Public Schools & Flavored Milk: Yay or Nay?

So, this is maybe a tad off my blog topic as it’s more on the newsy side, but I think you’ll get how this fits in on the whole. The other day my husband and I were watching the evening news together, and a story in California caught our attention. On Tuesday the Los Angeles Unified School District voted to remove flavored milk (chocolate and strawberry) from its cafeteria menu in an effort prevent childhood obesity. They will be serving regular milk only. Many parents were pleased with this decision as flavored milk contains about twice the amount of sugar that regular milk has (milk has some natural sugar in the form of Lactose). Others were unhappy with the new ban saying that they prefer their child drink chocolate milk over “no milk at all” and felt it wasn’t really the school’s business.

This story got me thinking. How would I vote? I can see both sides of the issue. On the one hand, I’m all for less “nannying” on the part public schools, but on the other how is it the school’s business in the first place to be serving chocolate milk? When I was a child, chocolate milk was a treat I loved to divulge in occasionally with my lunch. It was not, however, part of my daily diet. Let me repeat: it was a TREAT! If a child has the opportunity to choose between regular milk and chocolate or strawberry, I would just bet that they would choose flavored nine times out of ten. Public schools should provide basic sustenance to children in the cafeteria (milk, fruit, veggies, sandwiches). If a parent doesn’t like what is being offered, send them with a sack lunch. If your child won’t drink regular milk and you would rather have them drink flavored than none at all, send them with flavored milk! I think that’s part of the major crux of this issue-the lack of parental involvement. Many of the parents upset about the chocolate milk nix aren’t interested or don’t make the time to pack their child a lunch on a regular basis. After all, who has time for that? Let the school system feed your kid right? Wrong! IMHO we are the parents, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that they are eating what we want them to eat. That’s part of “parenting”. Teach them at home to drink regular milk, or give them chocolate in the privacy of your home and leave the academics to the schools.  

That’s my rant and opinion on the issue. What’s yours?