Officials at a nursery school in Pemberton, England, confiscated the cheese sandwich a two-year old brought to school. The sandwich was considered to be inappropirate because it did not include either lettuce or tomato.
Clearly in a situation like this there are two sides to the story, and the media may be focusing on the family's side because it makes for more interesting press; there may be other issues between the family and the school, or concerns re the child's diet. It seems reasonable to take the news with a grain of salt (or if you're British, with salt substitute).
Two links. Image credit Luke Leitch/Times Online.
Wigan Council has since confirmed that the straight-up combination of cheese and bread contravenes its healthy eating guidelines — and fully supported the cheese-snatchers. “The centre has a list of recommended healthy food, according to national guidelines, which children are encouraged to eat,” said a spokesman. “A cheese sandwich would not feature on the list.”
Clearly in a situation like this there are two sides to the story, and the media may be focusing on the family's side because it makes for more interesting press; there may be other issues between the family and the school, or concerns re the child's diet. It seems reasonable to take the news with a grain of salt (or if you're British, with salt substitute).
Two links. Image credit Luke Leitch/Times Online.
Guidelines =/= RULES.
(SHAKES FIST AT SKY).
*
John Betjeman nailed the direction the UK was taking, many decades ago:
The Planster's Vision
Cut down that timber! Bells, too many and strong,
Pouring their music through the branches bare,
From moon-white church-towers down the windy air
Have pealed the centuries out with Evensong.
Remove those cottages, a huddled throng!
Too many babies have been born in there,
Too many coffins, bumping down the stair,
Carried the old their garden paths along.
I have a Vision of The Future, chum,
The worker's flats in fields of soya beans
Tower up like silver pencils, score on score:
And Surging Millions hear the Challenge come
From microphones in communal canteens
"No Right! No wrong! All's perfect, evermore."
Have yet to understand how lettuce can possibly have any nutritional value.
"Political correctness gone mad" as they say in Blighty!
And what conceivable other side of the story justifies this latest incident of police-state behavior from Knife Crime Island, pray tell?
So he went without breakfast? :(
I'd be sad if someone just took my sammich.
So wait, you're blaming the Irish? Talk about off-topic.
So many unanswered questions.
It also doesn't say whether or not that was the same lunch the child had been given for 2 months straight. Or whether or not the 2 year old weighed 6 stone. Or that The Times is in support of the opposition to Labour (although they always were considering their owner). I ignored the telegraph as they are not a quote worthy newspaper in my eyes.
If we in the UK based our impressions of the US on the news we'd think they're all gun-toting rednecks who can't think without shooting something first.
The cheese sandwich made some headlines recently here as well.
At the schools here - if childrens meal accounts are not paid and are delinquent - they are given a cheese sandwich with an apple or fruit item and milk. It is not very different than the bagged lunches that I have seen. The only difference I see is that in place of milk is a soda or high sugared fruit drink.
I can see the UK desperately trying to avoid catching up with you, or if we already have, trying very hard to let you guys win :P
These kids have left their lunches on the bus on occasion, and I would have to say - a cheese sandwich is far healthier that what is in the bag. So I know that when they do leave their lunch on the bus - they are getting a healthier "free" meal from the school.
Wonder what that school would have done if the sandwich was a cheese with bacon, lettuce and tomato?
BLT sounds good.
What on earth?
And as for the blatantly racist irish bashing up thread here...really?
You really think the irish are behind this?
Alos it is lose not loose.
I'm not so sure I agree with math-science-writing being the limits of what a school should be able to teach. Those are very useful subjects, yes, but modern parents don't exactly have a good track record about giving kids a full range of education at home. Today's Precious Snowflake Syndrome prevents a lot of children from being properly disciplined and often shelters them about many subjects. So if a school won't do it, who will? I wouldn't want to leave that up to chance.
Besides, a school is a place of learning. Crappy food only serves to distract other children and shouldn't have a place in it. It's fine with my if Little Johnny's parents want to feed him Doritos at home, but he shouldn't be taunting all the other kids with it. I was a brown-bagger growing up, and I resented my "lame" parents for giving me "gross" leftovers and real fruit juice where all my other friends got to eat cafeteria french fries. Every. Single. Day.