http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-13125559
The article discusses the implementation in Malaysia of recording a student’s body mass index on their report card. In the United States, obesity is a constant point of contention and we have yet to adopt something like this to my knowledge. However, I’m not sure that recording their appropriate body mass index compared to their actual BMI on their report card is going to be that effective. I would think a parent may be able to look at their child and determine whether or not they are overweight, but it can’t hurt to get an outside numerical perspective as well. Do you think this method is effective? If so, do you think we should adopt a similar program?
Martha Dean
Ryan, Fri 1pm
This is a very interesting article. However, I do not think this method would be very effective in the U.S, I do not know about how well it would work in other countries. In the U.S, students are required to have regular doctor visits throughout the years in grade school, high school, and even college. Therefore, if there is anything that the parent or guardian should know about the child’s health they would be informed at the doctors visit. In my opinion, the weight on the report card seems to be pointless, and the report card should strictly be for grades and the student’s academic information.
ReplyDeleteRita Shabo
Ryan 1pm
I agree with Rita and her point that report cards should be restricted to academic information. However, when reading the article I was glad to see that Malaysia has made this measure in conjunction with others, such as campaigning against fatty foods. I think maybe they should release the BMI information on a separate report, not on the actual report card. I hope this decreases obesity rates in Malaysia, but I do not think it would be very effective in the United States. It would likely cause more of a controversy that what it was worth. I think that the U.S. should instead focus on serving healthier foods in schools and reinforcing good eating habits from a young age.
ReplyDeleteJessica Grant. Armel 10 am
I think that for the school to take on this responsibility is overstepping their boundaries. Where a child learns their eating habits is in the home from their parents, family or from the culture around them. Therefore, it is the parents/ families responsibility to watch out for their child's health. As for the report card, I think that would be a little humiliating for a kid, and might create a negative complex about their weight.
ReplyDeleteLauren Van Diggelen
Armel 10am
This is crazy. Might work in Malaysia but not in the good old USA. The school shouldn't concern themselves with the weight of their students-even if their intentions are good. I believe this is far too intrusive. The health and weight of the children should be left exclusively up to the parents and their doctors. Educators should primarily focus on reading, writing, and arithmetic and leave my kid and his twinkies alone!!!
ReplyDeleteJim Fehring
Ryan 1p.m.
I think Malaysia schools are overstepping their boundaries when it comes to putting students BMI on their report cards. I think that if the schools wants to do something about the obesity of children in schools they should put into affect laws and regulations that every student in grades K-12 should be required to participate in one hour of physical activity a day while in school. This is currently a law in Illinois and other states are adopting it as well and they are seeing significant results.
ReplyDeleteBrittney Kubina
Armel's 1:00 Discussion