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 Our
First Encounter At Trying To Make A Change
There is no one that I know of that is associated with PPNG
that started out as an advocate or with an agenda, nor do they
have any political aspirations. We are just normal everyday
parents that want the very best for our children.
PPNG was started as a
grass roots movement after questioning the practice of serving
Two Pot Tarts and other high sugar foods in the school breakfast
program grades K - 6. Our inquiry to school officials, both
state and local, ended in frustration with no definitive answer
and with state officials stating that no changes would be made
in the school breakfast program.
Understanding the premise
that bureaucrats and elected officials tend to listen when a
group of voters join together, PPNG was formed.
The answer to my questions came in the form of a letter from
Mr. Paul McElwain, Director School & Community Nutrition
for the State Of Kentucky. Mr. McElwain, an Attorney by profession,
became the Director School & Community Nutrition in 1987.
Mr. McElwains answer to my questions concerning the fact that
the public school that my son attends servers foods high in
sugar for breakfast was as follows:
"Initially,
I must tell you that I have long ceased making assumptions regarding
people's motives or agendas. Were that not the case, I would
not be responding to this letter filled as it is with misstatements
of fact and out-of-contex quotations.
Be that as it may
(and because you copied your letter to serveral individuals),
I do want to set the record straight on several "points"
that you make in your communication to me.
First, I hope that
you will acknowledge that your written communication to me was
not preceded by a phone call, fax or e-mail to me asking for
information of any kind.
Second, my office
does not, as you put it, "dictate the program settings
and guidelines that are used in determining the school menus
through out the state". Those guidelines, particularly
with respect to the menu patterns for both the school breakfast
and school lunch programs are, in fact, set by federal regulations.
Those meal patterns can be found at 7 Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR) 220.8 for the breakfast program and at 7 CFR 210.10 for
the lunch programs. Those regulations also determine what items
are creditable as part of the meal patterns for the respective
programs.
Third, I do not
know you. I do not know what you have taught, where you have
taught or what type of health professional you are. However,
I do know that the menu items you list are creditable items
under the meal pattern for the School Breakfast Program. The
creditability of those items has been vetted by the nutritionists
at USDA and, regardless of your credentials, I trust their judgment."
Please allow to me comment on what I was feeling as I read
Mr. McElwains letter. I was told to contact Mr. McElwains office
by the School District. I was never told that it was bad manners
not to call, fax, or e-mail before I sent my questions and comments
by mail. At no time did I ever attack Mr. McElwain, nor the
fact that the State Of Kentucky was not within the guidelines
of Federal Regulations. I understood that the state had the
right to serve two Pot Tarts to children at breakfast, my
questions was and still is, WHY?
Mr. McElwain was not quite straight forward when he said that
his office does not dictate the program settings and guidelines
that are used in determining the school menus through out the
state. If Mr. McElwain was to send a memo to all school districts
that Pop Tarts would no longer be served in the breakfast program,
I have a feeling our children would not be eating Pop Tarts
for breakfast at school.
Mr. McElwains answer to my question concerning foods high in
sugar for breakfast was as follows:
Fourth, no serious
scientific reasoning brings one to the conclusion that sugar
is a barrier to learning in terms of causing hyperactivity.
That type of thinking, emerging as it did from the so-called
Feingold studies in the early 1970's, has been rigorously revisited
on a number of occasions but only to its discredit. The New
England Journal of Medicine in 1994 articles and editorials
that directly address the myth of sugar intake and hyperactivity
is one source you should look at. There are others:
This is not necessarily true. There are a number of health
care professionals that, view our information links, feel that
there is a real correlation between high sugar foods and the
behavior of children. The very study that Mr. McElwain points
to states that there are a small number of children who could
be affected.
My point to Mr. McElwain and any other non-medical or nutritionally
trained state employee who makes these decisions concerning
our children is simple, how do you know which children could
be affected and what the numbers are? Why not listen to the
input of parents and their family doctors that know?
Common knowledge should dictate, we know that the foods we
eat, and do not eat, affects our health in many ways. Certain
foods have been proven to help prevent cancer, as a cancer survivor,
I know the importance. We know that sugar is linked to dental
cavities, we know that sugar is linked to obesity, we also know
that since the 1970s, obesity in teens has tripled-from 5 percent
to 15 percent.
Childhood obesity-related diseases in the United States have
also grown. Type 2 diabetes, for example, was rarely seen in
juveniles a decade ago. Today, Children's Hospital Medical Center
reports about 20 new cases each year of Type 2 diabetes in teens
13-16, compared to one case or less 10 years ago, said Dr. Stephen
Daniels, a pediatric cardiologist known for his work in obesity
and children's health.
Dr. Daniels blames the increase on diets that are overly reliant
on soft drinks and junk food, along with increased sedentary
behavior. “I view the vending machines and schools as one
part of a much bigger picture,” Dr. Daniels said. “But
we need to help kids by not constantly putting them in positions
where they have to make difficult choices.”
My question to Mr. McElwain is still the same, why are the
state schools placing our children, grades K - 6, in a position
to make a choice between 40 grams of sugar in two Pop Tarts
for breakfast or oatmeal and fruit? Most people understand that
when children are given a choice of two Pop Tarts or oatmeal
and fruit, the Pot Tarts will win.
Mr. McElwains finial statement:
"Seventh, I
really don't appreciate what I can only characterize as the
snide remarks regarding "the need to replace the adults
in charge". Those types of remarks never lend themselves
to a constructive discussion of the issues and emphasize a lack
of professionalism and real concern over the issue already made
plain by the misleading statements of "fact" and out-of-context
quotations in your communication."
My full comment, which apparently Mr. McElwain found objectionable;
" I would expect the people that are charged with
the responsibility of taking care of and feeding our children
take the position that they are the adults and are in charge,
not the children. That given the choice, most children will
take foods that are loaded with sugar over a healthy nutritious
breakfast. This is the reason that we do not give children the
choice to drink alcohol, smoke, and normally eat whatever they
want to eat, children are not capable of making the proper decision
and need adult supervision.
It is more than apparent that this rule needs to be applied
in our school cafeterias, if the adults in charge feel that
Pop Tarts, Biscuit and Jelly, and French Toast constitute a
healthy nutritious breakfast and contribute to the ability of
children learning, there appears to be a need to replace the
adults in charge. "
The bottom line, nothing was done concerning my request. If
you feel Mr. McElwain is correct in his decision to serve two
Pot Tarts to children grades K - 6 for breakfast, contact his
office and convey your feelings. If you feel that Mr. McElwain
needs to rethink his position on high sugar foods (2 Pop Tarts)
served our children for breakfast, you should convey those feelings
also. To find Mr. McElwains address,
 Click
Here!
If you would like your voice heard on the issues that we have
outlined in our mission statement and you feel that Parents
Preferred Nutritional Guidelines should be incorporated into
school food programs, we invite you to join us. To join, click
on the Join Here link below.
Jay Jones
PPNG, Parents Preferred Nutritional Guidelines
P.O. Box 808
Nicholasville, KY 40356
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