Should the federal government require schools to teach nutrition?

Should the federal government require schools to teach nutrition?
Asked by: goat from Brooklyn, NY

Asked of All U.S. Representatives on Nov 20th, 2007

Categories: Agriculture · Consumer · Economy · Education · Energy · Environment · Globalization · Health · Immigration · Rural · Technology.

Answer from: U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)

Nutrition education we already do within health classes. When my kids were in kindergarten or 1st Grade, and how many grains and how many dairies, so nutrition education, yes. One of the other questions to be asked is, is it the federal government’s role to tell schools what they should be doing within the choices that are available within a school. We need to keep in mind that within the past 40 some-odd years, we’ve been doing that within the school lunch program. We have set the standards within school lunches and we say there are standards that need to be met. What we haven’t really done is updated those standards. It’s not just what is available within the school lunch program. It’s also what is available for sale through other programs.

Answered on Mar 19th, 2008

Answer from: U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)

Well first of all, it’s not up the federal government to mandate what schools teach. I would never want to intrude on the local jurisdiction of schools to decide who they hire, who the fire, what books use. That’s not the role of the federal government. But I do think the role of the federal government is, as long as we’re providing school lunches and school breakfasts and food in schools, that we ought to be able to say what foods would be allowed in those schools. If you’re gonna partake in the school lunch or school breakfast program, then you oughta be able to set guidelines for all of the foods in those schools. And that’s what I’m trying get accomplished.

Answered on Mar 19th, 2008