Some parents of elementary and middle school students in the East Pennsylvania school system and in Florida’s Citrus County district have recently received unpleasant news via the U.S. postal service: Letters from their children’s schools informing them their children are overweight.

The Associated Press reports that East Pennsylvania director of pupil personnel services, George Ziolkowski, who has been involved with the “weight alert” campaign, plans to extend the campaign to high schools once “screenings” are finished. While childhood obesity is a serious health problem and is on the rise, sending letters to parents will solve nothing.

Unlike poor eyesight or difficulty hearing, obesity is not something children can hide from their parents. Further, a letter is not going to make the parents more concerned about their children’s weight; if they don’t already care, a letter from school is not likely to force a change heart.

Parents already working to better their overweight children's health would be rightly insulted to receive such a notice.

Proponents of this policy severely underestimate its potential for damage; they say the language is inoffensive and dismiss the possibility that these letters could hurt overweight children’s self-esteem. In reality, the portion of the letter quoted in the March 21 AP article is so bogged down with euphemisms, it is likely to offend any adult of average intelligence.

Indignant parents notwithstanding, these letters would have devastating effects on any children who happened to find them or whose peers learn of their existence. Every elementary and middle school student knows who the overweight kids are and disperses ridicule accordingly; school-backed “weight alerts” will only add legitimacy to their taunts.

Schools truly concerned about the health of their students can implement more effective programs with fewer nasty side effects to combat this issue. For starters, better physical education classes and fitness training are key.

Schools should take an active interest in promoting good health for their students, but sending home letters telling parents their children are fat is absurd. Parents are ultimately responsible for their children's health and well-being; obesity is on the rise and parents should be concerned if their children are at risk. School districts should tread lightly.

This editorial comes from the Michigan Daily at the University of Michigan.
This column was distributed by U-Wire.

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