OPINION:
It’s all finally come full circle.
The federal government — in this case think first lady Michelle Obama — wants to be everywhere in your life, even in your kitchen.
Shelly O’s “Let’s Move!” school initiative to get children to eat healthy and exercise more is adding a whole new target of control: adults.
The McAllen School District in Texas, the first to hold A 100 percent participation in the Let’s Move! program, is planning on expanding its reach.
“We’re doing as much as we can at the schools,” the district’s physical education coordinator Mario Reyna told The Monitor news site. “We’ve got to focus on a lot of our adult populations in the community.”
“It’s one method to expand what we’re trying to do as far as working on obesity down here,” he said. “We know it’s all about the adults because they’re the role models.”
But other states are thumbing their nose at federal control. School districts in Connecticut and Pennsylvania have opted out of Shelly O’s program — even though that means losing federal money.
“Board of Education members have again turned down nearly $150,000 in extra funding for the district’s embattled food services program because they do not want to serve up food restrictions in the Greenwich High School cafeteria,” the Greenwich Times reported.
“School officials estimated the district would lose about $149,000 in federal reimbursements next year. This year, the opt-out means the school system is skipping some $140,000 in subsidies for meals served.”
Among the items that would be banned under the federal program: Deli sandwiches, grill items, potato products and muffins.
“Greenwich High student government leaders continue to back the decision to opt out. They said the new rules would be at odds with the school’s motto of ’freedom of responsibility,’” the Times reported.
” ’I am very happy that the Board of Education once again has decided to give students choices in our lunches,’ said senior Blake Reinken, the student government president.”
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