Sen. Gillibrand announces another big government plan to interfer in local school districts

"As a rural senator, shouldn't Gillibrand be fighting to protect local autonomy instead of undermining it?"

I would imagine Ms. Gillibrand likes being referred to as "Senator" and in that regard she is doing whatever Senator Schumer tells her because she is up for re-election soon.

Although I seldom agree with Democrats on anything, I like Gillibrand. She is a minority Democrat that supports gun rights. But getting back on topic I think this proposal by gov't is fine. Trans fats are as bad as smoking and Lord knows the majority of our youth have horrible eating habits that carry on into later life causing health problems. Other than this proposal, I can't think what else this administration does right.

>>So why exactly is this even REMOTELY a federal government issue?

Local schools boards don't seem to have the clout (or willingness?) to overcome the political muscle of agribusiness and mega-corporations like Coca-Cola that have filled our kids with sugary drinks and high-fat foods at school. I'd prefer local control, but the health of our kids (and the staggering cost of obesity in the future) demand action at whatever level of government is willing to act.

This is a parental issue, not a government one. If a parent lets their kid eat crap, they look bad when they are out with fatty.

If you want your kid to eat well, don't give him money to buy what he wants, pack his lunch. Its that simple.

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY!

They just can not stop trying to run your life. The parents should decide what the kid eats, in or out of school.

Next, the Liberals will say you have to 18 to eat at Mcdonald's.

This is a parental responsibility. If left to the government, we will end up with the fiasco we had when President Reagan was in office and proclaimed that ketchup was a vegetable.
For those who don't remember,
the ketchup as a vegetable controversy or ketchupgate refers to a proposed United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Drug Administration directive, early in the administration of Ronald Reagan, that would have reclassified ketchup and pickle relish from condiments to a vegetable, allowing public schools to cut out a serving of cooked or fresh vegetable from hot lunch program child-nutrition requirements. The White House Office of Management and Budget estimated a potential US $1 billion annual savings in the cost of subsidized meals for low-income students.

Release of the proposed directive for required public comment in September 1981 met with outrage from nutritionists. Charges of greed and indifference were made by media and pundits. The administration responded their concern was to address "plate waste" and to serve what students would actually consume.

In reporting on the proposed directive Newsweek magazine illustrated their story with a bottle of ketchup with the caption "now a vegetable."
The proposed directive was criticized by Democrats and Republicans alike, and was never implemented.

I do think that there should be a program to provide one meal a day for children who qualify. I will never go along with the belief that children should suffer to teach their parents a lesson. There are too many variables on why a family can't afford to send their children with a lunch.

In the Batavia School district, I believe that nearly half of the children receive free or reduced price lunch and breakfast at schools and this may be the only meals that they receive. When the school only offers crap, that's what they eat. I remember a few years back at open house the cafeteria staff had a display showing the foods that they feed our kids. The breakfast foods were the worst with Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, etc. Since then they have made great strides to provide much healthier foods. I'm not sure whose initiative that was but it seems to be district wide, even in the high school.

Throughout my schooling I was given money to buy lunch. Starting in about 5th grade I stopped buying meals and bought what I wanted to eat. This included Ice Cream, chips, and cookies. I turned out very healthy. When I graduated I was 5' 9" and 145lbs.

You can make a kids lunch for pretty cheap. Peanut Butter an jelly, a loaf of bread, and a piece of fruit don't cost much.

My taxes should not pay for someone else food. If you can't afford to have children, you shouldn't have any at all. Part of the cost of having children is providing them with sustenance. If you can't, birth control is cheap.

When I was in School at Oakfield, our HomeEc teacher, Darlene Bakos, was huge into eating healthy. For a few years, she had pretty much all the junk food removed and replaced with cookies that were baked at the school. I think even the ice cream was removed for a while as well as chocolate milk. At first the students threw a fit but then just got used to it. She was ahead of the curve and truly cared about the students as individuals.

The school lunches now, are premade garbage, not fit for a dog, much less a kid. Even the salads are full of preservatives. Its just whatevers cheapest, not whatever is the best quality for our kids. Thats why we pack lunch for the kids, instead of waisting our money on cheap food. Its out of the schools hands. Some level of government could intervene. But will they??

Posted by Peter O'Brien on July 22, 2009 - 9:05am

My taxes should not pay for someone else food. If you can't afford to have children, you shouldn't have any at all. Part of the cost of having children is providing them with sustenance. If you can't, birth control is cheap.

Why am I not surprised. No grey area here, is there Peter?
Consider, for a moment, the fact that financial difficulty can hit any family.
A young mother loses her husband to a fatal disease. They weren't aware that this was in their future when they had their children. Hindsight is always better than foresight. Her finances, at the moment, make it imossible for her to provide for her family as she did in the past.
Should her children suffer because their father passed away?
Don't criticize and place everyone in the same boat unless you have walked a mile in their shoes.
I know you want to push buttons, but some comments are meant strictly to hurt. You don't know the circumstances behind every child who receives a meal at school.

Why not get together with other parents and address it yourselves at a School Board Meeting?

He should have had enough life insurance to ensure a decent living for his family. A little forethought goes a long way.

I'm not trying to push buttons, just state what I believe.

Does this mother have other family to help her out?
Charities exist as well. Using the force of government is wrong.

I couldn't have said it better myself Bea.

My son only wanted to take his lunch during his high school years. He was not a fan of the school lunches. At 6'6 260lbs food is important to him, he's always been a good eater. I was lucky.

What about these "walking shoes"? Mom has four kids, four different dads, never been married to any of them, and has no intention of ever using birth control or curbing her irresponsible behavior.

Bea if all these government programs are important to you and not to me, what's wrong with eliminating them and replacing them with charities that take donations?

Then I don't have to pay for things I think I shouldn't and you will get tax money back that you can dump into the programs?

Andrew, even in those circumstances, the children shouldn't suffer.

So are you going to find them a steady father then too Beth, because otherwise they are suffering.

Maybe John Holdren can start enacting some of his ideas now that he's the Science Czar. That should take care of the problem.

That's going to go way over their heads I am afraid.

Andrew, who is John Holdren?

The changes that take place should be at a school-board level, not at the federal level. School lunches are already regulated by certain laws, we don't need more federal money spent on how children eat. Each school district should decide for itself how school lunches are dealt with.

We don't empower our students enough, if students and parents have complaints they have a right to take it to the board. Empower students to do research and make changes. It's not the fed. government's responsibility to make sure school lunches are healthy.

The federal government is already involved by funding the free lunch program. The state is involved by providing subsidized food. I support Senator Gillibrand’s efforts here to make any changes at all to the way the current school lunch system works. For many children in this area the lunch and snacks they receive at school may be the only healthy food they receive that day. If she can eliminate some of the junk that is currently being served then good for her.

My experience with local school districts making any changes to what they currently serve has been disheartening. They hide behind board policies and state regulations refusing to make any changes for the good. I do take personal responsibility for what my children eat - I can pack their lunches but I can not get the teacher to serve them an alternate snack (that I pay for & provide) at snack time without a signed doctors’ note (this is at the elementary level).

Posted by Bea McManis on July 22, 2009 - 10:21am

Why am I not surprised. No grey area here, is there Peter?
Consider, for a moment, the fact that financial difficulty can hit any family.
A young mother loses her husband to a fatal disease. They weren't aware that this was in their future when they had their children. Hindsight is always better than foresight. Her finances, at the moment, make it imossible for her to provide for her family as she did in the past.
Should her children suffer because their father passed away?
Don't criticize and place everyone in the same boat unless you have walked a mile in their shoes.
I know you want to push buttons, but some comments are meant strictly to hurt. You don't know the circumstances behind every child who receives a meal at school.

I could not agree with you more Bea! No one can predict the future and these are children! People should appreciate what they have and not make decisions for other people not knowing their circumstances!

He is the Science Czar appointed by President Obama. In 1977 he co-authored the book; "Eco-Science". Among the ideas he proposes are:

"Women could be forced to abort their pregnancies, whether they wanted to or not."

"The population at large could be sterilized by infertility drugs intentionally put into the nation's drinking water or in food."

"Single mothers and teen mothers should have their babies seized from them against their will and given away to other couples to raise; People who "contribute to social deterioration" (i.e. undesirables) 'can be required by law to exercise reproductive responsibility' -- in other words, be compelled to have abortions or be sterilized."

"A transnational "Planetary Regime" should assume control of the global economy and also dictate the most intimate details of Americans' lives -- using an armed international police force."

This is the Federal Government that you want to step in and "do something".

Kelly - I remember when my youngest was in kindergarten and we were supposed to send in a healthy snack for the kids to all share. They would let us know when it was our turn. One of the suggested snacks was fruit rollups. Since when was high fructose corn syrup on the healthy snack list? Batavia has improved a great deal though. Still not great but much better. Lots of whole grains and much less sugar.

I agree with Kelly in that some kids dont have a chance to eat at home, and school lunch is probably the only meal they get. So Sad. Back in the day, the lunches were homemade, and without preservatives. Elba School had the best!! Funny the government wants the kids to meet the standards they have set forth, but dont give a hoot how they get there. Kids need good nutrition, to do good in school. It all comes down to the almighty dollar. Isnt that what we pay school tax for??

Can anyone answer the question I posed to Bea?

Nah, it's more fun whining you're mean.

Karen and Kelly,
If these kids never eat at home, how do they survive in the summer?

"Just like I told him no threats were made just advice as to who he was dealing with!"

What does that mean exactly? Do they drive around town in their BHS Varsity Jackets looking for people who they don't like to beat up with baseball bats?

Oh and one more important comment. Until you have children, feel the love, nurture them, protect them, feel the pride associated with parenthood, feed them, put them through school, and college, can you even have an idea of what is involved.

You are absolutely right Karen!

Nope not at all! Just when it comes to family they protect their own! Just leave the kid alone is all that was trrying to be said until he blew it out of proportion! No one is beating anyone up or threatening anyone!

Karen, you have no idea how other people were raised or what other people's experiences were. How dare you claim that someone can have no idea of what is involved in raising a child, when you and the other women bash Peter when he makes that statement that generalizes people.

You have no idea how he or anyone else was raised. You don't know if he or anyone else recieved free lunches. You don't know if he had to help raise members of his family. You don't know if he's been on his own since a young age. All you do know is you think you know what it's like to be a parent.

YOU, my dear friend, have no idea what is involved.

Karen,
Do I need to have kids to be able to vote for positions on the school board too then?

Based on that logic I shouldn't have to pay school taxes until I have kids.

If only parents are smart enough to know about kids then why do you need my money?

Your opinions are based simply on emotions. They don't stem from a set of core values. I don't believe that the government should take my money to give it to anyone. That's what charity is for. By reducing the amount of government programs, more money is in the private sector. That money is invested and used to create wealth. That creates jobs and lifts people out of poverty. Hand outs encourage people to stay at an income level that will qualify them for the handout.

I want people to advance. It is the american dream. Seeing how much you can collect from the government is slowly taking that dream away from future generations.

Thanks Girl. I often wonder what, and where I would be without my Beautiful girls. College Tuition, 30 Grand, Braces, 5 Grand, Grand Caravan, 10 Grand, Parenthood, Priceless......

I never said the kids don't eat at home. I said it may be the only Healthy meal they receive.

My apologies Kelly I based it on what Karen said.

Is anyone else experiencing the postings getting cut off on the right side? Example: Karens post the word Parenthood is cut off.

Peter I have a Daughter 27, who I have seen through 6 years of college, at our expence, not by any other means. My hubby and I have worked very hard to maintain, and I might add with GOD's help. I am very proud of all of my girls, and will continue to do what I can to pay my taxes, tuition, doctor bills and car notes. Its just life DUDDDDDDEEEE. The government is just messed up in general. I dont have time to bicker over trivial stuff. Im not into politics, Ill leave those arguments to you, and your crowneys.

Chelsea,
defending this guy will become a full time job read between the lines!

Karen this is a political discussion.

Posted by Peter O'Brien on July 22, 2009 - 10:27am

Does this mother have other family to help her out?
Charities exist as well. Using the force of government is wrong.

Posted by Peter O'Brien on July 22, 2009 - 11:09am
Karen,
I don't believe that the government should take my money to give it to anyone. That's what charity is for.

It would be nice, I agree, if charities could depend on enough donations to support the people who need help. If they relied on you, however, they would be broke in a week. You obviously would have no intention to support any charity.

by the way...remember you can take care of yourself and don't need anyone defending you.....
Posted by Chelsea Dobson on July 22, 2009 - 11:06am
Karen, you have no idea how other people were raised or what other people's experiences were. How dare you claim that someone can have no idea of what is involved in raising a child, when you and the other women bash Peter when he makes that statement that generalizes people.

You have no idea how he or anyone else was raised. You don't know if he or anyone else recieved free lunches. You don't know if he had to help raise members of his family. You don't know if he's been on his own since a young age. All you do know is you think you know what it's like to be a parent.

YOU, my dear friend, have no idea what is involved.

I'm not defending him, I'm defending the world from idiocy and and hypocrites. I don't think there was a single sentence defending Peter in any of my posts, they have generally been very neutral. I'm sick and tired of my time reading the Batavian full of people bashing Peter.

Don't make statements about an action and then take the same action.

PS -- I am engaged to Peter, and I don't care if you or anyone else likes or dislikes him. You don't really effect my life, as I could stop reading the Batavian and you would disappear.

Back to the topic:

I don't think the federal government should be in the business of school lunches at all. Or regulating high schools, but that's a different argument.

I don't control what my fiancee does. She chooses to write on her own.

At someones request I was asked to not reply to trolls.

I do give to charity Bea. Thanks for assuming you know me. So in principal you agree with my idea. But you can't bring yourself to trust others to give to charities or to use the money to create wealth. Instead you trust the government to provide even though its waste has been documented for decades.

At what point will the gov. tell you that your kids can not bring their own lunch (you can not be trusted) and tell you you must buy the school approved lunch?

John, they already limit what can be brought in your lunch in some places. Like peanuts.

Thats a scary thought John, but not going to happen. I think the powers above should do an audit on all government entities. Imagine That!! Laughable.. Have a Great Day(:

FYI for Peter- the YWCA provides a free breakfast program in Leroy at Mill St park all summer. I'm sure the same is done somewhere in Batavia.

Peter,
I know about the peanut issue and a case (weak or not) was made based on a health issue. It would not be a big step for them to ban any food being brought into a school.

Karen,
Never say they would not do it. Like Peter said, some foods are already banned by schools.

Posted by Peter O'Brien on July 22, 2009 - 11:29am
At someones request I was asked to not reply to trolls.

Are you insinuating that I am a troll? You were asked by whom? Howard?
If Howard considers me a troll on his site then this is the last post you will see from me.

No it was not you Bea and I am not going to divulge anymore on it.

You said it now you can face the music and Divuldge Peter. That is just crazy to say about anyone, and childish. I agree ith Bea, it will be my last post, but not the last you hear of me. Very hurtful comment. Thems Fightin Words LOL|:

What is childish is all of your cries and whines. What is childish is needing to know everything because you think someone said something about you.

Shut up and deal with it.

I am sure he (peter) was referring to me I dont think Howard said that!

I did not say Howard was the one to ask and I am not going to say who it was. It did not involve this thread.

I wouldnt worry about being called a troll because I have been labelled that long ago. I had to look it up to see what it meant. It doesnt stop me from posting but sometimes if I disagree with people i just dont post.

Again, you stated it Peter. So I guess it was intentional. I know Gaber, I only blogg on matters of interest now, but that comment is not sitting well with anyone. I'd hate to think we are being labeled through e-mail messages. It makes me question ones integrity.

It is a big set up ! Articles are posted to play on peoples emotions and if you respond unfavorabley to the majority then you are well, Labelled !

Karen, my statement was direct to Bea in response to her implications that Chelsea was defending me and I was not.

In the school district where I grew up, parents couldn't bring in home baked goods, everything had to be store-bought and sealed. So we went from tasty treats to stuff with preservatives and things in them.

That is a negative approach to healthy living/eating...

In the cafeteria of my high school they have now implemented student debit accounts, where parents can dictate what can and cannot be bought with the money. (I know this because my sister recently graduated)

This is a positive approach to healthy living/eating...

Neither is mandated by the federal government and was put in place by the board and administrators. Why can't healthy lunches be the same thing?

Good Lord, some of you are acting like you're still in Jr. High School.

For all you know Karen and Bea the person that asked Peter was me. Stop being so paranoid.

Gaber, who's the {MOLE} Troll?? LOL OH, Ok Chelsea, sorry for any misunderstanding Howard. I was finding it hard to believe that you were like that.

I don't think there is a majority Gabor. I think the crowd here is well mixed. Some like me are more vocal (is that the right word for internet posting?) than others is all.

Trolls live under bridges don't they? Or are we talking about the local rock band? lol

Posted by Howard Owens on July 22, 2009 - 1:01pm
It bothers me that people would jump to conclusions and assumptions without any evidence about what I may or may not have done or said. If you're a person whose conduct on the site concerns me, you will hear about it directly from me.

Howard,
I'm sorry, but the remark was addressed to me and it was stated that he was told by someone in authority, here, not to respond to trolls.
Since you are the authority, the impression he gave was that it came from you.
I was under the impression that anyone had a right to express their opinion without being labeled. Troll; crone...where does it end?