Recently, I saw this article discussing teachers who take away students’ snacks and lunches if they don’t meet certain health standards. The school in question is in Canada. Out of curiosity, I googled “Teacher taking student’s lunch away” and came up with oodles of articles, many of them discussing schools in the US as well. Apparently, this is rampant. I am of two minds when it comes to this.
Mind #1: I can’t believe that teachers have to be in charge of something else. They have enough on their plates. (No pun intended.) Now they have to police students’ food? It’s annoying to the teachers, insulting to the parents, and embarrassing for the students.
Mind #2: I have seen a child bring a large candy bar for lunch. And that’s it.
Is there some sort of happy medium for this issue? I think it’s ridiculous for a teacher to take away a cup of pudding from a child—but if lunch is a supersize chocolate bar, it needs to go and be replaced with a healthier option. But where does food cross the line from okay to eat to artery-clogging junk?
Let’s say you were in charge. What kind of rules would you set—or wouldn’t you set any?
Once again, teachers have to be parents!
Teachers cannot come of good no matter the stance you take. Encouraging a healthy lunch is criticizing parents. Taking away a healthy lunch item is a criticism, replacing a candy bar wth an apple will be a huge issue…
I don’t think there is a happy medium, unless schools provide nutritious, and tasty lunches at no cost to parents. TASTY school lunches are hard to come by….
At the beginning of the school year, we send home a list of healthy suggestions for lunch and snack. The parents are not required to follow it, but it does give them some ideas.
I will not allow candy in my classroom. For example, if a student brings a lollipop for snack, I send it back home and provide animal crackers and milk or juice instead.
My district provides free lunch for all students. Many of my special needs students are very picky about what they eat so we use lunch to encourage children to try new foods. I have never had to limit what a child eats but most don’t bring food from home. I would be very uncomfortable if I had to monitor this!
When I was licensed childcare provider, I had children that would hardly eat my healthy food. They knew once they got home they could eat all the junk they wanted. I think they craved that food and I could only offer my best. It was very hard to watch. They are unhealthy adults now. So sad.