All this talk that we live in a soft-tyranny? Just the rantings of “anti-government” rabble rousers — extremists looking to confront and incite. Move along. Nothing to see here:
At […] Little Village Academy on Chicago’s West Side, students are not allowed to pack lunches from home. Unless they have a medical excuse, they must eat the food served in the cafeteria.
Principal Elsa Carmona said her intention is to protect students from their own unhealthful food choices.
“Nutrition wise, it is better for the children to eat at the school,” Carmona said. “It’s about the nutrition and the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom). It’s milk versus a Coke. But with allergies and any medical issue, of course, we would make an exception.”
More than merely in loco parentis, what we’re seeing here is full-on parentis interruptus.
But so what? It’s for the children, after all. Right?
Any school that bans homemade lunches also puts more money in the pockets of the district’s food provider, Chartwells-Thompson. The federal government pays the district for each free or reduced-price lunch taken, and the caterer receives a set fee from the district per lunch.
Wait, so you mean a government that overreaches into nearly every aspect of our lives might in fact create perverse incentives for public employees to usurp parental rights — and that those incentives might be money based?
But — the children!
When Ding Dongs are outlawed, only Outlaws will have Ding Dongs.
CHARGE!
(h/t Darleen)
Principal Elsa Carmona said her intention is to protect students from their own unhealthful food choices.
Fantastic. So not only are parents abdicating their responsibilities toward their children, their kids are being told that they aren’t responsible enough to choose healthy foods for themselves, and their parents don’t know how to feed them, if said parents are still involved in the lunch-packing process.
I would be seriously pissed off if I were a student or a parent in this district. Heck, I am seriously pissed off anyway. Anyone got an address for this woman?
Gotta do something with all the leftover airplane meals they no longer serve in coach class…
It takes a Commissar to run a Little Village…
In related news, Principal Elsa Carmona announced the new “2+2=5” portion of the syllabus. Parents with concerns are invited to attend the next school board meeting. Rats and “Winston Smith” nametags will be provided, along with a chocolate ration increase.
“It’s about the nutrition and the excellent quality food that they are able to serve (in the lunchroom).”
Jamie Oliver begs to differ.
Ok, first of all, the Ding Dong line is hilarious. Secondly, I can’t believe how much this issue has spiraled out of control. Do you know how expensive school lunches are?? For those who aren’t on the free or reduced lunch program, it’s pretty expensive. My son can easily spend $15-20 in a week. That’s more than I spend on my OWN lunch each week! Many families can’t afford it, and even if they could, it’s still wrong! This is basically a message that the school knows what’s best, and we, the parents, do not. That is infuriating. And frankly, I don’t think the school lunches are all that healthy either. They have cheeseburgers 2x a week at my children’s school, and they bring in Arby’s once a week. Oh so they serve some apple slices with your cheeseburger? Oh, well that’s ok then. Ridiculous.
Follow the money.
Considering this is Chicago, Gen. Sherman, that course of action is likely to get you kneecapped.
Next step: “If we don’t like the way you raise your children at home, we’re taking them away from you…for their own good.”
Aaaaaaaand … the next step … “If you continue to drive that clunky SUV, we’ll take it away from you and give you a 2 wheeled scooter. Now GET IN SHAPE, PLANET DIRTIERS!!!!”
“Oh and your clothes? Taken away and replaced by linen and bag cover material.WE ARE THE WORLD!!”
#8
No.no. We doan do dat nomore. Yousell get a tuneup mebbe. Over by dere.
[…] […]
I work in a school cafeteria. To say that the meals are nutritious is ridiculous. We used highly processed, breaded frozen foods, canned vegetables, canned fruit, and the “vegetable” is often french fries or tator tots when it’s not canned peas or corn. Much of the food is thrown away and even us in the kitchen don’t eat our own school lunches! I’m appalled at what we serve our kids and have the nerve to call “nutritious”. The kids can’t be much worse off bringing their own food, even if it’s soda and chips!
And let’s not forget the two recent stories here in Mass. about 1) food way past its expiration date (more than a year) being served to the kids, and 2) school food-storage areas showing signs of rat/mice infestations.
Eat up, kids! Yum!
PB&Js have been out for a while. Peanuts are worse than meth.
It’s not limited to just Chicago, as we’ve had lunch “issues” with our school as well.
[…] Jeff G: Wait, so you mean a government that overreaches into nearly every aspect of our lives might in fact create perverse incentives for public employees to usurp parental rights — and that those incentives might be money based? […]
“Peanuts are worse than meth.”:
Wait! Wait! Are you implying that there is something wrong with meth?
You don’t say! I’m sure it’s only a coincidence that it’s also For Their Own Good.
=^D
According to a close relative who formerly worked for a school district (in a different state), there’s all kinds of BS going on in the cafeterias to get more reimbursement money from the state. In this one there’s no outright law against kids bringing their own lunches, so it was more along the lines of pressuring kids who forgot their lunches to buy one instead of getting a free sandwich, giving kids full meals even if the kid didn’t order one and charging their accounts for the items they didn’t want, and other shenanigans. If there’s a way to game the reimbursement system, it will be done. Scrap it. Why should the government be paying out for school food, anyway? The poor who truly can’t afford to buy or even make their own lunch get food stamps; everybody else can buy at the true break-even price or bring their own. No more problem.
If I had a kid and was told s/he couldn’t bring lunch to school, I’d say s/he needs a medical exemption – allergic to bureaucracy and rules that strip our family of our rights.
Public school food is crap. I’d say it’s like gas station food but that’s not fair to the gas stations. Really. The nicer ones have food that’s much better than what they fed us in high school, and with food prices going up, I seriously doubt that the schools are buying higher-quality food to feed their students.
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“When Ding Dongs are outlawed, only Outlaws will have Ding Dongs.”
And why, pray tell, would I want Elsa Carmona or any other of it’s loathsome ilk?
Young outlaws?