SUPERNANNY/ SUPERCHEF GOVERNMENT DOES NOT KNOW BEST!
Posted by David Burrowes, MP for Enfield, Southgate, at 10:33, Mon 18 February 2008:
Obesity is the latest target for the 'super nanny' of the Labour Government, with an education system that is supposedly failing to teach healthy lifestyles the most recent incumbent of the political naughty step.
The Government target is to have all schools teaching a compulsory cooking programme by 2011 with £2.5 million taxpayers' money thrown in for good measure.
Brilliant! We can solve the obesity epidemic sweeping our country, eradicating the forecast threat of 1 million chubby children within a decade and ensure a new, slim line, future for our nation, all between the hours of 9am and 3pm. Problem solved.
Why am I sceptical? Because this policy comes alongside over 900,000 children still waiting for the Government to deliver the promised 2 hours of sport, let alone the additional of 5 hours to be spent immersed in 'culture'.
Now don’t get me wrong, raising a healthier generation who enjoy sport and hold knowledge of cultural pursuits, extending beyond the current chart position of Rhianna, are admirable aims. However, the Government needs to get in touch with the reality of schools over-burdened with targets and directives coping with an already stretched curriculum. It should focus instead on core issues like the four in ten children leaving primary school illiterate and innumerate.
Surely we should give parents and teachers the freedom and responsibility to promote a healthy, cultural lifestyle? Isn’t it about time we acknowledged that parents and teachers know best and not the government acting as supernanny or superchef?
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Posted by Jack Hart, 16:13, Wed 20 February 2008: (Is this post abusive?) #
I cannot see a problem with schools having compulsory cooking lessons for children. They may have other targets or directives that, in some instances, they are failing to meet but this does not mean the government should simply ignore other areas of education until those targets are met.
Today’s style schooling should be more than simply teaching a child academic skills. In an era of working-parents, which is to be encouraged, we must accept that parents will not have as much time in which to pass on living standards and skills to their children.
I see your entirely negative view as unhelpful. Surly, as our elected representative in parliament, developing a counter argument involving policies to correct the situation you see as unfit would be more helpful than simply an editorial showing your displeasure.