Florida school sends letter home calling this girl fat

[happyg]

Officials from the Collier County Health Department sent a note home with an 11-year-old girl in Naples, Fla. informing her mother that the girl is fat.

The note referenced a health screening that all public schools in Florida are required to perform, reports local Fox affiliate WFTX. The health screening includes a measurement of each child’s body mass index (BMI).

The girl, Lily, is 5’5″ tall and weighs in at 124 pounds. She’s also the tallest girl in her class.

However, Kristen Grasso, the girl’s mother, told WFTX that the Florida Department of Health website “classifies her as overweight.”

Grasso, a mother of four who looks pretty slim and fit, wasn’t pleased.

“Lily is tall,” Grasso said in her daughter’s defense. “She’s athletic. She’s solid muscle. But by no means is she overweight.”

Grasso said she is uneasy about the message a healthy-looking 11-year-old girl might discern from the results.

“My concern is you know, kids that see the results of this test that may be classified as overweight that aren’t and the self-esteem issues that they may get,” Grasso said.

The Fox affiliate paid a visit to the county health department for more information.

“All health departments in the state do screenings for school-aged children.” explained Deb Millsap, a spokeswoman for the Collier County Health Department. “Now, parents can opt out.”

The opt-out process is part of thickly-worded form.

Grasso said she did receive the form. However, she said it merely indicated that children would be tested for vision hearing, growth and development screening. The mom didn’t realize that weight or BMI would be part of the testing regime.

It’s possible that either Grasso, or the Florida Department of Health, or the person who measured Lily’s BMI made a mistake. According to the Centers for Disease Control, a healthy 11-year-old human female who is 5’5″ tall and weighs 124 pounds “has a healthy weight.”

 http://dailycaller.com/2013/09/27/florida-school-sends-letter-home-calling-this-girl-fat/

[SouthTexas]

Great, Collier County Health Department now pushes anorexia.

[mountaineer]

I bet they won't say anything to the truly fat little kiddies (and they are legion), so as not to hurt their feelings.

[olde north church]

I bet they won't say anything to the truly fat little kiddies (and they are legion), so as not to hurt their feelings.

They actual fat kids will get trophies for being gravitationally challenged.

[mountaineer]

"Participation medals" for everyone!!

[SouthTexas]

I bet they won't say anything to the truly fat little kiddies (and they are legion), so as not to hurt their feelings.

Actually think she is bigger than half the kids on grandson's 7th grade football team.

[raml]

In my sons class in 7th grade there was a boy who was 6ft and weighed 200lbs and not an ounce of fat it was muscle. My son at the time was barely 5 ft and I doubt he weighted 100lbs but he was all muscle too and a great athlete these two were very good friends we called them Mutt and Jeff. In his sophomore year my son was 6'3" and 210lbs and a fantastic athlete with scholarships galore when he was a senior. None of my kids were ever fat and still aren't but they were athletes and very muscled. That young girl was not fat not in the least a picture tells all not some arbitrary test. I was 5'7" and 125 lbs in 7th grade and I still wasn't the tallest and I graduated from high school at the exact same weight and height some children get to their full height at younger ages than others. I really don't believe the government has any business checking our children out medically your own doctor is the one that knows your child. The woman's biggest mistake was allowing them to check anything medically on her child I bet she has learned her lesson.

[truth_seeker]

Classifying the girl as fat, is evidence of the quality of performance that government too typically delivers.

Such incompetence is just one of several reasons for backing small government. A school with enough discretionary resources to do this, has too much discretionary resource, and too much power.

[Olivia]

The woman's biggest mistake was allowing them to check anything medically on her child I bet she has learned her lesson.

I agree.  In this day and age, once your child steps into a classroom, the government is in take-over mode according to what you will allow them to do.

[musiclady]

Classifying the girl as fat, is evidence of the quality of performance that government too typically delivers.

Such incompetence is just one of several reasons for backing small government. A school with enough discretionary resources to do this, has too much discretionary resource, and too much power.

 

[Oceander]

This is because the government - and hence the schools - use one of the most misleading indicators of obesity, the BMI, or body-mass index.  It has been so widely criticized, particularly for the gross inaccuracies that result when it's applied to children, that no one other than a brain-dead idiot would think it had any validity whatsoever - in other words, only a liberal would think it had any validity whatsoever.

[NavyCanDo]

In my sons class in 7th grade there was a boy who was 6ft and weighed 200lbs and not an ounce of fat it was muscle.

My Dad was 6ft in the 6th grade.   I wasn't that tall but I was the tallest kid in my class and skinny as a rail.   My son though is one of the shortest boys in his class. My wife's genes taking over there.