Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

Boom, Boom, Out Go Your Rights?

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“Over himself, over his own body and mind, the individual is sovereign.”

–Jeremy Bentham

Does anyone else feel uncomfortable with the state making laws about how we spend our time? As someone who could have benefited from measures combatting childhood obesity (I’m not visibly obese, but I have Type II diabetes), I appreciate the need for improving kids eating and health. The Boston Globe thinks we need a longer school day to combat childhood obesity.

What’s next? A longer school day to minimize kids from playing video games? A longer school day to minimize poor parenting? Maybe I’m wrong, but why should parents accept increased demands on their children’s time? There must be a line the state is close to crossing in here somewhere.

It turns out that Representative Peter Koutoujian of Waltham wants to limit kids to water, milk, and juice-based drinks in vending machines and to regulate the portion size and nutritional value of foods sold in the lunch line. These are viable issues, but should they be addressed by a state law? Why can’t communities be able to make their own decisions about the health of their children? If so, why not? Koutoujian wants kids to have 120 hours of physical education or active recess a year. That would be an average of 40 minutes a day. For that, says the Globe Editors, we need an extended day.

Read the article here. Where are the libertarians when you need them?

–Mb
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Comments

    • Right now, we have federal guidelines on food in school, I think. Our school system now has a wellness policy that prohibits all kinds of junk food and drink. We don’t serve soda, though juice isn’t necessarily any better. Prohibitions are only half the problem, however. We need to start offering healthy food, not lower fat potato chips.

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      It’s the suggestion that extending the school day to combat childhood obesity that freaks me out, not the diet guidelines.

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      Mark

  2. This is Massachusetts! There is no law too invasive or broad as long as it’s in the public interest.

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    Remember … it’s For the Children!

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    That makes it OK.

    • is the last refuge of a scoundrel! Maybe it is half the time, but the other have it’s the children.

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      Mark

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