QUOTE
Pupils forced to exercise as pies and lollies banned
4th December 2006, 6:15 WST
Children will be compelled to get active and school canteens will have to wean themselves off junk food profits under a new State Government campaign to tackle childhood obesity.
Under the plan announced yesterday, all pupils at government schools from Year 1 to Year 10 will have to do two hours physical activity a week. Currently there is no mandatory requirement for schoolchildren to exercise at school, though most schools have physical activity programs.
Fatty and sugary foods such as meat pies and lollies have been banned from canteens, replaced with items including baked potatoes and dried fruit.
WA School Canteens Association executive officer Robin Bromley said some canteens could face a drop in profits of up to $30,000 when junk food was wiped from menus, but health should be put before profits.
She said schools would have to wind up contracts with companies that supplied items such as soft drinks — which not only brought in profits via the margin above the cost price but also often came with cash-back incentives.
Ms Bromley said canteen services which were contracted out to local stores in country areas or to catering companies would also have to adopt the strict new healthy menu.
She said it might take longer for schools in regional areas to adapt but they would be given time and help to do so.
In areas where fresh and healthy foods were hard to source, schools would be encouraged to link up to form buying groups to increase their purchasing power.
The Government hopes to have the new system in place by the middle of next year.
Alan Carpenter said there would be no specialist staff recruited to implement the twohour exercise regime. Students would be expected to take part in organised sports, dance and physical activity.
The Premier said school principals would have to report on the implementation of the new policies as part of their school review and reporting processes.
WA Secondary School Executives Association president Alison Woodman said many schools were already providing healthy canteen food and had been aware that exercise would become compulsory.
4th December 2006, 6:15 WST
Children will be compelled to get active and school canteens will have to wean themselves off junk food profits under a new State Government campaign to tackle childhood obesity.
Under the plan announced yesterday, all pupils at government schools from Year 1 to Year 10 will have to do two hours physical activity a week. Currently there is no mandatory requirement for schoolchildren to exercise at school, though most schools have physical activity programs.
Fatty and sugary foods such as meat pies and lollies have been banned from canteens, replaced with items including baked potatoes and dried fruit.
WA School Canteens Association executive officer Robin Bromley said some canteens could face a drop in profits of up to $30,000 when junk food was wiped from menus, but health should be put before profits.
She said schools would have to wind up contracts with companies that supplied items such as soft drinks — which not only brought in profits via the margin above the cost price but also often came with cash-back incentives.
Ms Bromley said canteen services which were contracted out to local stores in country areas or to catering companies would also have to adopt the strict new healthy menu.
She said it might take longer for schools in regional areas to adapt but they would be given time and help to do so.
In areas where fresh and healthy foods were hard to source, schools would be encouraged to link up to form buying groups to increase their purchasing power.
The Government hopes to have the new system in place by the middle of next year.
Alan Carpenter said there would be no specialist staff recruited to implement the twohour exercise regime. Students would be expected to take part in organised sports, dance and physical activity.
The Premier said school principals would have to report on the implementation of the new policies as part of their school review and reporting processes.
WA Secondary School Executives Association president Alison Woodman said many schools were already providing healthy canteen food and had been aware that exercise would become compulsory.
This has started to filter into local schools. Get kids to eat healthier - great! Will this actually work? Not unless they can stop the same kids they're targeting from going to the local shops before and after school and buying there what they can no longer get from the canteen. Not unless they can get those kids to change their eating habits at home. Not unless they can get the parents to change as well.
This sort of policing and removal of choices annoys and offends me on so many levels. It's another example of stupid regulations being implemented because so many people want someone else to take responsibility for things instead of assuming it themselves. It's a token wave-the-flag-look-at-how-much-we're-doing by the government.
It's easier to ban "bad" food than to educate kids (and we dare not suggest parents should have a hand in the education of their own kids) that not only is healthy food better for you but that it can be tasty and also (shame on me for suggesting it) if you eat healthy then you can enjoy junk food without problems.
I give my kids $2 each week for spending at the canteen or shop on whatever they want - it's their "junk food" money. They take their own lunches to school and eat meals made at home most nights of the week. I allow them to buy junk with their $2 if that's what they want. Sometimes they save it and add to their other money to buy something else. They have to choose whether to buy junk with their junk food money. Not only are they learning to budget but they are learning that they have to make choices and they have limits. All things which they will need to know as they get older.
Mick