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    BluesnowYesha
    5/12/17 5:08pm

    I think getting kids to eat healthier is a noble endeavor... the problem is just giving kids healthy food doesn’t accomplish this. If a kid is presented with new food in the cafeteria—— most of the time they throw it in the trash.

    I worked in an elementary school where 95% of the students were from families poor enough to qualify for free lunch. Of that 95% probably more than half would throw out new and healthy food choices in the trash can without touching it. Probably closer to 80% threw out the fruit sides- and close to 100% threw out their veggies. On days with the healthiest foods kids would complain the second half of the day that they were starving because they didn’t eat a bite of their lunch which sucks for the kids... but double sucks for the teachers who has to somehow keep 30 small children focused on learning while their stomachs are rumbling. You can’t blame the children for making these choices... its not just a “ewww! I don’t want this,” but many times a “I don’t know what this is—- my mom never fed this to me- its probably not good!”

    From and educational perspective I feel that there are ways to motivate and educate kids to try new foods. I remember being in first grade and weekly the teacher would bring in new foods for us to eat in our classroom. She’d usually have a story to go with it and we’d all try to foods together in the classroom as a learning experience, we’d have to talk about the experience with our friends as we bravely tried each bite and in the class circle we’d explain why we liked or disliked it—- it was OK if we didn’t like it, but the whole point was about experiencing new things and discovering healthy eating choices... it made certain foods seem more normal even if I had never eaten them at home before. I could go to the grocery store with my mom and say “Ohhhhhh!!! Mommy! There’s that food from the book in Mrs. Shelby’s class we all tried—- you should get some too!” This is what kids when they’re little and they learn new things... they try to involve their family in that learning experience. As an adult I know first certain there are a few foods in my current diet that I only started eating because my first grade teacher brought them in and encouraged me to try it.

    At this point though 1st grade classes are so focused on state testing and constantly “sticking to the plan,” that I don’t see classes doing fun experimental stuff like this any more. Its all a focus on making sure they learned reading and writing and anything fun or new is a waste of precious times that could make our school lose money if the kids didn’t perform well enough of the state tests. Last time I was there they were trying to do away with recess, gym, and the arts for kids at that school... learning to eat new things was certainly pretty low on the list of priorities.

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      LaBrava RadioBluesnow
      5/12/17 9:26pm

      I think getting kids to eat healthier is a noble endeavor... the problem is just giving kids healthy food doesn’t accomplish this.

      You are building strawmen.

      The Obama program addresses this, and they emphasized how this isn’t as simple as giving teens broccoli then claiming ‘mission accomplished.’

      Among other things, there is a focus on educating parents, associating with kids to help pick a healthy menu, feedback from the community...etc.

      Your random percentages are pushed back with actual studies they have done, studies that have shown that this approach works.

      In 2003ish they implemented their program with the San Francisco school district for example, and the results have been positive.

      There is an unquestioned correlation between quality nutrition and student performance. Reasonable adults are trying to find ways to help kids eat better because it works on many different levels.

      It’s simply dumb and lazy and borderline criminal to imply ‘in my rando estimate 90% of kids throw away healthy foods” so why try this “noble endeavor.”

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      MisterPigginsBluesnow
      5/13/17 1:05am

      If only there was somewhere we could teach the children what is good for them.

      Illustration for article titled
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    OctoberSurpriseYesha
    5/12/17 4:19pm

    She knows the answer to her question. Its not about the kids, its about erasing the legacy of the Obama’s.

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      Jimpreza111OctoberSurprise
      5/12/17 4:35pm

      This is the top priority of this administration. Doesn’t matter if it screws everyone over, if Obama did it it has to be torn down. Fucking pathetic that the leader of the country is basing every decision on spite instead of, you know, the welfare of their country.

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      "Hachi"OctoberSurprise
      5/12/17 4:36pm

      It goes beyond that. It’s resigning POC to a death sentence. These programs widely benefit POC youth who wouldn’t otherwise have access to affordable and nutritious meals.

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    Ugh.Yesha
    5/12/17 4:33pm

    Hey now, adults are able to freedom themselves to death. Only fair that we start ‘em young!

    So fucking tired of this joke of a country. Or, rather, its citizens. Once all the “fittest” are done surviving, we’ll be rolled over by stronger countries (which, in many cases, are way more invested in the long game than we’ll ever be), and the experiment will be over.

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      StartingOverAgainUgh.
      5/12/17 4:53pm

      Eh, that’s too much doom and gloom. Those other countries invested in the “long game” have structural problems that are probably even bigger than ours.

      China, for example, has a serious demographic problem and is struggling to make it’s financial sector work properly.

      I don’t mind kids getting healthier food, but kids got pretty crappy food for decades from school lunches during the 20th century and America did just fine.

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      Ugh.StartingOverAgain
      5/12/17 4:56pm

      Eh, can’t say I share your optimism. We get dumber every fucking year, almost gleefully so.

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    MarkyMarcMarcusYesha
    5/12/17 4:50pm

    Body shaming kids is not OK Michelle. Whether you like it or not these programs have undertones that tell kids they need to lose weight. That’s not something children need. They should be able to go to school and feel good about their bodies. When someone is yelling at them to exercise and eat better the message is clear. “You’re fat kid.”

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      The New No. 2MarkyMarcMarcus
      5/12/17 5:35pm

      Whaaaaaat?

      Providing healthy lunches is not the same as calling someone fat. Promoting exercise and play is not calling someone fat. If this were directed at certain segments of students, you may have had a point. But those meals and activities are good for every student. All kids should have healthy lunches and all kids (barring prohibitive physical conditions) benefit from exercise and active play.

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      smoke&waterMarkyMarcMarcus
      5/12/17 5:53pm

      Sarcasm is a little too strong and too many words. A good troll requires brevity. I’ll give it 3 out of 10 stars. We all know you can do better. I think the problem here is you didn’t eat a healthy lunch. Hard to bring your A game if you don’t eat well and get enough exercise. Michelle Obama knew this was going to happen. Now look where we are.

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    decgeekYesha
    5/12/17 5:22pm

    Why would anyone be shocked about this

    Illustration for article titled
    Illustration for article titled
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      poo javelindecgeek
      5/12/17 5:53pm
      Why would anyone be shocked about this

      Personally, I am very shocked by that first photo. You mean Christie actually left some fries after his post-drive-thru snacking?

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    eoghan01Yesha
    5/12/17 6:14pm

    They know that they’re shit-bags compared to her, so all they can do is crap all over her legacy. Pathetic.

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    SkitchYesha
    5/13/17 2:23am

    Okay, y’all. I’m fucking tired as hell with this “the food is nasty” bullshit. I went to public schools my entire life and ate the shit food that was served under three goddamn administrations as both a student and teacher prior to Michelle’s program. I can tell you, definitively, that the food got better. It fucking did. And anyone who wants to piss all over that achievement will have to answer to this ten-year teaching veteran. #comeatmebro

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    Cali4lifeYesha
    5/12/17 7:54pm

    She’s 100% right. About everything. Ever.

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    The Bullshit is too Damn High!Yesha
    5/12/17 5:06pm

    But we elected the Cheetolini who feels exercise just leads to death faster, so he may honestly in his little tiny amoeba sized brain think this is a good thing.

    https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/5/9/15590962/donald-trump-thinks-exercise-will-kill-you

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    Reclaiming My TimeYesha
    5/12/17 6:49pm

    Dear Mrs Obama: Have you SEEN Donald Dump’s diet and ginormous pot belly? Do you really need to ask?

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