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DEL.ICIO.USNew law would requires schools to track weight and BMI
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 02/29/08
Georgia's elementary school children will be weighed and measured twice a year by school officials under a bill that passed the Senate Friday.
The legislation requires schools to track kids' body mass index, a combination of height and weight used to determine whether the child is healthy. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Carter (R-Tifton) requires that schools post the aggregate BMI information on their Web sites and follow state regulations on offering physical education classes.
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Carter said the bill would work much like test scores, with schools reporting their data so parents could check out how they measure up to other area schools. Children would be weighed in a confidential office setting and their personal data would not become public, he said.
"Sally, step into the office, step up on the scale, that's about as invasive as it gets," he said. More than one in three kids in Georgia is overweight, he said. "The presence of childhood obesity is staggering."
Arkansas was the first state to implement such a rule, in 2003. The bill, which mirrors legislation in several other states, passed 37 to 13 after a heated debate.
Sen. Preston Smith (R-Rome) said "the long arm of the government" should stop reaching into peoples' private lives.
He said worries that schools' will pressure children to lose weight and stigmatize them, mimicking what he worried school officials would say: "Come on, pick it up fat kid, we're not going to get money if you don't!""
As he left the podium, refusing to engage in a debate, Sen. Renee Unterman (R-Buford) who supports the bill, shouted "chicken!" at him.
It's not the first time lawmakers have tried to take up childhood obesity. Carter introduced a bill in 2006 that would have required more PE for Georgia elementary and middle schoolers, but the measure failed.
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Comments
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By EDK
Mar 26, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this
It is a shame that Georgia has sunk to a new low, but you see what party controls these decisions. If this is the case for children, then school boards, faculties, all staff, police, firemen, local and state officials, preachers and any and all folks that are roll models to children should have to be weighed and put on public display! It is only fair!
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Mar 22, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this
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By Rose
Mar 6, 2008 9:51 PM | Link to this
Insanity. Scary insanity. My four children were never in government schools for reasons like this. None of my children are overweight, but it is not the Nanny State's business to weigh and track anybody's children. This should be causing a huge outcry from the public, but I am afraid that we are so dumbed down and so willing to let the government tell us what to do that most people are not even going to question behavior or policy like this. My God, help us. Kids are shooting up schools; most of the teens I see in the public schools are anti-social and completely peer-oriented, and most don't know a thing about what it means to work hard. Our country is in for major trouble the next 10-15 years, and the government is going to come in and start monitoring children's weight? The problem in this country is that parents have abdicated their responsibility for raising their own children. The government has become the nursemaid. I revolt!
By Lilburn Mom
Mar 3, 2008 6:50 AM | Link to this
One more reason for me to consider home schooling!
By JT Lancer
Mar 2, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
I've got an idea...
Why not demand that ALL Georgia Senate members be weighed and measured twice a year?
The Atlanta Journal can publish the results.
Any Senate members who are deemed overweight will automatically lose their seats.
That way, the busybody politicians won't be able to bully the citizenry with stupid, idiotic laws like this.
By JT Lancer
Mar 2, 2008 10:20 PM | Link to this
Parents - Stop abusing your children!
Get them out of the government indoctrination centers as soon as possible!
By GaPEACH
Mar 2, 2008 12:04 PM | Link to this
Take them to a Pediatrician...
A persons medical records should remain PRIVATE---This is giving to much personal information. Teachers are not Physicians--let them try to correct what they are now doing a good job...teaching.YEA RIGHT
By R Herron
Mar 2, 2008 11:20 AM | Link to this
Tracking BMI will not help kids. Forcing School Boards to put recess back in K-6, have mandatory PE in K-10, provide Nutritional lunches and remove junk food vending machines from schools will help kids. Nutrition should be taught in K-8. Tracking kids BMI will make it impossible for some to get life or health insurance. Did Senate think about that?
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