Tuesday 9 September 2008

Pointless, Petty Interference Of The Week

A 92-year-old school governor has been told he can no longer give chocolate to children at a Cornish school, because of a drive to promote healthy eating.
Naturally, the killjoys and box-tickers can’t have that
Head teacher Randall Brook said the school had no choice because of government guidelines on healthy eating.

He said: "On one side we are educating children about the importance of healthy eating so we could not be seen to be providing chocolate which is obviously not healthy eating."
I guess Mr Brook has never heard the expression ‘a little of what you fancy does you good’. Let’s hope if there’s a Mrs Brook, she helps him understand that.

But it’s not just the teachers who are forelock-tugging, obsequious little suck-ups:
Pupils at the school appeared to be resigned to the new food regime.

"I don't miss it very much," said one as he tucked into his raisins.
*pat, pat* There’s a good little drone! And when you grow up, the government will be so proud of you…

7 comments:

Ross said...

"no choice because of government guidelines "

If they leave you with no choice then they aren't really "guidelines" so much as "orders".

JuliaM said...

Exactly.

But then, fancy expecting a modern-day headmaster to be educated enough to be able to make that distinction.

JuliaM said...

Exactly.

But then, fancy expecting a modern-day headmaster to be educated enough to be able to make that distinction.

Anonymous said...

Forget about the little drone - where are the parents and the other governors on this one? They should tell Mr Brook where to shove his guidelines. In reality - even with this lot in power - what are the government going to do? Prosecute Mr Brook and Mr Peters for food-crime? I don't think so - and, anyway, what's "unhealthy" about chocolate?

As you imply it's not the facts of this which are disturbing (although they're bad enough): it's the immediate cringe and complete surrender to bureaucratic diktat which is frightening.

Anonymous said...

Chocolate is stuffed full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and calcium for growing bones.

Obviously, you've got to buy the good stuff. That includes the fair-traded and producer-supplied things such as a fantastic Madagascan where all the profits go to the owner occupier. It is an eco-friendly ambrosial health food. The government ought to be giving it out to children and especially women on rafts.

I intend to campaign to have NICE approve taxpayer-funding for this medically justifiable nutriceutical.

Anonymous said...

He's probably lucky not to be defined as a 'child-abuser' giving them things that are notionally bad for them. Then the papers could run the circular headline "90 year-old child abuser found giving sweeties to local children", and he could be beaten to death by people 'defending their local community against anti-social behaviour' as approved by HMG.

Anonymous said...

No choice my backside. Perhaps I live in some pocket of aberrance in the space/time continuum, but the primary school my youngest two attend is quite happy to give out sweets, chocolate etc as rewards or prizes.

Bizarrely, with the little tykes being openly encouraged to run around like nobody's business with half an eye cast over them occasionally at breaktime, there're a grand total of about two seriously fat kids in the whole school.