The State Senate passed a bill today that would require public schools to take the Body Mass Index of each student and compete with other schools for the lowest average score. It's meant to improve the health of children, but oponents argues it's too much government intrusion.
The bill's sponsor Republican Joseph Carter argued that 1 in 3 kids in Georgia is either obese or at risk of becoming obese. He hopes to improve the situation with an online competition. Each school's collective Body Mass Index would be posted on a Department of Education website. It also calls for the governor to establish a recognition program. Republican Seantor Preston Smith of Rome says that leaves too much room for bullying because schools eyeing state funds could put pressure on heavier kids.
Smith says it should be parents, not government's, role to keep children healthy. Each child's BMI would be kept private by the school and released to parents upon request. The measure now goes to the state House for consideration.
The bill's sponsor Republican Joseph Carter argued that 1 in 3 kids in Georgia is either obese or at risk of becoming obese. He hopes to improve the situation with an online competition. Each school's collective Body Mass Index would be posted on a Department of Education website. It also calls for the governor to establish a recognition program. Republican Seantor Preston Smith of Rome says that leaves too much room for bullying because schools eyeing state funds could put pressure on heavier kids.
Smith says it should be parents, not government's, role to keep children healthy. Each child's BMI would be kept private by the school and released to parents upon request. The measure now goes to the state House for consideration.
