EDITORIAL – Schools, government shut down cupcake cravings

Everyone loves cupcakes – well, everyone except for some school districts and the… Everyone loves cupcakes – well, everyone except for some school districts and the government, of course.

Our country’s school districts aren’t hating on cupcakes exclusively, however. These delectable, baked and frosted treats are just one of many junk food items that have now become blacklisted from schools across the country in an effort to curb our nation’s child obesity epidemic.

In recent years, the growing number of overweight and obese children has caused both the federal and state governments to take a closer look at what our nation’s schools are serving kids for lunch. And the results aren’t pretty.

According to The New York Times, a study conducted last by the Center for Science in the Public Interest graded state nutrition programs (while there are some general federal nutrition guidelines, more than half of the state governments have adapted stricter regulations) and found that nearly one-half of our states – 23 to be exact – received a failing grade.

As a response, school districts across the country are toughing up on dietary guidelines, offering up healthier alternatives to some lunchtime classics, like French fries, and banning others – many schools have removed soft drink machines and prohibited students from bringing in baked goods like cupcakes and cookies- altogether.

Some angry parents are now speaking out, claiming that schools have crossed the line by cracking down on cupcakes and cookies – which students often bring in for birthdays or other holiday celebrations – in the classroom.

In Texas, parents actually lobbied for, and passed, a “Safe Cupcake Amendment” to the state’s nutrition policy, which ensures that parents may bring the treats to schools for celebrations.

While it’s great that our schools are attempting to promote healthier lifestyles, we hope that both state governments and school districts remember that healthy eating needs to go farther than the schoolroom door. In other words, no matter what kids eat at school, if they still go home and pound down a box of Twinkies in front of their PlayStations, they will continue to struggle with obesity.

What we need to be teaching kids is not that junk food is evil or that healthy food is the best thing since sliced bread (which, interestingly enough, isn’t always that healthy). It’s that healthy, nutritious food can actually be appetizing.

The problem in our society, particularly in our school districts, is that it can be easier and more cost efficient to serve pre-made, frozen food. So when school districts cut out the junk, they’re left with less appetizing non-junk.

State and local governments should work to enable school districts to serve fresh produce and other nutritious foods at lunchtime. That way, students can learn that healthy food can actually taste as good as that of the fried variety – and they might even carry that attitude home.

Of course, bringing fresh produce and higher quality health foods to our schools might cost more money, but isn’t it worth it? We think so.