New Hampshire committee votes to limit school birthday parties to once a month

Cupcake police


This is ridiculous. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS. I’m sure their reasoning is too much sugar and kids are going to get fat. NEWS FLASH: that is not the problem with obese children. I grew up with cupcakes, or something, on everybody’s birthday and I’m not fat. So did my kids, and they’re not fat. This is about control and making so many laws that it is going to become impossible to become a law abiding citizen.

Fortunately there was one person on the committee with some common sense:

The only Manchester School Board member to oppose the birthday limit said she disagrees with the board playing "food police."

"I don't want to hear that can't happen," Debra Gagnon Langton, a sixth-grade teacher in another district, told the paper "It's a child's special day."

Sadly I don't think that will be enough and we will have yet another ridiculous rule/law on the books.

My daughter's charter school doesn't allow any food treats on birthdays. It's more about all the different allergies out there now. Each child does get their special day of recognition of their birthday though, with a song and applause. I'm okay with it. My daughter can have a party at home with all the sugary treats I'm willing to give her.

reply to post by kaylaluv


That is something that disturbs me more and more nowadays too. Why are there so many children with allergies out there? When I was growing up and eating lunch at a friend's house it was peanut butter & jelly. No questions asked. Now peanut allergies almost seems to be fashionable. No offense to anyone who has peanut allergies, but how has it become so prevalant? The same with lactose intolerance and gluten allergies. Again, no offense to anyone who has these afflictions. It just seems everyone has some kind of allergy. I'm starting to get jealous because I have no allergies or food intolerances.

However, having said all that, I think the original story has to do more with control than food allergies.

....when people complain and whine and go on about voting is worthless and staying home is the best sign of protest?

Remember..School Board Members are ELECTED positions. We get by apathy what we'd never vote for by choice. ....then tell each other that not voting really 'taught them a thing or two'. Well, yes, it does. It teaches them, they can do things like this ...and give no thought whatever to how the parents might take it. Most of them don't vote, so in the end? Why should the board members actually care?

The tyranny of a society always starts down the street ...in the local school board chambers, for this example. :

Since when is it a school's job to celebrate a kid's birthday, anyway?

This is not new. When I was in school (in the 60s), we had one "birthday party" a month, that included everyone whose birthday was in that month.

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic
Since when is it a school's job to celebrate a kid's birthday, anyway?

Agreed.

For the amount of money we're paying into these schools time shouldnt be spent celebrating some event that comes around for everyone (alive) year after year after year.

I'll say the reasoning the board is using is absurd however. Junk food and fat kids? Simply stating their time is better spent on education is more than enough reason to end the birthday party madness.

Well you guys are certainly entitled to your opinion, and no, it's not the school's job to celebrate a child's birthday. However, fifteen minutes out of the day to recognize a special day can't hurt. We're talking about elementary school kids here. It's important to them. You're only young once.

reply to post by thisguyrighthere


I can't help but think that if the schools paid LESS attention to personal and fun activities (like birthdays, holidays and irrelevant events) they could spend MORE attention to actually educating the kids, which is what they're supposed to be doing. It's like they're babysitters instead of educators.

So glad I made it out of public school before it took a supreme nosedive.

reply to post by ratcals


And you are entitled to your opinion as well.

Originally posted by ratcals
However, fifteen minutes out of the day to recognize a special day can't hurt.

1. Their birthday is a family event. The family can celebrate it. They likely do. So, now, the child gets two birthday parties. How many do they need?
2. It CAN hurt, if the children are fed sweet, sugary crap on those days.
3. It takes away from the educational aspect of going to school.

You're only one once.

It's elementary school, not pre-school.

Well you guys should be glad you don't work with me then. Because I bring cupcakes on my birthday. And they are appreciated

My first thought was OMG! Since when do kids get special treatment at school when it's their birthday?! I certainly didn't What a ridiculous idea...

But then, I then started thinking about those kids with rubbish parents and a poor quality home life who get no special treatment at home on their birthday... For those under-privileged kids this kind of celebration at school must be awesome for them....

So, why not just have have a sing-song or a little dance or a game... Why does it have to revolve around cup-cakes....?

Oh yes absolutely! The school system should not treat kids like actual people! Oh no. Make sure they shut up and sit down and get spoon fed drivel all day. American public schools just keep getting worse.

gee we never had ANY birthday parties at school. why do they do it now?