THOUSAND incidents just disappear, and we still claim to the fantasy that school systems are operating with integrity on discipline problems Devil’s Advocate?
Devil's Advocate
June 24th, 2010
5:09 pm
Oh, here we go. The investigation that led to nowhere you like to bring up so much…great.
@Maureen-here's some data
June 24th, 2010
5:13 pm
Wrong Devil’s Advocate. The investigation proved the data was falsified. The problem is, the FINDINGS led to no consequences.
Why are some people so adamant on arguing for the current status quo when it comes to the level of support for the classroom teacher? Have some teachers just become so psychologically battered, that like some battered women, they’ve come to think they deserve it?
ASHLEY
June 24th, 2010
5:14 pm
What exactly is the responbility of parents to there children? I know for a fact a childs eating patterns are not the teachers I knew what the food groups were even before I started school and sweets and soft drinks were not on the menu. Pop and coffee were reserve for adults and in my house adults were the people who paid the bills. The last time I checked “N O” was still part of the english language . Saying no might cure all this entitlement nonsense. parents instead of trying to police MacDonalds why don’t you try policing your own children and their diet remember obesity starts at home and not some fast-food restaurant. Going to a fast-food joint use to be a luxury not an necessity. Happy meal or not MacDonalds is not your mother or you father. Until they turn 18 kids are your responsibities and their eating habits should be also.
Now we know
June 24th, 2010
5:17 pm
The same mindset of abdication of parental responsibility that leads to lawsuits like this, leads to the problems we have in public schools in holding students accountable for behavior and learning.
Are we going to hire bodyguards so that they can’t enter McDonald’s, to save them from themselves? Why not, we already promote them even if they fail the CRCT year after year, to save them from themselves.
Devil's Advocate
June 24th, 2010
5:21 pm
We can always do better…and we should always want to do more to support teachers, but now that you have compared us to battered women, I will excuse myself.
Have a good night.
Just the Facts
June 24th, 2010
5:27 pm
As a veteran middle school teacher in a school infested with gangs , I can honestly say that I have never been afraid for my life OR bodily injury. In fact, my teaching team often said the same thing…and that if anything happened it us it would be from a ricocheting bullet meant for another student. So, IMO , when you ask teachers for examples of discipline problems, it sounds as if what you expect is some example of violence. Most often, violent behavior is not the problem
HOWEVER, that does NOT mean that student discipline and administrative support for it is not a crucial issue in classrooms today. In fact, most discipline concerns in the classroom do not involve violence….but rudeness, impudence, insolence, vulgarity, and general disrespect. AND if it becomes necessary to remove a student from the class in order to continue a lesson, there is rarely support from the administration. In fact, there is always the implication that the misbehavior is the teacher’s fault.
@Maureen
June 24th, 2010
5:36 pm
But Devil’s Advocate, you don’t want to do more. You want the level of support to remain EXACTLY like it is, just improve the teaching which isn’t too much unlike advising a housewife if she wants to avoid trouble she should just have the dinner warm and the beer cold.
It’s a mindset, and it’s one of the reasons that teaching conditions have deteriorated.
trying hard to be patient
June 24th, 2010
5:41 pm
I agree with catlady. The junk these kids buy is astounding. Our school is also very high in free and reduced lunches and it amazes me at the huge numbers of kids who get these free lunches, don’t eat them, but, buy ice cream everyday. I’ve been told that we cannot refuse them ice cream because it makes money for the school. It should not be teacher accountability, it should be parent accountability!!
penguinmom
June 24th, 2010
5:42 pm
what I hate is that some nut group out there is going to impact my choices for my kids. My kids Like Happy Meal toys. I choose to let them have the meals occasionally. I don’t want some lawyer who think he/she knows better than me to either take away my kids’ ability to have french fries on occasion or take away my kids’ fun toys.
Really an occasional Happy Meal is not going to make your kid fat. They probably are getting fat from watching too much TV and playing too many video games. If they thought they could make money/get publicity from it, the CSPI would probably sue Nintendo or Nickelodeon to force them to put time limits (controlled by the government) on all their devices.
When will parents rise up and tell these clowns at the CSPI that we are completely capable of parenting our own kids thank you very much.
Maybe I’ll take my kids to McDonald’s tonight to do my little part to help support the fast food side of the lawsuit.
Ward Cleaver
June 24th, 2010
7:59 pm
This lawsuit makes American parents look like total idiots. If those protesting McDonald’s Happy Meals don’t like to say “no,” well then what does that say about their parenting skills which includes discipline? Is it any wonder then why discipline is such a hindrance to a teacher’s instruction? Kids have learned all kinds of foolish behavior long before they ever come to school, because their parents have enabled them to be spoiled brats who have no sense of responsibility about their behavior. I salute the parents who are good parents, my rant is NOT at you.
@Maureen-here's a story
June 24th, 2010
11:42 pm
Maureen you say you need a story for a jumping off point to discuss the lack of support for discipline. Well I found one for you.
You say you don’t see these problems you’ll see in the article when you visit the schools. You aren’t supposed to Maureen, you’re a VISITOR. That’s why I bet it’s often the case you are escorted to selected classrooms on your visits right Maureen?
Please stop insulting our intelligence!
No one ever saw Uncle Louie with the bottle of rum in his underwear, screaming that the Trilateral Commission was controlling his TV set either. Didn’t mean he wasn’t doing it, it meant we had enough sense to HIDE HIM when company came.
But these things DO happen. Here’s a story to prove it.
Look for the words “pregnant teacher assaulted,” “not an isolated incident,” “students choking teachers from behind” and “teachers feel under siege” then…
Let’s discuss.
By Rick Wills
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, December 19, 2009
A pregnant elementary school teacher in Woodland Hills School District returned to the classroom Friday — a day after officials said a fourth-grader attacked her.
The student, a boy who attends Benjamin Fairless Elementary School in North Braddock, hit and shoved his head into the teacher’s stomach after she told him to get out from under a table in the school’s cafeteria, said Superintendent Walter Calinger.
“The district does not tolerate this kind of behavior. He has been behaving badly for some time,” Calinger said about the episode, which happened at 12:15 p.m Thursday.
The teacher, whom Calinger declined to identify, was taken to a hospital. He did not know the extent of her injuries. Calinger said there are different versions of what occurred, but said the teacher acted appropriately.
“The teacher is doing what she should be doing,” he said. “There is no reason to think otherwise.” Police and teachers union representatives said the episode is not an isolated one but, rather, the latest in a series of problems at Fairless. North Braddock police Chief Dean Bazzone said officers have been called to Fairless about 30 times this school year.
At least four Fairless teachers have been assaulted this year, said Butch Santicola, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania State Education Association. Three of the teachers were hospitalized, and another 10 teachers sought medical attention, he said.
“The teachers feel under siege. There are isolated problems in other schools,” Santicola said. “In this school (Fairless), the problems are constant.” Last week, union officials held an emergency meeting with some Fairless faculty.
“This school, by far, is the most serious problem we have anywhere,” Santicola said.
Other problems at Fairless have included students choking teachers from behind, he said.
“Apparently, they have had a problem all year long. There have been multiple incidents — and we are talking about younger kids,” he said.
Santicola said the union plans to investigate Woodland Hills’ response to teacher complaints.
“Many, many complaints have been turned into the administration, and nothing seems to have happened. Our people have been attacked, and the administration keep burying their heads in the sand,” he said.
Calinger could not be reached to respond to Santicola’s comments.
Police had not filed charges against the boy and were waiting to interview the teacher.
“We want to talk to her more,” Bazzone said.
The boy did not attend school yesterday, Calinger said.
The superintendent declined to comment on discipline that the boy might face, but said students involved in such incidents typically are suspended for the state-allowed maximum of 10 school days and can face expulsion by the school board.
School Lunch
June 24th, 2010
11:52 pm
Last time I looked, the sugar content of a high school strawberry milk was through the roof.
Puzzled
June 25th, 2010
12:36 am
This is just dumb. And really…I don’t get it.
I’m baffled by the idea that kids can “nag” their parents into doing things. When my brother or I asked my mom (or dad) for something and the answer was “No,” that was the end of the conversation. Asking a second time only got “I said ‘no.’ I’m not going to change my mind. Don’t ask me again.” Asking a third time meant punishment, guaranteed. And when we went to restaurants, they ordered for us until we were at least about 10.
I have a friend whose son knows that when mama says “No” to something he asks for, that’s it. I’ve even seen her make him take something she was going to buy for him out of the grocery cart and put it back on the shelf because he kept asking for something else she’d said “no” to twice already. She said that when he gets old enough to think through consequences and cause/effect relationships better, she’ll be more willing to negotiate some things, but right now she wants him to get the message that the adults are running the show. He makes good grades and is well-behaved in school.
Another friend with a son the same age allows marathon sessions of whining, begging and tantrums over something he wants. He’s already been expelled from preschool and suspended from first grade for hitting other kids.
Coincidence? Doubt it.
AJinCobb
June 25th, 2010
6:04 am
If we have to talk about discipline no matter what the nominal topic, let me just say that I have minimal interest in discipline as a “Get Schooled” topic. I haven’t noticed any particular discipline issues in my child’s East Cobb elementary, middle and high school. I have friends and colleagues in North Fulton. I don’t hear of any discipline concerns over there either. Somewhere in the state I guess there are out-of-control kids, from the sound of things on here. But since it’s not an issue in my area, I certainly do NOT think it should be the number one priority of the DOE and education coverage in the media, and I’m incredibly bored by the endless posts on this topic, and the (to my mind) bizarrely rude attacks on Ms. Downey because her blog is not preoccupied with this hobby horse.
Shrug
June 25th, 2010
6:14 am
I was gonna comment on the Happy Meal thing, but I guess this isn’t a forum that actually talks about the topic.
oh, well…
s2k
June 25th, 2010
6:46 am
Let’s also bring up what junk food exists in the school stores of many high schools. Where I teach, kids stand in line to buy Doritos and “Big Texas” cinnamon buns for lunch. I’m curious as to how this doesn’t get in the way of Federal lunch guidelines.
We can all agree that parenting is hard. It’s easy to give in to the kids to get them to shut up so you can have some peace. It takes a real parent, one whose willing to PARENT and say NO until the kid gets it.
It’s these little thinkgs done at a child’s early age that parents (in their actions) determine WHO is in charge of the family. Soft parents will end up having the least amount of control over their kids and the kids will grow up disrespecting their parents. I see it in parent conferences all the time and it makes me cringe.
Get your child used to hearing you say NO, and stick to it, at an early age, and I’m telling you, you’ll have an easier road for the next 15-18 years.
An advocate for public education change & choice
June 25th, 2010
10:36 am
This topic is simple to break down, kids develop the habits born of what is renforced by the behaviors of their parents.
As with so many things it starts in the home, period!
McDonald’s is business acting in their own self interest (increasing their bottom line revenue potential by whatever acceptable means available to them) as you would expect them too. We want to talk about how marketing and propaganda is used to direct people’s thoughts and behaviors then this conversation quickly expands to include everything from religion to poltics.
Jay
June 25th, 2010
10:44 am
This is ridiculous. The health of children and what they eat is the SOUL responsibility of the parents. Do not blame McDonald’s and the schools because you as a parent can’t tell your kids “NO.” If you do not want your child to eat at McDonald’s because its unhealthy, don’t take them there. If your child is whining about a toy, again the word “NO” comes in handy. As for the schools, you’re the parent. You teach your kids about healthy living and eating. The schools should be teaching this, but in the long run its the parents duty to reinforce it. If you don’t like the crap food the schools are feeding your children, pack a healthy lunch yourself for your child. Don’t blame the institutions for your lack of parenting. It’s that simple.
Emma
June 25th, 2010
10:56 am
If we want to be a strong nation, we have to bring up healthy and right-minded generation. Childhood obesity is a problem that cannot be kept on ice anymore.
Learn some tips about healthy nutrition and share your thoughts on http://medicationforum.blogspot.com/
AJinCobb
June 25th, 2010
12:12 pm
There’s no oil spill in Atlanta either AJinCobb, so I guess the newspaper shouldn’t talk about that either.
Ole Guy
June 25th, 2010
12:19 pm
Teaching Accountability, you can’t be serious. Your suggestion would have kids taking a whiz quiz and holding teachers accountable for high sugar levels…YOU’VE GOTTA BE OUTTA YOUR MIND!
Am I the Only One???
June 25th, 2010
1:10 pm
Am I the only one who realized that “More Teaching Accountability” was being sarcastic (in mirroring the oft-spouted line of “more teaching accountability” being the solution to society in general and education reform in specific)??
FC teacher
June 25th, 2010
4:12 pm
@ @Maureen: Honestly, just start your own blog and stop forcing your OCD on us all.
@FC teacher
June 25th, 2010
4:38 pm
Ok FC teacher, just give us a compelling reason why out of HUNDREDS of blog topics, this blog shouldn’t be held accountable for doing even ONE blog topic on the lack of support teachers are receiving today.
It is an education blog right? Are you saying the issue is SO minor, that it doesn’t ever warrant a SINGLE mention?
If your THAT invested in maintaining Georgia’s bottom five ranking, by all means tell us why this isn’t an issue.
More teacher accountability
June 25th, 2010
4:41 pm
No, there was one other poster Only One. But it does go to show you how far lost we are in the blame the teacher paradigm, that more people didn’t realize it, and gave credence to it as though it were actually a plausible position to take.
Stacey
June 25th, 2010
5:46 pm
Why are we blaming mcdonalds for the issues kids have with obesity? When is America going to stop playing the blame game and realize that we make the decisions and now we suffer the consequences. Mcdonalds is not making these parents bring their kids to mcdonalds and is not forcing the parents to buy their kids happy meals with french fries instead of the apple dippers. Parents need to wake up and take responsibility for their actions. Are the parents making sure their kids are getting out and excercising? Or do they depend on the schools to do that?
Ole Guy
June 25th, 2010
6:26 pm
Well, Only One, I suppose you’re right. Given the gravity of the topics which Maureen, and the AJC have presented for public discourse, I would imagine there will always be some jerk off who, unable to participate in a meaningful manner, can only resort to sarcasm…how foolish of me to dare to presume that everyone really gives a damn.
@ole guy
June 25th, 2010
7:12 pm
ole guy, I would submit to you the best way to define what the AJC has done is to look at the gravity of the topics they HAVEN’T presented.
Duh
June 25th, 2010
7:40 pm
Can we have a discussion about people who hate sarcasm because they are too dumb to get it?
Amanda Battle
June 27th, 2010
12:22 am
I feel sorry for all of you idiots who think teachers are in charge of what goes on in the classrooms in Atlanta Public Schools. Let’s get real!!! North of the Grady curve, it’s the affluent parents who call the shots. The best teachers are placed in these schools but it’s the jack ass parents who think they know everything who call the shots. If you don’t believe it, try spending some time in these schools and within a very short period of time you will discern that affluent parents with “SPECIAL” children can actually bend the curve. These wealthy parents with dumber than bisquit children have figured out how to get their children a private school education in a public school system. And for the poor souls south of the Grady curve, PUU-LEASE!!!! You have Executive Directors like Michael Pitts who think Concept Based Units are the “Bees Knees”. Google “MIchael Pitts” and see what you find. Does the word FOOL come to mind? Hey Michael Pitts, the concept based units are not working for us. How long is it going to take for you to actually get it???? Dr. Hall, do you even know what we are talking about? You brought this nut to the system now deal with him. Maybe you should have left that country bumpkin in Tennessee because he sure as h#$l hasn’t done anything for SRT2. Oh my mistake. He has made us feel that it is ok to cheat on the CRCT to get HIM some good scores What a shame.
Amanda Battle
June 27th, 2010
12:40 am
AJinCobb you ar so far in DENIAL you think it is a river (The NILE). Demand that your principal give you the REAL discipline statistics. Don’t you know that administrators are demanded and compensated to dumb down the statistics for holier than thou parents like you? You better wake up and smell the coffee!
Ole Guy
June 27th, 2010
10:21 am
Some of you friggin people are truly amazing. Some self-righteous dipstick who adopts the nom de plume “More Teaching Accountability” issues remarks which are dumber than dumb. Upon realization that said remarks were completely (I am at a loss for nice Sunday-type words) stupid, the writer takes refuge in the “I was just kidding” cover. And some of you idiots (Duh…what an appropriate name) actually fall into the abyss of gullibility…the very same gullibility which leads you and your kids to the drive-through at any one of thousands of “fried guano” fast food establishments.
As far as I’m concerned sir/ma’m, your demand for teaching accountability is exceeded only by the need for your self-accountability.
If people insist on slowely killing themselves, that’s their business…one of the “freedoms” which they take for granted everyday. Just don’t go foisting the droppings of your idiotic behavior upon teachers who, according to your “sarcasm”, should be held accountable for kids’ stupidity…the very same stupidity which they inherit from stupid parents.
silly laws
June 27th, 2010
9:14 pm
I think this is just silly. I am a mother of 2 boys and it’s not that hard to say to them. I control what they eat when we go to restaurants. McDonald’s doesn’t tell me I have to order the fries and soda with their meals, I’m the one who decides and if my kids choose not to eat or drink what they get that’s their own fault. I don’t understand how you could make teachers responsible for what goes on outside of school. Everyone in this country is just so sue happy. We need to take accountability for our children and their actions and stop blaming everyone else.
john.m.scanlan
June 28th, 2010
1:29 pm
Silly, don’t you get it?! Teaching Accountability was only kidding…er, make that sarcasticising.
Gotta love people who write what they mean and mean what they write.
However, you are absolutely correct in that way too much government intervention has crept into our daily lives. It wasn’t until some idiot, 30-or-so years ago, scalded the “privates” by placing a hot cup of Mickey D’s in the most convenient location. I don’t recall the specifics, however, I believe the corporation was judged, in court, liable for not providing sufficient warning of the hot contents, and the potential for injury. You will notice the warning labels on virtually any-and-all coffee cups…the printing, no doubt, adds to the final costs of just about any liquid which, in the hands of Darwin Award contestants, could prove injurious.
As I pointed out previously, Silly, the respondents to the subject under discussion are either “on board” with respect to leting kids know who’s in charge, or we’re seeing the writings of those who think/wish they had control of their kids’ actions.
Either way, the blame game, as I highlighted with my little story about hot coffee in the hands of idiots, has been a part of the American fabric for a long long time; it’s probably going to take at least that long…if ever…to reverse the trend. Meanwhile, it’s up to parents, like you, to set that trend reversal into practice. Good luck and Godspeed!
Teacher, Too
June 28th, 2010
3:32 pm
I went to McDonald’s today. I had a small hamburger and a small fry. I loved every bit of it. Then, I got on the tread mill to work it off. I hadn’t been to McDonald’s in at least six months.
When I was in college, I went to McDonald’s every day for lunch. Had the same thing then that I had today. I walked everywhere, though. I walked from my apartment to the university. From the university to McDonald’s, etc… I kept my weight pretty even from all the walking. Imagine that.
Ole Guy, seriously
June 28th, 2010
4:47 pm
Upon realization that said remarks were completely (I am at a loss for nice Sunday-type words) stupid, the writer takes refuge in the “I was just kidding” cover.
Ole Guy the writer of the remarks knew BEFOREHAND they were in jest, making the point that if someone thought they WERE legitimate, it would show just HOW FAR GONE we are in the blame the teacher game.
Sorry you didn’t get it until OTHERS had to point it out to you.
Try to keep up, Ole Guy; you’re embarrassing yourself
Educator for Life
June 28th, 2010
9:44 pm
It is really some ignorant bloggers on here. Stop placing the blame on others and take responsibility for your actions (or lack thereof) at home. Yes, some of you on here are not really parents because YOUR children tell you what they want, not ask you. “Boo Hoo, McDonald’s is causing my child to be fat and have rotten teeth. Boo Hoo, the lunches at school are healthy enough”. Please, show your child the birth certificate to see who the parents are and fix your child’s lunch everyday. Man, this is crazy! Kinda reminds me of kids wearing baggy pants. Umm, who in the heck bought the pants? The immature parents.
Ole Guy
June 28th, 2010
9:59 pm
Accountability, lighten up, for cryin out loud! We can bat this ping pong ball back and forth till the air is gone. The mere fact that you insist on pursuing this point tells a story about your self-doubt. It is indeed shameful that grown adults become so side-tracked on issues so superflous as this.
As I recall, the issue under public discussion centers on the role fast food, and fast food marketing tactics, play on youth. Whereas parental influence, in kids’ choices of diet, plays a large role, ultimately, in the health and well-being of youth, it would appear that all-too-many parents take a completely hands-off approach in guiding their kids’ decisions.
I don’t know about you, Accountability, but I think this is an extremely critical factor in the health and viability of our future movers, doers, and shakers…certainly far more critical than tryin to get the last word in on clarity of expression.