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Old 12-17-2007, 01:34 PM   #1  
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Default Cupcakes BANISHED from school? In my day we didn't even HAVE cupcakes in school

http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline...t-isnt-so.html

"My day" was the 1960s: in that pre-busing era we went to our neighborhood schools and went home for lunch (because both my parents worked they had to make arrangements for me to have lunch with other families). We didn't have a lunchroom at school and before I was in the fifth grade (when a milk break was instituted), with very rare exceptions weren't allowed to eat anything in the school (the exceptions were 1. if there was rain during the school picnic in the park across the street we MIGHT have been allowed to eat in the gym, I don't remember, and 2. I remember in one class we churned butter and ate it on crackers; but that was IT)

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Old 12-17-2007, 01:50 PM   #2  
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I just don't understand the point of banning them from -ever- appearing. I mean, it isn't as if these treats aren't going to exist in the real world...as all of us in office settings around this time are WELL aware. If we are really trying to help kids prepare for a lifetime of healthy treats, why not teach them MODERATION?

I'm picturing one birthday party a month with cupcakes or some other sweet treat, to celebrate all of the kids who had birthdays that month (teaching, of course, that the occasional sweet is OK, but doing it every day is not). For holiday parties, I'd like to see a selection of healthy options and sweets, with kids being allowed to choose one sweet confection and being able to eat as much of the healthy stuff as they want. Wouldn't that teach them valuable skills like "even if the office receptionist has 20 different kinds of cookies, you should probably just pick your favorite and have one, and leave the rest for another day"?

I'm all for introducing healthy options into schools, but I don't think it prepares kids very well for the wide world of sweets and junk food to not teach them any skills for navigating a typical holiday party and accompanying crazy dessert table.
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Old 12-17-2007, 02:05 PM   #3  
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I'm wondering how many schools that ban cupcakes are also schools that have candy and soda machines in the cafeteria, or frequently serve chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and burgers on the lunch menu. It's a little like throwing a glassful of water on a forest fire.
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Old 12-17-2007, 03:12 PM   #4  
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~sigh~

I'm so tired of all of this, I really am. Cupcakes banned from a school? Come on. They CAN'T be serious. I mean, where will this end? In my son's school, anytime a classmate has a birthday, the parent will usually bring in cupcakes, one for each kid in the class, and so far no parent has freaked out protesting this. They have cupcakes during school parties, like their Halloween and Christmas parties - oh wait! My mistake! It's politically incorrect to call them "Halloween" and "Christmas" parties now. Now they're called "Harvest" and "Holiday" parties. My mistake, how stupid of me, throw me in jail for wording it incorrectly.



And now cupcakes banned in schools?

You're GOT to me kidding me.
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Old 12-17-2007, 03:13 PM   #5  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaplods View Post
I'm wondering how many schools that ban cupcakes are also schools that have candy and soda machines in the cafeteria, or frequently serve chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and burgers on the lunch menu. It's a little like throwing a glassful of water on a forest fire.
Hear, hear.
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Old 12-17-2007, 03:23 PM   #6  
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Stories like this one make me crazy. What they completely miss is that kids aren't becoming obese because of birthday party cupcakes. They are becoming obese because they are sedentary. Nobody goes out to play anymore; they have strictly supervised playdates instead. Nobody rides their bike to school anymore since the media would have you believe that there is a pedophile behind every bush despite all statistical evidence to the contrary. No more team sports in P.E., when they bother to have P.E. or recess at all, because keeping score or not being picked first is bad for the little darling's self-esteem.

The result? Little fat kids whose parents and schools don't want to deal with the real reasons so they cut out a 200 calorie cupcake once a month.

And I don't care what that one woman said in the article, kids know the difference between decorating whole wheat bread vs. a cookie. Being little doesn't make you stupid.
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Old 12-17-2007, 03:27 PM   #7  
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And furthermore, if those schools AREN'T policing kids lunches, in addition to what the schools are selling or have available, what is the message we're sending? Something along the lines of: "Every day, you can eat junk food and it is TOTALLY ok. But on special occasions, only healthy foods are allowed". Isn't that a little BACKWARD? Most of us know that it isn't about the special occasions for weight loss and weight management - it is about what you do EVERY DAY!

So until schools ban trans fats and high fructose corn syrup in lunches the parents pack, I think this is ridiculous.
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Old 12-17-2007, 03:46 PM   #8  
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I can sort of see both sides on this one. Like ANOther, I was in elementary school in the 60's and we didn't have cupcakes when I was in school either. We did have a lunchroom and cafeteria. If you bought your lunch, the standard lunch charge didn't include dessert, but you could pay extra for it. Of course if kids had cupcakes in their lunch boxes they could eat them at lunch time. But we never ate in the classroom. It wasn't a big deal. I mean, 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon without snacking isn't a big deal. I don't remember celebrating anyone's birthday in school either; I don't think we did it. I remember a few little kids' birthday parties at their homes, but not in school. I don't think it is a big deprivation. On the other hand, it seems blown out of proportion to ban cupcakes with the same fervor and intensity as weapons and drugs. I guess what my school had was more of a general policy than a full-blown rule. Anyway, we kids seemed ok with it.
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Old 12-17-2007, 03:56 PM   #9  
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As a mom of a kid with allergies AND a summer birthday, I was relieved when our district implemented this. Our kids still have PE every day, so it wasn't so much the obesity factor for the s/d as it was food allergies. With wheat, dairy, nut and other things cropping up, there were always the kids who had to pass on treats, or who weren't old enough to pass and so then it had to be monitored by the adults on hand who have rosters of who's allergic to what. I'm glad I don't have to worry about that possibility happening anymore, even tho mine is old enough now to decline and understand it's not about being left out. Myself, I have a spring bday and we never got to celebrate it at school, so I think we got into the habit these days lately as a carryover from the preschool or d/c environment, which probably more kids go to now. In our school, kids can still bring in pencils, or some other non-food treat, to share with friends or bring in a special book that the teacher will read in class that day. I'm pretty happy with that. For our Halloween and V-Day parties, they can still bring in cupcakes, but it can't be cupcakes and fruit snacks, and chips, and, and and like it was in her KG year. Now it has to be balanced with Cupcakes and a veggie tray, or cookies and pretzels, juice and water, etc. That works well in the classrooms too.

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Old 12-17-2007, 04:12 PM   #10  
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One of the problems with this, rereading the article, is who is deciding what is and isn't healthy, and to what extent is the ban taken. It sounds in the article as though some schools are wanting to control what children bring to school in their lunches as well (such as the ban on peanut products for fear of allergic reaction).

There are many theories and interpretations of "good nutrition," and to what extent are the schools intending to go? Where will it lead? Who will be the food police, and what will the consequences be for bringing "contraband" into the school? Will a child be sent home or suspended for smuggling in a twinkie? Will slim children be allowed more "slack" than fat children. Will the school board start dictating what lunches should contain for all children (or maybe worse, as determined for each individual child)? Will inappropriate food be confiscated? Since malnourishment and undernourishment are still problems for some children, will underweight children be force fed, and overweight children forced to diet.

Dieting as a gradeschooler did me no good (I was placed on my first diet when I was in kindergarten and given amphetemine diet pills by eight grade), and my concern would be that we would make junk food that much more "forbidden fruit," and would result in a lot more hidden or secretive eating. I think for myself, "secret eating" was the beginning of my warped relationship with food. I learned to eat one way in front of other people, and another way when alone. I clearly remember even in grade school, trading or giving away food from my lunch (that I very much wanted to eat myself) because I felt funny eating in front of people and was afraid they'd tease me for eating too much. Then I'd be so hungry after school that on the bus-ride home I would start planning how I could sneak food out of the kitchen before dinner without being noticed.

I think the intentions are good, but I think that this is an oversimple solution to a very complex problem, and could cause as many problems as it solves.
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Old 12-17-2007, 04:40 PM   #11  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sportmom View Post
As a mom of a kid with allergies AND a summer birthday, I was relieved when our district implemented this. Our kids still have PE every day, so it wasn't so much the obesity factor for the s/d as it was food allergies. With wheat, dairy, nut and other things cropping up, there were always the kids who had to pass on treats,
This point I understand, but this isn't even their issue. They're saying to REPLACE cupcakes with other wheat-filled foods. They're not even concerned about allergies. I doubt they're even all that concerned about the kids' weight. They're just concerned about parents and the community blaming THEM that the kids coming from that particular school are fat because they only have PE once or twice a week. My son has PE twice a week MAX. Sometimes it's only once. And many times they don't even go outside for recess. They have INDOOR recess. And I asked him what they do during indoor recess. I was hoping he'd come back with, "We go to the indoor gym and play basketball."

Instead he says, "We sit around and play with Legos."

I'd so hate to jump on the food police wagon, but if my son's school should ever do this ridiculous crap, I'd walk in there and say, "Okay, then ban your corn dogs, your hot dogs, your chicken nuggets, your pizza, your fried cheese stix, and your deep-fried chicken patty sandwiches as well."

I mean, hey! If it's all about good nutrition and taking away the sweet treats, let's go all the way! Because I guarantee that deep-fried chicken sandwich and the cheese stix are gonna pack on more fat and calories than one cupcake.
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Old 12-17-2007, 08:49 PM   #12  
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So what good does it do to have cupcakes in school that you're so upset that they're being excluded?

What purpose do cupcakes serve that healthier foods don't?
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Old 12-18-2007, 02:00 PM   #13  
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Quote:
So what good does it do to have cupcakes in school that you're so upset that they're being excluded?

What purpose do cupcakes serve that healthier foods don't?
Does every food HAVE to have a "purpose". The point is that they are being banned for a silly and inconsistant reason. I am against banning them simply on that basis. Do I think children NEED cupcakes? no. Do I think they need to be BANNED? no.

Now if there is an allergic child in the classroom, then I do think the allergen needs to be banned from ALL party food in the classroom until at least junior high. Our school bans nuts in birthday treats because there are allergic children.

My kids go to the most hippie - crunchy -organic whole grain school in hippie crunchy organic Oregon and we still allow cookies/cupcakes on birthdays. Granted some parents bring whole wheat based cookies, but some bring costco bring-on-the-white-sugar brownies.

I agree that there is a better lesson to be learned about moderation, treats vs. every day food (so yes, I am against them selling soda pop and candy bars in the vending machines)

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Old 12-18-2007, 06:46 PM   #14  
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Leave the cupcakes alone!!!
The occasional treat at school, and I mean occasional, shouldn't be the cause for such alarm!
Here's the plan -- get rid of the crap sold at the school cafeteria because it is cheap for the school districts to serve. Such as soda, chips, vending machine products, french fries, pizza, and so on. Institute GYM CLASS again! Ensure HEALTH CLASS covers healthy and balanced eating!
Keep the cupcakes for holiday celebrations!
Too much concern IMHO for the politically correct thing to do, and not enough concern for the development of happy, healthy, BALANCED lifestyles (which DO include the occasional festive treat!!!).
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Old 12-18-2007, 10:08 PM   #15  
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I really don't mind the idea that some schools would ask parents not bring in any treats for birthdays, etc.... I don't even mind that there would be a list that parents be sent that sets guidelines for such snacks...

But the article mentioned states that (bold emphasis mine):
Many schools "seized the moment to take a firm stand against junk food served anywhere and any time in the building — including fare offered by parents for classroom parties," the newspaper says.


Ok, the question then remains - How are these decisions made, by whom, and how are they going to be enforced? What will the punishment for infraction be, and who will be punished - the child or the parent? What if a parent disagrees over the definition of junk. A lunch that one parent may consider very healthy, another may consider junk. Who gets to decide and on what is the decision based?.

It seems idiotic to me for a school serving deep-fried and convenience foods 3times a week (with a side of white bread), to crack down on cupcakes.

If the school is asking parents to conform to nutritional guidelines that the school follows itself, that would be one thing. On the other hand, I don't like the phrasing anywhere and any time in the building , because that implies in children's lunch boxes as well. If the whole lunch isn't taken into account, but certain items are just targeted, I don't see how this addresses the problem. Some children will have nutritionally balanced diets that might include an occasional cupcake or cookie, and other children will have nutritionally inappropriate lunches of food the school might not consider junk food. One slice of vegetable pizza with a whole wheat crust, a small amount of cheese might be part of one child's healthy lunch. Another child might come to school with 4 slices of greasy pepperoni pizza?

So do we ban pizza? Certain kinds of pizza? Certain amounts of pizza? If a child has a healthy lunch (overall, nutritionally) but it contains a banned item, do the lunch monitors confiscate the banned item? What if this is enough to create an inbalance in the child's meal? (Mom made a fruit bar or muffin that might fall under the school's definition of a cookie, cupcake or brownie, but includes the starch and fruit serving mom had planned into said child's lunch). What if the child is diabetic or has other special nutritional needs? What if a child needs to be on a special diet because of allergies, metabolic disorders...
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