School sends home obesity notices with students, parent upset

[Logan13]

School sends home obesity notices with students, parent upset
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=78903

DENVER – In an effort to combat the problem of childhood obesity, the Denver Public School District is sending home student health reports to keep parents informed. However, one parent says it should not have been sent home in her daughter's backpack because she read it.

"The part that upset her the most as she started reading it, there it stated that she was overweight and she started to cry saying, 'Mom, that school tells me I'm fat.' So, it was very heart wrenching," said Flaurette Martinez.

Her daughter Isabel was sent home from the Centennial K-8 School on Monday with the health notice. It listed her height, weight and body mass index – a measure of body fat. Underneath the listing it had a marking next to the status "overweight."

"My daughter is big boned," said Martinez.

Isabel's mother does not have a problem with what the schools are trying to do. She says that type of sensitive information should be mailed directly home to parents, because kids are prone to reading letters sent home by the schools.

"If she would have dropped this letter, a student may have found it and may have exposed it to other students," said Martinez. "Anything specific to the child should be mailed. It should not be given to the child."

However, DPS Spokesperson Alex Sanchez says schools do that all the time. Report cards, disciplinary notices and letters from the principal are commonly sent home with students. Sanchez says it is cheaper for the district to send these things home with students instead of by mail.

Martinez says that decision is causing her daughter emotional distress.

"Most of the information that we get sent to us through the kids is basically newsletters, but nothing this sensitive. This is a sensitive issue for everybody," she said. "It's real upsetting for me to see her worried so much about her weight issue when it's not really that big of a deal. She's not that overweight."

DPS issued this statement Thursday afternoon: "In an effort to help ensure our students' health, Denver Public Schools provides parents with their child's hearing, vision, and body mass index (BMI) results in a sealed envelope that is sent home with the students. DPS feels compelled to inform parents about these very important health screening results and provide information about making healthier choices. The health of our students is very important to us and we wish to be part of the solution, given the nation's childhood obesity epidemic."

9NEWS asked Martinez repeatedly if sharing Isabel's identity and her health information will make things worse. Martinez wanted people to see her picture so they would know Isabel is not that big. She also says the damage was already done when she read the notice and she's talked to Isabel about addressing this issue of sending the notices home with students. Martinez says her daughter is OK with this information being released.

[gixxerboy1]

I agree its probably better if it was mailed.

But i like the mothers reaction. She big boned. Not that overweight

[AandF6969]

I agree its probably better if it was mailed.

But i like the mothers reaction. She big boned. Not that overweight

The mom is probably a fukking land whale and the girl is slightly overweight now but will be a fukking land whale soon.

[newbster]

**** that stupid fat peice of shit **** of a mother.


Denver is doing the right thing, and if the daughter was upset with the reality she was a fat piece of shit she needs to do somthing about it.

Why is it that people think obesity is being the size of a semi truck? It does not have to be extreamly noticable to be in the obese health range. An example would be the skinny fat person.

[DSM4Life]

Agree, these letters should be sent in the mail and never end up in the students hands.

[Tock]

IMHO, these letters should not have been sent at all.

Is it the proper function of government to check children for obesity and tell parents when they're kids are too fat? Not in my humble opinion. Schools don't get enough $$$ for books and teacher salaries and writing supplies, and they do not need to spend time and $$$ discovering what should be obvious. Actually, there are things that is not the government's business, and a person's weight is one of those things.
Seems to me that if a government agency like a school is expected to comment on a 10-year old's weight, then when re-newing our licenses, why not have the Driver's License people check our weight and tell us if we're fat or not? Why not have police patrol cars carry scales so they can weigh us as part of a traffic stop, and then write a ticket to those who exceed official height/weight regulations?

Na, IMHO, this is the sort of thing that shouldn't be done, period.

[Renesis]

Lol they students would expose the news to others? Im pretty sure they have eyes that can see the girl is fat....

[Kale]

And here she is the poor little tulip. How can people be so cruel

[DSM4Life]

This girl needs a note....ASAP !

[Flagg]

Why do fatties always say that?

"im big boned"

or

"ive got big glands"

No, you have a big unhealthy diet. In my opinion we need to stop being so ****ing sensitive about every issue that comes up these days and send this sort of articles to every child in every school around the world.

[abstrack]

The girl should have never opened the letter addressed to her parents. That was just wrong on the girls part. I would have been pissed about my child opening up the private letter.

[STONES2]

what in the world is everyone talking about they( the fat police ) has no right to tell you how you should raise or how heavy your kid should be, next if your kid is to fit then here comes the steroid police to your door or the exercise police saying you are abusing your child by having them do to much.

let us be free with others freedom also.

2stones

[RA]

Totally agree. I would tell the school to f off. Just another case of a school intruding in parent business.

IMHO, these letters should not have been sent at all.

Is it the proper function of government to check children for obesity and tell parents when they're kids are too fat? Not in my humble opinion. Schools don't get enough $$$ for books and teacher salaries and writing supplies, and they do not need to spend time and $$$ discovering what should be obvious. Actually, there are things that is not the government's business, and a person's weight is one of those things.
Seems to me that if a government agency like a school is expected to comment on a 10-year old's weight, then when re-newing our licenses, why not have the Driver's License people check our weight and tell us if we're fat or not? Why not have police patrol cars carry scales so they can weigh us as part of a traffic stop, and then write a ticket to those who exceed official height/weight regulations?

Na, IMHO, this is the sort of thing that shouldn't be done, period.

[Fat Guy]

This girl needs a note....ASAP !

LMAO

[wantmoremass]

Why do fatties always say that?

"im big boned"

or

"ive got big glands"

No, you have a big unhealthy diet. In my opinion we need to stop being so ****ing sensitive about every issue that comes up these days and send this sort of articles to every child in every school around the world.

Agreed. Someone with big bones can still be lean. I do think it's somewhat ridiculous that the school is sending home letters like this - it really should be up to parents to mind what their children eat and realize obesity is a problem. It might be different if schools were providing healthcare (or uniforms) to students. I gotta say though I don't oppose banning softdrink machines in schools.

[Logan13]

what in the world is everyone talking about they( the fat police ) has no right to tell you how you should raise or how heavy your kid should be, next if your kid is to fit then here comes the steroid police to your door or the exercise police saying you are abusing your child by having them do to much.

let us be free with others freedom also.

2stones

Fat kids grow up to be fat adults with numerous health problems (that could have been avoided). As insurance rates continue to increase because of shit like this, it becomes my business and everyone else's in our society.

[AandF6969]

Fat kids grow up to be fat adults with numerous health problems (that could have been avoided). As insurance rates continue to increase because of shit like this, it becomes my business and everyone else's in our society.

Agreed.

It sucks having to keep from throwing up when I see a land whale cruising around wal-mart on the electric cart.

[Tock]

Fat kids grow up to be fat adults with numerous health problems (that could have been avoided). As insurance rates continue to increase because of shit like this, it becomes my business and everyone else's in our society.

So what? Everyone has their vices; we here in this newsgroup certainly have ours, skydivers have theirs, people who can't chill and obsess over minituae have theirs. It all works out.

When we come to the point where we're all getting into everyone else's business, telling them they can't do A, B, or C because it drives society's health care bill up, well, that's when we've really got problems.

[RA]

Society has no business telling me what to do with my children. Period.

Fat kids grow up to be fat adults with numerous health problems (that could have been avoided). As insurance rates continue to increase because of shit like this, it becomes my business and everyone else's in our society.

[spywizard]

So what? Everyone has their vices; we here in this newsgroup certainly have ours, skydivers have theirs, people who can't chill and obsess over minituae have theirs. It all works out.

When we come to the point where we're all getting into everyone else's business, telling them they can't do A, B, or C because it drives society's health care bill up, well, that's when we've really got problems.

Hey tock, I think the issue is since we are heading head long towards socialized medicine, these "big boned" people will be a drain on medical care, thus it's a problem for all of us..

just like smokers may not be covered for medical if they smoke, or people that partake in High risk activity... like your afore mentioned sky diving..

[Logan13]

Hey tock, I think the issue is since we are heading head long towards socialized medicine, these "big boned" people will be a drain on medical care, thus it's a problem for all of us..

just like smokers may not be covered for medical if they smoke, or people that partake in High risk activity... like your afore mentioned sky diving..

Exactly.

[Logan13]

So what? Everyone has their vices; we here in this newsgroup certainly have ours, skydivers have theirs, people who can't chill and obsess over minituae have theirs. It all works out.

When we come to the point where we're all getting into everyone else's business, telling them they can't do A, B, or C because it drives society's health care bill up, well, that's when we've really got problems.

not telling what they can or can't do. Just letting them know that we will not pay for their chosen lifestyle......If you have a problem with that, you are free to give twice as much yourself. Something tells me that you do not pay out much of anything Tock.

[Logan13]

Society has no business telling me what to do with my children. Period.

do what you want with your kids, just don't expect me to pay the insurance rate differences..........
You have no right telling me to pay for someone else's chosen lifestyle............

[gixxerboy1]

That's fine don't send letters home. But report the parents to child protective services then. I'm sorry but letting your child get obese is neglect IMO

[inevitable]

the kid shouldn't have opened the letter but o well.. she seen that is overweight and that should be a wake-up call to her mom and her. If shes stil over weight when she reaches Highschool people can be BRUTAL! and may cause her to go crazy and shoot people

[wantmoremass]

Agreed.

It sucks having to keep from throwing up when I see a land whale cruising around wal-mart on the electric cart.

lol, that's a new one to me

[RA]

Like steroids ? Like eating red meat? Like someone who gets too many speeding tickets in a year? Slippery slope here bro..

do what you want with your kids, just don't expect me to pay the insurance rate differences..........
You have no right telling me to pay for someone else's chosen lifestyle............

[Kratos]

some parents need a wake-up call. "hey your kid is fat."

They tell parents to put their kid on add meds all day long.

[spywizard]

some parents need a wake-up call. "hey your kid is fat."

They tell parents to put their kid on add meds all day long.

and you the parent made them that way.. thanks for killing your kid before they can get those social security checks..

[TexSavant]

Seriously. Parents need to be made to feel uncomfortable if they are allowing their kids to be fat. Its about NOT getting diabetes, NOT having a heart attack and dozens of other health problems. Diabetes and othere diseases that YOU and I pay for through taxes and higher insurance premiums. Actually, if they put their kids on ADD meds (Amphetamine, Methamphetamine and Methylphenidate/Ritalin) it might actually help.

PS . Governemnt-run healthcare is essentially a foregone conclusion. If you check RCP you'll see Hilary is way out in front of EVERYONE, in fact shes about where Gov. George W. Bush was in late 1999.

[TexSavant]

Like steroids? Like eating red meat? Like someone who gets too many speeding tickets in a year? Slippery slope here bro..

BTW, the medical evidence linking obesity to long term serious health risks is far stonger than it is for steroids .My cholesterol and BP went up but not out of the normal range. I wonder how much of the rise we often see is due to excessive eating. I know some people who see cycles as an excuse to stuff their face with whataburger or jack in crack at 3 AM after downing a half a case of beer.

That said, it would still be intellectually consistent to take such use into consideration.

[RA]

Thats what I mean. Im not saying taking steroids is a bad thing at all but society considers it bad so they could deny you healthcare because of it.

Every time we start talking about this stuff I think of demolition man. Eventually were going to be a bunch of 40 year old virgins who cant eat, drink, smoke what we want and we have to sit in our houses waiting for death thinking happy happy joy joy thoughts.

BTW, the medical evidence linking obesity to long term serious health risks is far stonger than it is for steroids.My cholesterol and BP went up but not out of the normal range. I wonder how much of the rise we often see is due to excessive eating. I know some people who see cycles as an excuse to stuff their face with whataburger or jack in crack at 3 AM after downing a half a case of beer.

That said, it would still be intellectually consistent to take such use into consideration.

[Kratos]

Sandra Bullock looked hot in Demolition man

[Dizz28]

I think it's a form of child abuse to let kids eat whatever they want whenever they want it. I think parents should be more responsable it what thier kids do at a young age. Kids can't really grasp the concept that if they drink 20soda's a day and eat like pigs that they will eventually be obese and have health issues. I know when I was a kid I didn't think of those things but luckely my parents were smart enough not to get sugery foods and drinks. I was lucky if I got a real pepsi every once in a while and not diet.

Of course, i was one of the ones taking ritalin also...needless to say, I was a pretty skinny kid.

[TexSavant]

Demolition Man is one my fav's, and so is Sandra :-) And guess who saved them all? I roid ragin cop, lol... this fits well with the NYPD thread too.

[Logan13]

Like steroids? Like eating red meat? Like someone who gets too many speeding tickets in a year? Slippery slope here bro..

Allowing little Stevie to become a 12 YO diet-dependent diabetic is child abuse, plain and simple. Obesity is a becoming the norm in our society.

[RA]

That doesnt change what I said. I didnt know you were for more govt control logan..

Allowing little Stevie to become a 12 YO diet-dependent diabetic is child abuse, plain and simple. Obesity is a becoming the norm in our society.

[scriptfactory]

That doesnt change what I said. I didnt know you were for more govt control logan..

He's only for more government control when it pertains to a minority, like fat people or gays.

[IronReload04]

Society has no business telling me what to do with my children. Period.

what about physical and sexual abuse.......does society have a right to tell you not to sexually and physcially abuse your kids?

in my eyes, allowing your kid to reach obesity is child abuse and irresponsibility....a lesser extreme, but still absuse

[Logan13]

He's only for more government control when it pertains to a minority, like fat people or gays.

yes, the bane of society...........