Obesity in the younger generations is becoming increasingly problematic, especially in Australia where approximately 33% of children suffer from this preventable disease. Some people have suggested that schools should be responsible for the prevention and treatment of their student’s weight issues by monitoring their food intake and exercise output. This essay will discuss why I completely disagree with this proposition because it is far too draconian.
The main reason why Australian schools should not monitor their children’s food intake and exercise output is because it is not their job to do so; it is the job of parents. Schools are responsible for education, and they can certainly educate children on the value of nutrition and exercise, but watching what they eat and how much they exercise is not in their purview. For example, it would be far too invasive for a teacher to ask students what they have been eating at home and how much they have been exercising. This would lead to all sorts of problems with parents and teachers even though it may yield results. In short, parents should remain responsible for raising their children healthily while schools should focus on educating them.
A secondary reason why schools should not meddle with children’s diet and exercise regimes is because it may have negative psychological impacts on the students themselves. Although teachers are excellent role models for children, again, it is not their role to monitor their health. If a teacher were to single out a student for being overweight, for instance, it could have profound negative effects on the student including isolating them from their peers and promoting bullying. Even if a student is obese, a teacher should not reference this in the classroom and certainly not ask them about their eating and exercise habits. Clearly, this is a bad idea.
In conclusion, this essay discussed why schools should not be part of a child’s prevention or treatment for obesity because it is not their role and it may cause mental problems for the child at hand. In my opinion, I completely disagree with the proposition that childhood obesity is a responsibility of schools
Obesity in the younger generations is becoming
increasingly
problematic,
especially
in Australia where approximately 33% of
children
suffer from this preventable disease.
Some
people
have suggested that
schools
should be responsible for the prevention and treatment of their
student’s
weight issues by monitoring their food intake and
exercise
output. This essay will discuss why I completely disagree with this proposition
because
it is far too
draconian
.
The main reason why Australian
schools
should not monitor their
children’s
food intake and
exercise
output is
because
it is not their job to do
so
; it is the job of parents.
Schools
are responsible for education, and they can
certainly
educate
children
on the value of nutrition and
exercise
,
but
watching what they eat and how much they
exercise
is not in their purview.
For example
, it would be far too invasive for a
teacher
to ask
students
what they have been eating at home and how much they have been exercising. This would lead to all sorts of problems with parents and
teachers
even though
it may yield results. In short, parents should remain responsible for raising their
children
healthily
while
schools
should focus on educating them.
A secondary reason why
schools
should not meddle with
children’s
diet and
exercise
regimes is
because
it may have
negative
psychological impacts on the
students
themselves. Although
teachers
are excellent role models for
children
, again, it is not their role to monitor their health. If a
teacher
were to single out a
student
for being overweight,
for instance
, it could have profound
negative
effects on the
student
including isolating them from their peers and promoting bullying. Even if a
student
is obese, a
teacher
should not reference this in the classroom and
certainly
not ask them about their eating and
exercise
habits.
Clearly
, this is a
bad
idea
.
In conclusion
, this essay discussed why
schools
should not be part of a child’s prevention or treatment for obesity
because
it is not their role and it may cause mental problems for the child at hand. In my opinion, I completely disagree with the proposition that childhood obesity is a responsibility of
schools