When should a school intervene? Never? (school lunch issue)

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Replies

  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    I'm a teacher in the UK and we have a legal responsibility to report this. I would then have to call the parents in for a meeting and explain the detrimental impact, not only on their health, but also on their learning. But again, that's the legal requirement of the child protection laws in the UK, so I would suggest you find out what your local authority's policies are an act accordingly. All the other great ideas above about doing some whole-class health lessons definitely wouldn't go amis either, and they usually hit home when kids realise they aren't doing the 'normal' thing, when they hear others are disgusted by what they have to say. This happened when we learnt about how to care for your teeth, and one of my kids (who does have the worst teeth I have ever seen on a 7-year-old) ended up upset in the lesson, only to come in the next morning and show me her new toothbrush Mummy let her buy last night. She was so proud of it, so I would highly recommend a few sessions :)

    I'm interested.....on what grounds. What makes this something you are by law bound to report? The energy drink?
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If the kid is eating the same crap (it's not food) every day, there's a problem.
    Unless there are obvious signs of malnutrition, though, it's not an immediate one.

    Maybe it's something that can be solved by educating the kid(s) as a class exercise,
    maybe it's something the school / district social worker should address with the parents,
    maybe CPS needs to be involved for more in-depth / drawn-out education of the family, plus monitoring for
    improvement, plus helping them connect with the resources they might need (SNAP, for example).

    Other than educating every kid in your class, check out the district policies about reporting child neglect. Maybe
    check with the school / district social worker about if this constitutes something which needs to be reported.
    You're a mandated reporter.

    Is there any way to provide a bowl of fruit in the room? Let kids have a piece when they want. Maybe there's a
    community group which could fund it? Probably wouldn't take much, I'd guess less than $20/month. Or see if the
    cafeteria (or school budget) could help.

    how are doritos "crap"???- the two main ingredients are corn and oil.

    and how does the home grown version of a candy bar help the situation?

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    jorinya wrote: »
    draznyth wrote: »
    However, none of the above has anything to do with someone stepping in and parenting other people's children for them. It's nunya. Take care of your own kids.

    Excuse me but I do take care of my kids and some that don't have food to eat. I take care of their parents too. Where I am the people still believe that it takes a community to raise a child. I share my food with the less privileged so as not to waste it. I give water to those I see nearby who are thirsty and don't have any money to buy for themselves. I am no Mother Theresa but I try my best to help out especially with the kids in the school my kids attend. Sometimes other parents need a hand sometime and helping is not illegal, that's why there are social workers and councillors.

    do you find the wind messes up your hair at that altitude?
    :lol: I am stealing this for a future situation. Love it.

  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    edited May 2015
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If the kid is eating the same crap (it's not food) every day, there's a problem.
    Unless there are obvious signs of malnutrition, though, it's not an immediate one.

    Maybe it's something that can be solved by educating the kid(s) as a class exercise,
    maybe it's something the school / district social worker should address with the parents,
    maybe CPS needs to be involved for more in-depth / drawn-out education of the family, plus monitoring for
    improvement, plus helping them connect with the resources they might need (SNAP, for example).

    Other than educating every kid in your class, check out the district policies about reporting child neglect. Maybe
    check with the school / district social worker about if this constitutes something which needs to be reported.
    You're a mandated reporter.

    Is there any way to provide a bowl of fruit in the room? Let kids have a piece when they want. Maybe there's a
    community group which could fund it? Probably wouldn't take much, I'd guess less than $20/month. Or see if the
    cafeteria (or school budget) could help.

    how are doritos "crap"???- the two main ingredients are corn and oil.

    and how does the home grown version of a candy bar help the situation?

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?

    well I already gave my opinion on that so I guess I mentally discounted it in the conversation. I don't think said child should be drinking red bull- but I don't think they should be drinking ANY high sugar drinks- esp not for breakfast- but less for health reasons and more for the fact they are likely to be disruptive in class.
    :lol: I am stealing this for a future situation. Love it.
    steal away. ;)
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    edited May 2015
    elizamae wrote:
    This little one is getting herself out the door in the morning - her mom works nights and isn't up
    in the morning. She likes her breakfast the way it is and isn't on time for the school breakfast
    Is mom aware that the kid is eating junk every morning? How about mom stop buying junk, buy healthy food, so
    the kid has a choice of healthy things for breakfast? Could they pack a lunch the night before, after cleaning up
    dinner/breakfast, before kid does homework & goes to bed while mom goes to work? Is there another relative in
    the picture who could help the kid? (No dad?)
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If the kid is eating the same crap (it's not food) every day, there's a problem.
    Unless there are obvious signs of malnutrition, though, it's not an immediate one.

    Maybe it's something that can be solved by educating the kid(s) as a class exercise,
    maybe it's something the school / district social worker should address with the parents,
    maybe CPS needs to be involved for more in-depth / drawn-out education of the family, plus monitoring for
    improvement, plus helping them connect with the resources they might need (SNAP, for example).

    Other than educating every kid in your class, check out the district policies about reporting child neglect. Maybe
    check with the school / district social worker about if this constitutes something which needs to be reported.
    You're a mandated reporter.

    Is there any way to provide a bowl of fruit in the room? Let kids have a piece when they want. Maybe there's a
    community group which could fund it? Probably wouldn't take much, I'd guess less than $20/month. Or see if the
    cafeteria (or school budget) could help.

    how are doritos "crap"???- the two main ingredients are corn and oil.

    and how does the home grown version of a candy bar help the situation?

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?

    Because Red Bull is awesome and it gives you wings?

    Or probably because most of us realize that the particular food items in this particular example are not what is of primary importance here. The issue at hand is the implied responsibility, or lack thereof, assumed by a teacher in any situation such as this.
  • This content has been removed.
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
    JPW1990 wrote: »

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?

    Exactly, and no one ever said doritos are bad.This child is a young child and red bull can have harmful side effects. Lots of articles online to prove that.

    Every country has its own set of rules and regulations that teachers and those in childcare have to adhere to and if the school board find out they have an issue and didn't do something, speak to the parents or talk to the child or report to the correct authority can be dismissed for putting the child at risk even if it turns out the situation is only a minor one.
    Teachers are responsible for the holistic development of the children in their care during school times and nutrition, hygiene and abuse and neglect are included in the holistic development.


  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    draznyth wrote: »
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If the kid is eating the same crap (it's not food) every day, there's a problem.
    Unless there are obvious signs of malnutrition, though, it's not an immediate one.

    Maybe it's something that can be solved by educating the kid(s) as a class exercise,
    maybe it's something the school / district social worker should address with the parents,
    maybe CPS needs to be involved for more in-depth / drawn-out education of the family, plus monitoring for
    improvement, plus helping them connect with the resources they might need (SNAP, for example).

    Other than educating every kid in your class, check out the district policies about reporting child neglect. Maybe
    check with the school / district social worker about if this constitutes something which needs to be reported.
    You're a mandated reporter.

    Is there any way to provide a bowl of fruit in the room? Let kids have a piece when they want. Maybe there's a
    community group which could fund it? Probably wouldn't take much, I'd guess less than $20/month. Or see if the
    cafeteria (or school budget) could help.

    how are doritos "crap"???- the two main ingredients are corn and oil.

    and how does the home grown version of a candy bar help the situation?

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?

    Because Red Bull is awesome and it gives you wings?

    Or probably because most of us realize that the particular food items in this particular example are not what is of primary importance here. The issue at hand is the implied responsibility, or lack thereof, assumed by a teacher in any situation such as this.

    You feel the item that could put the child into cardiac arrest on the playground is of less importance?
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    draznyth wrote: »
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If the kid is eating the same crap (it's not food) every day, there's a problem.
    Unless there are obvious signs of malnutrition, though, it's not an immediate one.

    Maybe it's something that can be solved by educating the kid(s) as a class exercise,
    maybe it's something the school / district social worker should address with the parents,
    maybe CPS needs to be involved for more in-depth / drawn-out education of the family, plus monitoring for
    improvement, plus helping them connect with the resources they might need (SNAP, for example).

    Other than educating every kid in your class, check out the district policies about reporting child neglect. Maybe
    check with the school / district social worker about if this constitutes something which needs to be reported.
    You're a mandated reporter.

    Is there any way to provide a bowl of fruit in the room? Let kids have a piece when they want. Maybe there's a
    community group which could fund it? Probably wouldn't take much, I'd guess less than $20/month. Or see if the
    cafeteria (or school budget) could help.

    how are doritos "crap"???- the two main ingredients are corn and oil.

    and how does the home grown version of a candy bar help the situation?

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?

    Because Red Bull is awesome and it gives you wings?

    Or probably because most of us realize that the particular food items in this particular example are not what is of primary importance here. The issue at hand is the implied responsibility, or lack thereof, assumed by a teacher in any situation such as this.

    You feel the item that could put the child into cardiac arrest on the playground is of less importance?

    I admit,the energy drink is disconcerting in a kid so young.
  • snikkins
    snikkins Posts: 1,282 Member
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    draznyth wrote: »
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If the kid is eating the same crap (it's not food) every day, there's a problem.
    Unless there are obvious signs of malnutrition, though, it's not an immediate one.

    Maybe it's something that can be solved by educating the kid(s) as a class exercise,
    maybe it's something the school / district social worker should address with the parents,
    maybe CPS needs to be involved for more in-depth / drawn-out education of the family, plus monitoring for
    improvement, plus helping them connect with the resources they might need (SNAP, for example).

    Other than educating every kid in your class, check out the district policies about reporting child neglect. Maybe
    check with the school / district social worker about if this constitutes something which needs to be reported.
    You're a mandated reporter.

    Is there any way to provide a bowl of fruit in the room? Let kids have a piece when they want. Maybe there's a
    community group which could fund it? Probably wouldn't take much, I'd guess less than $20/month. Or see if the
    cafeteria (or school budget) could help.

    how are doritos "crap"???- the two main ingredients are corn and oil.

    and how does the home grown version of a candy bar help the situation?

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?

    Because Red Bull is awesome and it gives you wings?

    Or probably because most of us realize that the particular food items in this particular example are not what is of primary importance here. The issue at hand is the implied responsibility, or lack thereof, assumed by a teacher in any situation such as this.

    You feel the item that could put the child into cardiac arrest on the playground is of less importance?

    I definitely feel the presence of an energy drink changes the dynamics of the situation, because it becomes an issue of safety.

  • DanniB423
    DanniB423 Posts: 777 Member
    As a teacher I would not be asking a forum of people who mostly are not teachers for advice about one of my students. It would strike me as odd if my daughter's teacher used this as a source for decision making about my child. Especially considering the morons saying Doritos warrant a call to CPS. We don't know what else is going on the house because they have Doritos? seriously? Save CPS for the real abused and neglected children of the world. What a waste of time.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    draznyth wrote: »
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    MKEgal wrote: »
    If the kid is eating the same crap (it's not food) every day, there's a problem.
    Unless there are obvious signs of malnutrition, though, it's not an immediate one.

    Maybe it's something that can be solved by educating the kid(s) as a class exercise,
    maybe it's something the school / district social worker should address with the parents,
    maybe CPS needs to be involved for more in-depth / drawn-out education of the family, plus monitoring for
    improvement, plus helping them connect with the resources they might need (SNAP, for example).

    Other than educating every kid in your class, check out the district policies about reporting child neglect. Maybe
    check with the school / district social worker about if this constitutes something which needs to be reported.
    You're a mandated reporter.

    Is there any way to provide a bowl of fruit in the room? Let kids have a piece when they want. Maybe there's a
    community group which could fund it? Probably wouldn't take much, I'd guess less than $20/month. Or see if the
    cafeteria (or school budget) could help.

    how are doritos "crap"???- the two main ingredients are corn and oil.

    and how does the home grown version of a candy bar help the situation?

    Why do people keep ignoring the red bull and pretend the only thing that matters are the doritos?

    Because Red Bull is awesome and it gives you wings?

    Or probably because most of us realize that the particular food items in this particular example are not what is of primary importance here. The issue at hand is the implied responsibility, or lack thereof, assumed by a teacher in any situation such as this.

    You feel the item that could put the child into cardiac arrest on the playground is of less importance?

    In this particular case where safety is an issue, then the standard protocol should be followed for intervention.

    However, at this point the conversation is clearly no longer about any single case. Which was my point.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited May 2015
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    You feel the item that could put the child into cardiac arrest on the playground is of less importance?

    The odds of a kid going into cardiac arrest from a car accident on the way to school are higher than from drinking a Red Bull.
  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    DanniB423 wrote: »
    As a teacher I would not be asking a forum of people who mostly are not teachers for advice about one of my students. It would strike me as odd if my daughter's teacher used this as a source for decision making about my child. Especially considering the morons saying Doritos warrant a call to CPS. We don't know what else is going on the house because they have Doritos? seriously? Save CPS for the real abused and neglected children of the world. What a waste of time.
    To the defense of OP, she wasn't seeking advice here for the purpose of employing said advice, rather OP was interested in opinions.

  • SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage
    SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage Posts: 2,668 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    You feel the item that could put the child into cardiac arrest on the playground is of less importance?

    The odds of a kid going into cardiac arrest from a car accident on the way to school are higher than from drinking a Red Bull.
    Perhaps cardiac arrest is slightly over exaggerated, but we all agree it's not okay to give Red Bull to a young child.

    Also, on the way to school the child is in the care of a parent/ guardian. Once the child is at school, they become the responsibility of the caregivers there, being the teachers. I guess that's the whole point here.

  • DanniB423
    DanniB423 Posts: 777 Member
    BinkyBonk wrote: »
    DanniB423 wrote: »
    As a teacher I would not be asking a forum of people who mostly are not teachers for advice about one of my students. It would strike me as odd if my daughter's teacher used this as a source for decision making about my child. Especially considering the morons saying Doritos warrant a call to CPS. We don't know what else is going on the house because they have Doritos? seriously? Save CPS for the real abused and neglected children of the world. What a waste of time.
    To the defense of OP, she wasn't seeking advice here for the purpose of employing said advice, rather OP was interested in opinions.

    This is good news.
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    The odds of a kid going into cardiac arrest from a car accident on the way to school are higher than from drinking a Red Bull.

    Poor nutrition can cause heart attack in young children too. I know of one case back home where a 10 year old boy died on the football field before an ambulance could make it to him. Cause of death was reported as heart attack caused by poor nutrition and high levels of caffeine and other substances commonly found in energy drinks. Since then there have been other cases linked to high consumption of energy drinks reported.

    As someone stared previously, maybe the parents aren't aware the child in question is taking those items to school.
  • JoReddBowe
    JoReddBowe Posts: 25 Member
    I would ask other teachers and admins (without including the student's name), share my worries with the parents (via phone when the student is not around). I would not take the student's food away, and would not report.

    Also, thanks for being a teacher. Teachers spend as many if not more waking and engaged hours with young people than parents do, just by design of our schools.
  • Michael190lbs
    Michael190lbs Posts: 1,510 Member
    I would talk to the whole class about healthy eating and physical activity and send a note home to all parents expressing that your class is focusing on healthy living habits and that you encourage children to bring a well balanced meal/snack to school.

    I like this idea

  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    randomtai wrote:
    This is why I want to home school my children. Too many busy body (sic) people.
    You mean, people who are concerned that a child doesn't have adequate supervision & education,
    is consistently eating junk instead of a nutritious breakfast, and is having a drink which could cause
    serious health problems?
    That's not being a busybody, that's showing concern for the child. More people need to do it.

    .
    flora wrote:
    I fantasized about being rescued by friends and teachers and the like. I never thought of it
    when I was eating a whole bag of doritoes or drinking pop like water. I was just thinking that of money
    If there's money to buy pop & chips, there's plenty of money to buy healthy food.
    .
    draznyth wrote:
    Apparently Doritos = throwing your kid down a flight of stairs
    Who said that?
    Would you say that calling your kid stupid & fat was not abuse because there were no broken bones?
    Or that slapping him isn't abuse because he didn't have to go to the ER?
    Besides, it more likely comes under neglect, because it isn't an action, but more of an inaction that's
    causing the problem.
    .
    supreme wrote:
    I don't have enough control over her diet (since I only see her a couple of days per week anyway)
    to try and force that to change.
    You control what you both eat in your house, right? So you can set a good example there.
    .
    jo wrote:
    you can tell an entire child's diet from ONE bag of doritos and ONE can of red bull
    OP specified that this is the child's breakfast every morning.
    .
    fanny wrote:
    My daughter wouldn't drink the plain milk that I gave her for lunch.
    So I gave her chocolate milk which had less sugar and more protein than juice
    Try flavored liquid stevia. 1 - 2 drops per ounce and you have chocolate-tasting milk (or orange,
    or toffee, or hwatever you want) with no sugar. Bonus: it looks like normal plain milk, so the teacher
    can't throw a hissy fit.
    .
    jo wrote:
    how does the home grown version of a candy bar help
    You did not just equate a banana or apple to a snickers bar, did you? :astonished:
    Do you honestly have no concept of how different they are?
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    MKEgal wrote: »
    randomtai wrote:
    This is why I want to home school my children. Too many busy body (sic) people.
    You mean, people who are concerned that a child doesn't have adequate supervision & education,
    is consistently eating junk instead of a nutritious breakfast, and is having a drink which could cause
    serious health problems?
    That's not being a busybody, that's showing concern for the child. More people need to do it.
    you're one of those people who call police every time you see a child in the car alone don't you? Mom's going to do jail time for "neglect" or labelled as negligent offenders because they ran inside rite aid to get toilet paper while their child who hasn't slept all day is finally asleep in the car.

    not every case is one of "concern for the child" it really is being a busy body.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Fascinating thread of ad hominems, red herrings and fallacious arguments. On one side we have busy bodies, snitches, too many cooks and on the other negligent and abusive parents.
  • PrimroseFlower
    PrimroseFlower Posts: 110 Member
    I teach fifth grade, so I see this a lot. We offer free breakfast and free lunch (and a free fruit serving at recess). If I see a kid eating chips or a drink at lunch besides what we provide, I tell them to save it until snack time.
  • FitForL1fe
    FitForL1fe Posts: 1,872 Member
    Fascinating thread of ad hominems, red herrings and fallacious arguments. On one side we have busy bodies, snitches, too many cooks and on the other negligent and abusive parents.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrGrOK8oZG8
  • CSARdiver
    CSARdiver Posts: 6,252 Member
    Schools should intervene if and when it affects performance. Therein lies the problem - the school system is not setup to base upon performance any longer.
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
    CSARdiver wrote: »
    Schools should intervene if and when it affects performance. Therein lies the problem - the school system is not setup to base upon performance any longer.

    Unfortunately school isn't the way it was when we were kids but things change. Although the school my kids go to ask questions if the child is underperforming. Other schools do the same. Homelife can effect school life. Nutrition can effect results and performance.
  • RhineDHP
    RhineDHP Posts: 1,025 Member
    edited May 2015
    I remember when I was in elementary school I had fast food and soda everyday for lunch because I was an extremely picky eater. Occasionally I had a thermos of chicken noodle soup and either some cheetos or dunkaroos with grapes or a banana (never ate the fruit). I refused to eat food that wasn't hot so whatever my parents would make at home couldn't go into my lunch box because I wouldn't eat it (except...thermos. I was a weird child). I always ate my dad's home cooked breakfast and dinner every night though. And I was pretty active.

    A teacher came up to me one time and said I was going to get fat, and tried taking my soda away and replacing it with milk (I'm lactose intolerant btw). I think I misheard her and told my mom that a teacher said I was fat, and the whole milk thing -- she called the school later and really let them have it. The teacher was severely reprimanded and apologized to me the next day. Bottom line, sure, the administration should probably know and keep an eye on the child for any negative indicators (lethargy, not as active, trouble concentrating, dropping grades, etc), but ultimately you don't know the child's daily sources of nutrition, so making assumptions based on one meal you visibly see could land you in big trouble.

    Side note: And no, I was never fat until I overloaded on all the foods in my last semester of college. Om nom nom. I've lost most of the college weight though, so it all works out!

    ETA: Also no, I'm not dying prematurely because fast food, before you ask. All health markers are good.
  • JPW1990
    JPW1990 Posts: 2,424 Member
    BinkyBonk wrote: »
    Mr_Knight wrote: »
    JPW1990 wrote: »
    You feel the item that could put the child into cardiac arrest on the playground is of less importance?

    The odds of a kid going into cardiac arrest from a car accident on the way to school are higher than from drinking a Red Bull.
    Perhaps cardiac arrest is slightly over exaggerated, but we all agree it's not okay to give Red Bull to a young child.

    Also, on the way to school the child is in the care of a parent/ guardian. Once the child is at school, they become the responsibility of the caregivers there, being the teachers. I guess that's the whole point here.

    Not really. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21037046
    http://newsroom.heart.org/news/energy-drinks-may-increase-blood-pressure-disturb-heart-rhythm
  • slucki01
    slucki01 Posts: 284 Member
    I think you should mind your own business