BLOG: NIS Initiative: How Can Doing Good Feel So Bad?

As I have read many comments in blogs and newspapers over the last two years regarding the Nutrition in the School Initiative, I have been left, at many times, surprised.  How is it that doing something for the better can be criticized so much and continue to endure personal attacks?  I realize that people may disagree, but what is bothersome to me is that there is so much inaccurate information, that I wanted to take this time, as the leader of this initiative, to clarify.  As we have been called some extremely hurtful names, I will only say this about the people involved in this initiative:  They are very caring and dedicated individuals, including physicians, nurses and nutritionists,  who have taken the time away from their own families to try and address a national problem, that will affect the health and well-being of many kids across the country. Although, as the one who started this initiative,  I would like to take the credit for doing a unique thing; this is not unique, as it is being done all across the country, and even in some neighboring school districts.   Trying to do “our" part in addressing a national health crisis, How could that be a bad thing? To call these parents the names that they have been called, is not only inaccurate, but mean.

It is easy to make statements about things like additional waste and cost, but with no financial information to back them up, they again become inaccurate.  I have been following closely as I see the comments about how this initiative is costing the district so much money and there is so much wasted food because of it, but yet, have not seen anything to support such remarks.  Instead, it puts ideas in people’s heads that do not belong there.  For the record, to my knowledge, there have been no extra costs associated with legal or consultation fees.  Until we see financial information (future school board meeting), it is only fair to hold back from such conjectures.

Wellness Policy - This is a policy that had been in place long before the NIS initiative, but in fact was not truly being followed.  This is a state mandated policy that each school must have.  What has been done in the last two years, is to re-read the policy and make it more about Upper Dublin versus a boiler plate policy that would be used in any school.  The government was going to be enforcing new regulations starting this school year, and actually what was done in this district last year, was exactly what the government was enforcing for this year.  We were doing what Upper Dublin does best, staying a step ahead.  More vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and limiting sugars, sodium and saturated fats is what the new regulations are about. Do you know that beginning next school year (2013-2014) every grain item will have to have a whole grain as its first ingredient?  No more regular white pasta, not due to NIS, due to USDA and NSLP (National School Lunch Program).  For those that believe that kids will not eat the vegetables and fruits (which is an inaccurate remark) and therefore it is contributing to the waste, blame the government, not NIS.

One more story I would like to share.  As so many of the comments have said, “go away, we do not want your help”, I have to ask, who does not want our help?  Just as I was ready to stop the initiative in this district because of the continuing questioning resistance, I had a woman who emailed me and asked that I please continue with what we were doing, as she does not go to school board meetings, and does not like to speak up, but she has a child that gets a school lunch every day out of necessity, and wants him to have healthful food.  She thanked me for what we were trying to do, and although she did not speak, she came to a school board meeting because she wanted to show her support, for something that was so important to her.  So for those saying to “go away”, now you know why we cannot; because this initiative is to help those that do not have the choices that most of us have, and those are the people that want our help, and so the initiative will continue. For those that do not care for healthful lunches (and they can be very tasteful, contrary to what some may believe), I say pack your children their lunches, because unlike the woman mentioned above, you do have a choice. 

Although change is never easy for anyone, and sometimes causes resistance, it usually turns out to be for the better.  The government is making many of these changes that are being blamed on this initiative.  The initiative agrees with many of the changes, as they are for the better health and well -being of the children and are helping to set them up for more productive school days and healthier, longer lives.  For those who disagree with that, you will never understand this initiative and therefore will never support it.  But please do us, the people who want to work for the greater good, a favor; stop with the name calling, finger pointing and stating totally inaccurate facts.  NIS is trying to do a good thing, we should not be made to feel so badly for doing it.