— Children better served by parents, not schools

Dear editor,

While I applaud the good intentions of the Garner ISD for offering students a free breakfast (“Garner ISD students to get free breakfast,” Aug. 28, Democrat), this new program is wrong in many areas.   First of all, it should be noted that the new Michelle Obama Food Plate, which replaced the previous USDA Food Pyramid, regulates the amount of fat and protein children are given by school food programs.  For example, children can have no more than 1 percent milk. That is practically skim milk. Farmers in the old days knew that butter fat was a valuable commodity to sell and trade. They would sell the butter and then feed the “skimmed milk” by-product to their pigs (parents did not feed this to their children if they wanted them to survive childhood). Skim milk was what they fattened their pigs on! The fact is that butter fat, a very healthy fat, allows the body to metabolize the lactose and sugars in milk. It should be a generous part of every child’s diet. This type of bad nutrition promoted by the USDA is just one of many erroneous policies in place, producing an obese America.

Food Services Director Vicki McBride is confused about the role of the school. She has overstepped her boundaries by claiming that, “We feel that we’re not just responsible about feeding children while they’re at school but to educate them in making food choices and introducing them to new fruits and foods.” This is a parental job and every time the state steps in and relieves the parent of responsibility the outcomes are usually poor. The school food programs are a case in point and are a part of the obesity problem in America. In this case, the huge agricultural corporations are so deeply entrenched in Washington that they exercise huge control of food policy through the USDA into our own local schools. These companies are able to funnel their low quality food products into lucrative government contracts that get mandated into policy and are then fed to our children. As McBride states according to the article, “More stringent guidelines that went into place in July ... will limit the amount of protein, fat, calories and grains schools can provide students.”

Let’s look at the new breakfast they are offering: “Breakfast pizza, pancakes, sausage on a stick and sausage-egg-and cheese biscuits.” These are almost all refined carbohydrates that quickly turn into sugar once they hit the blood stream. You can be assured that no real butter, no good milk, whole milk yogurt, or real egg (the kind you crack from a shell) will be served to these children. The brain is made up of fat and needs the proper fats to be able to optimally operate. This USDA diet is a recipe for ADD/ ADHD and poor school performance. I challenge every Garner parent to ask to see the ingredient list for the foods being served.

It is a parent’s job to nurture and provide nutrition for their children. No matter how well meaning “Big Brother” is, it is still not his job. Parents, please don’t turn your child’s nutrition over to the schools because they are serving up a recipe for obesity. Step up to your own stove and serve you own children real food, good fresh meat, real vegetables, real butter, fresh eggs, good whole milk and fresh fruit. If you do your job at home, your children will be totally grossed out by what the school food programs try to pass off as food and you will see your own children’s academics and performance soar, not to mention their improved health and physical fitness.

Wake up parents! Re-learn how to feed your children and yourself real food and stop buying into these bad nutritional programs.

Carrie Hurd,

Weatherford



Democrat voters need to watch polls

Dear editor,

Democratic voters need to get registered to vote, then contact the Parker County Active Democrats organization in Weatherford, and get registered to man the polls in Parker County to spot suppression

of votes from individuals who are Hispanic, disabled, African American, elderly and poor.     

Only your presence and calling the police and the voting headquarters can stop this stealing of our fundamental right for each American to cast their vote in this Democracy saving effort.

Each Democratic volunteer will be needed for all the 43 precincts of Parker County. A Republican Tea Party takeover of our government, then giving it to the millionaire corporate elitist, need not happen.

Each poll volunteer will have their voting record cleared for past voting records. Your country needs you now for any equality in our futures.

Parker County Active Democrats meets Sept. 10 at the 20th Century Club on the third block of South Main in Weatherford. Meeting time is 7 p.m. For more information call 817-598-0118 or 817-565-3301, or e-mail Cathy Ruiz, LCruiz86@yahoo.com.

Contacting voter registration on Santa Fe Drive in Weatherford will also provide information on registering to vote.

Darwin Yeary,

Weatherford



Learn to prevent children’s injuries

Dear editor,

September 2 through 8 marks the celebration of National Childhood Injury Prevention Week. The Children’s Hospital Association of Texas welcomes this opportunity to emphasize the importance of childhood safety, especially as children andteens return to school and athletic activities commence.

Accidental injuries are the leading cause of death and serious injury to children 14 and under. Taking simple steps to use safety equipment and provide close supervision can easily prevent most childhood injuries.

Cook Children’s Hospital, a CHAT member hospital that cared for 422 hospitalized children from Parker County in 2010, offers pediatric injury prevention programs, including childhood passenger safety, bicycle safety, sports and recreational safety and home safety.

The Children’s Hospital Association of Texas, along with its member hospitals, advocate at the local, state and national levels to promote policies and statutes that protect children.

To learn more about preventing injuries, visit https://www.cookchildrens.org/Pages/Default.aspx.

Bryan Sperry,

President of Children’s Hospital Association of Texas