Massachusetts Schools Send Kids Home With Letters Saying They Are ‘Too Fat’
Massachusetts schools are sending students home with letters to their parents, but the letters don’t have anything to do with grades or behavior – they have to do with weight! This is part of a new government initiative to tell parents when their child’s BMI (body mass index) is high and give them instructions on how to deal with weight issues.
Tracy Watson, whose son attends school in North Andover, asked, “Why aren’t we having nutritionists speak to our children? Why aren’t we hiring more gym teachers? There were a number of children that went to bed not feeling so great about themselves that night.â€
Her son, Cameron, agreed. “You either are anorexic, that means you are too small. Or you get the obese letter that means you are too big. You can’t be ‘just right.’â€
State and local lawmakers have joined the effort to fight the so-called “fat letters.â€
For a video:
Do you think the letters should be going out to parents like this?
This isn't new. They sent one home with my daughter in tears when she was 10. I was pissed. She comes from a biological family who is bed bound due to their weight. She worked hard to keep her weight down but no it was not in the BMI she should have been in. It would require surgery to be there. I had to repair so much pain due to these "helpful" letters. She is going to be 18 tomorrow and she is at a perfect weight.
They send me letters when they believe my kids need an eye exam, etc. I think we need to stop being so sensitive about weight related matters. It is not being sent for vanity reasons but health ones. If it turns out that the letter was sent in error after seeing a dr., its not the end of the world. It is to raise awareness and it turns out it's doing its job because many are getting up in arms over this.
They are teachers...not dieticians, or nutritionists. I say we send home fat letters for all the people in the school that are overweight. This is stupid. Kids have a hard enough time with other kids telling them they are different without having the teachers turn on them too. It is not about sensitivity...It is about respect...and I dont see much of it these days. I teach my kids that people come in all different sizes...just because some are bigger or smaller than others does not make them less of a person. I think it is dangerous territory to send home letters with kids that says something they should change to fit the norm...NOT RIGHT! I would be pissed and I would react accordingly.
well they would be sending my skinny kid a letter home saying he is to fat. and would I give a damn about their feeding instructions. NO MY KID I WILL FEED HIM THE WAY I SEE FIT. the goverment is overstepping thier bounds. my son is upper 95% in weight and skinny figure that out.
We got one last year for my DD it didn't bother me. We are in Mass, I just figured it was something new they implemented. I was actually a little concerned because my DD is super skinny that it would be negative in that respect. However, it was fine.
My son's school sent home a letter last year when he was in kindergarten that his BMI was on the low side. I'm well aware that he's thin....but not unhealthy. He's a picky eater and he's very active. Until his pediatrician voices a concern with me about his weight, I'm going to just ignore the school's "recommendations"
My kids got those yearly for several years already. It isn't like they come into your house and evaluate your fridge and cabinets - they send home a piece of paper and some advice.
Is it just me, or... ?
- momdoes
on Feb. 26, 2013 at 2:13 PM