Got (chocolate) milk?
Chocolate milk will now be among the daily milk choices for all students in the Weyauwega-Fremont School District at breakfast and lunch.
The W-F School Board voted to do so when it met on Monday, Dec. 12.
Prior to the vote, chocolate milk was available daily for high school students but only on Fridays for elementary and middle school students.
Board member Sandy Smith abstained from voting, saying she would have liked more information. Jim Stuebs was absent.
The other board members voted in favor of the change.
It was during the board's Nov. 28 meeting that the question was asked why chocolate milk was not offered as a daily milk choice for all students.
District Administrator Scott Bleck offered to have the district's Nutrition Committee take up the discussion, but then, a motion was made during this month's board meeting to have chocolate milk available daily for all students.
"I think the board can say, 'Offer it,' and it's done," Board President Neal Loehrke said.
Initially, there was discussion about having chocolate milk available as a choice any time that milk is available to the students.
However, concerns were expressed by some, including Elementary Principal Kirk Delwiche, about having chocolate milk be an option during the milk breaks in the district's two elementary schools.
"You realize that added sugar to a child's diet is not going to help when they are trying to focus," Delwiche said.
Loehrke said his wife sends chocolate milk with their children for their milk breaks.
Cole Hildebrand, a junior at W-F High School and the student representative on the board, agreed that chocolate milk should be available as an option for all students in the district, even during milk breaks.
He said if some parents did not want their children to have it, they could make that known to the teachers.
But, Delwiche said the behavior of students having chocolate milk during an afternoon break could affect the students not having it.
"Can you discipline the child?" Hildebrand asked.
Board member Doug Ehrenberg said, "Why should you have to?"
As a result, board member Randy Yorkson amended his original motion to say that chocolate milk should only be available to students at breakfast and lunch.
The W-F School Board voted to do so when it met on Monday, Dec. 12.
Prior to the vote, chocolate milk was available daily for high school students but only on Fridays for elementary and middle school students.
Board member Sandy Smith abstained from voting, saying she would have liked more information. Jim Stuebs was absent.
The other board members voted in favor of the change.
It was during the board's Nov. 28 meeting that the question was asked why chocolate milk was not offered as a daily milk choice for all students.
District Administrator Scott Bleck offered to have the district's Nutrition Committee take up the discussion, but then, a motion was made during this month's board meeting to have chocolate milk available daily for all students.
"I think the board can say, 'Offer it,' and it's done," Board President Neal Loehrke said.
Initially, there was discussion about having chocolate milk available as a choice any time that milk is available to the students.
However, concerns were expressed by some, including Elementary Principal Kirk Delwiche, about having chocolate milk be an option during the milk breaks in the district's two elementary schools.
"You realize that added sugar to a child's diet is not going to help when they are trying to focus," Delwiche said.
Loehrke said his wife sends chocolate milk with their children for their milk breaks.
Cole Hildebrand, a junior at W-F High School and the student representative on the board, agreed that chocolate milk should be available as an option for all students in the district, even during milk breaks.
He said if some parents did not want their children to have it, they could make that known to the teachers.
But, Delwiche said the behavior of students having chocolate milk during an afternoon break could affect the students not having it.
"Can you discipline the child?" Hildebrand asked.
Board member Doug Ehrenberg said, "Why should you have to?"
As a result, board member Randy Yorkson amended his original motion to say that chocolate milk should only be available to students at breakfast and lunch.
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5 Comments for "Got (chocolate) milk?
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If this was brought forward in November...was the wellness committee there to provide their data I wonder??
There are 2 sides to a story, to an option of whether it's good or bad. I don't think trying to control 6 ounces of chocolate milk in a child's daily diet is what the school should be doing. Not everyone is overweight. They let the middle school kids have chocolate milk daily as a reward.
So look out everyone...we might have an elementary school out of control once they start drinking chocolate milk again. :D
JustBecause Dec 14, 2011 6:52 PM
JustBecause Dec 14, 2011 6:56 PM
1) Coca-Cola
2) Snickers
3) Meth
4) Oxycodone
Why does the school board have a [b]NUTRITION COMMITTEE[/b], if their knee-jerk decision is going to be based on the (suspect) nutritional choices made by the board president's wife?
Does anyone remember when "getting a drink" at school meant an unrefrigerated water fountain out in the hallway? Now it means chocolate milk delivered to your desk.
lastpercentile Dec 14, 2011 10:41 PM
RLoehrke Dec 15, 2011 8:08 AM
I didn't say a decision was based on something you said; but your husband used your choice (of supplying chocolate milk) as a clear basis for his unilateral decision to vote on supplying chocolate milk in the schools. To wit:
[i]District Administrator Scott Bleck offered to have the district's Nutrition Committee take up the discussion.[/i]
[i] "I think the board can say, 'Offer it,' and it's done," Board President Neal Loehrke said.[/i]
[i]Loehrke said his wife sends chocolate milk with their children for their milk breaks. [/i]
[i]Chocolate milk will now be among the daily milk choices...[/i]
Your husband dismissed the suggestion that the nutrition committee take it up for discussion, and the article - through structure if not content - suggests that he was basing his unilateral decision on your choice of chocolate milk for your kids.
I also find it disturbing that, as president, he communicates to the board "offer it, and it's done" - before a motion is even made. Who's going to vote against chocolate milk after the president says, let's offer it and get it done (now!). Nobody.
Maybe you can explain why the chocolate flavoring is necessary? Kids won't drink milk nowadays, unless there's a big glob of chocolate in it? Why aren't we offering strawberry flavored milk? Banana flavored milk? Egg nog?
The bottom line is - the board should not be making a la carte menu decisions, let alone force feeding them based on personal preference. The menu should be developed by professionals using sound decision-making methods. If they insist, the board can vote on the menu pro forma.
Kids who grew up to win WWII and put man on the moon - drank water out of a bucket in the back of the classroom. Today's kids need chocolate in their milk. Heaven help them.
lastpercentile Dec 15, 2011 11:29 PM