Originally Posted By DDMAN26 <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/bake-sale-ban-massachusetts-sparks-outcries-over-food-203350159.html;_ylt=A2KLOzGDsqpPdHkAVMXQtDMD" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/bake-sal...VMXQtDMD</a> As it was said in the Outlaw Josey Wales, doin good ain't got no end.
Originally Posted By ecdc Lame. Obesity is one of those things, like smoking, that is definitely a public health concern, but I don't think government should be involved in telling people what they can do. How do people become so tone deaf they don't understand how "no school bake sales" sound. Or perhaps I've misunderstood and this is just an in intended consequence. Regardless, it just gives ammo to Fox News divas determined to show how big bad government spoils everything.
Originally Posted By mawnck I'm with the school on this one. You either outlaw the sale of sugary treats or you don't. You either fix the national epidemic of obesity or you don't. Fox News can throw a hissy if they'd like.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan In typical all-or-nothing American fashion, we have to chose between allowing bake sale fundraisers or dealing with the obesity epidemic. Can't have both, i guess. If kids intake of pie and cake was limited that which is sold at bake sales a couple times a year, there wouldn't be an obesity epidemic. Seems we can't or won't ever discuss the concept of moderation. That it's okay to have a treat every so often, so long as the majority of the time you eat right and exercise. This has become a radical concept. Instead, ban every kind of junk food (which makes it more desired) and go over the top by ending an easy fundraiser. Ridiculous.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Has anyone ever seen a kid whose parents forbid all candy? When that kid finally gets a couple bucks, they run into a candy store like a heroin addict. Moderation, moderation, moderation.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>In typical all-or-nothing American fashion, we have to chose between allowing bake sale fundraisers or dealing with the obesity epidemic. Can't have both, i guess.<< I don't think you can. I blame a general increase in obstreperousness in our culture, but drawing lines (like what constitutes a bake sale and what doesn't) has become too slippery a slope. (Now there's a mixed metaphor for you to chew on.) The kids can get their religious indoctrination at church and their cupcakes at the store. Have the bake sale somewhere else or raise the funds with another product.
Originally Posted By DyGDisney >>>When that kid finally gets a couple bucks, they run into a candy store like a heroin addict.<<< And if you have a kid in highschool this is going to happen anyway!
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Have the bake sale somewhere else<< Why? Bake sales have been going on for decades (perhaps longer). It really is okay to have a slice of cake every so often. Teaching kids that a slice of cake will instantly kill you or make you obese is not educational. It is very much the approach used back in films like "Reefer Madness." It doesn't work.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>Teaching kids that a slice of cake will instantly kill you or make you obese is not educational.<< What's it got to do with teaching kids? What they're doing is removing their easy access to junk food.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 You mean the junk food they can get just about anywhere else. This is a getting rid of the deck chairs on the Titanic method here.
Originally Posted By ecdc <------Had to look up "obstreperousness." Is now determined to use it repeatedly over the next several days.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>You mean the junk food they can get just about anywhere else. << Then make 'em get it anywhere else. Or rescind the ban. Whichever. I just don't see why your cupcakes should be OK whereas Hostess Cupcakes aren't. And more to the point, I don't see why you want to saddle the school administration with that decision. Just hold the dang bake sale somewhere else! If they're too fat to walk off campus to get the cupcakes, then they don't need them.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 <<or raise the funds with another product.>> Alright let's see: Candy-Nope Pizza-Nope Popcorn-As long as its not cheese or carmel. Maybe just sell the kernels. Then again it will likely be a vehicle for butter and salt. Fruits or vegetables-Let's get real here. Non food items. Pointsettas or Wreaths-Only during Christmas er the Holidays. Wrapping paper-Again only during the Holidays. Then again these could be possible fire hazards. Candles-Probably give out green house emissions and also a definite fire hazard. Books/Magazines-Maybe then again everything is going to digital. Gift Cards-There you go, gift cards.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb >>>Has anyone ever seen a kid whose parents forbid all candy? When that kid finally gets a couple bucks, they run into a candy store like a heroin addict. Moderation, moderation, moderation.<<< Exactly! My former mother in law was obsessive about the evils of sugar and candy. What happened? Her son who was otherwise a very good boy used to shop lift candy because he couldn't get it at home... ever. Her daughter very nearly rotted out her teeth as a young adult. Neither was taught moderation and restraint, just denial. The occasional bake sale will not harm kids in the least and believe me as a mom when I tell you public schools are in a near constant state of fund raising and you can only get the neighbors to pledge for so many jog-a-thons a year.
Originally Posted By DDMAN26 <<Has anyone ever seen a kid whose parents forbid all candy?>> Look up the name Todd Marinovich. You'll see someone who was denied everything growing up.
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb That guy's dad was practically a natzi, practically ignored his own daughter but over saw every little aspect of life for his future football star son. Whack job.
Originally Posted By TomSawyer I'm in favor of bake sales at schools. That said, the biggest fundraiser that my daughter's school had last year was a fun run for the kids. They brought in $13,000 (which isn't bad for a K-8 school with 160 kids) and they didn't have to sell anything at all. It was the first year that they did it. It was a lot easier soliciting for pledges than selling crap that no one wants or needs. And people were a lot happier about giving a pledge then buying something they wouldn't eat or that was clearly a rip off like the wrapping paper is.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Just hold the dang bake sale somewhere else!<< Bake sales usually are tied in with some other event at school -- a music performance, back to school night -- because you have a captive audience. When I was a PTA president I had the brilliant idea of avoiding bake sales, wrapping paper sales, jog-a-thons, etc. Instead, I took our annual budget, divided it by the number of students and came up with an "ideal" amount for families to donate. They'd actually spend far less than they had been on all that "stuff" and not have a bunch of products to deal with, not to mention the constant onslaught of flyers pestering them. You can guess what happened -- it flopped miserably. And we quickly went back to selling gift wrap, popcorn, car washes, etc. For many people, they want something in return for a donation. Let 'em eat cake! (But in moderation.)
