want to have a bake sale? sorry! you can't!!!!!

I think that is absolutely ridiculous! I understand that obesity has become a problem, but I do not think that the government needs to step in and ban bake sales or put a tax on not only sugar but also on all things that contain sugar (I have heard rumors that some states or maybe it was the Federal government was thinking about doing this). Sugar in and of itself is not bad or evil. A person can be perfectly healthy and still indulge in sugar and sweets from time to time ... just about everything is alright in moderation. In fact, most things are not good if you eat too much of them, and that includes meat, dairy, vegetables and fruits. We all need a balanced diet, and while sweets are not necessarily considered a part of a balanced diet, having an oatmeal raisin cookie every now and then is not going to kill you and also can count as a grain and fruit.

Even though you have already picked best response, I must chime in to this discussion. Banning baked goods, fast food, etc. is NOT going to stop obesity. One thing comes to mind when I hear of kids plugging change into a vending machine at school, or buying junk food at the cafeteria--where do they get the money for this stuff? Why does a kid need money to go to school? I was given a dime every day for milk. Our lunches were bagged. In fact, at our school we did not have a cafeteria. What is wrong with bagged lunch most of the time? Once or twice a month, let them have cafeteria food when you know what is on the menu. It is a proven fact most obese folks do not sit down at the family dinner table together. If mom, dad and children sit down to eat, they are less likely to overeat and more likely to eat what is good for them. Mom is watching after all, and has made the food. The problem is not the fast food joints, it is not the sugar, it is not the fat, the bread, the starch, etc. the problem is mom and dad indulging the children. One thing I cannot stand to see is a fat kid, that tells me the kid is being abused. Yes, abused--he/she is given whatever they want at the cost of their health and psychological well being. Yes, there are some who do not have control over their weight because of medical reasons, but a majority of people (including myself) are heavy from not eating properly and not getting enough exercise. I live near a school, and see kids walking all the day or being brought in vehicles to school. After that, I do not see them. Where are they? At home, playing some game on the computer? Why are they not out getting fresh air? Winter time is even worse, it is like a town without children. We were made to go out and play, unless the temperature was dangerous. That was pretty rare. Chores. I never see children helping in the yards. Why not? It gives them exercise and teaches them responsibility. The government does not need to tax our sugar consumption. The government does need to stop trying to re-define the family, and does need to encourage family life.

It's getting bad when bake sales and the Girl scout cookie sellers are being forced to go black market..What next...SWAT team raids at the Krispy Creme outlets?

It´s a pity your state chooses to ban bake sales instead of having free lessons for parents on nutrition. The funds for those lessons could be taken from a special tax that fast food chains should pay. I have this idea since children in my country began to get on weight when MacDonald´s colonized us.

That would be the same states that banned children from operating lemonade stalls? And you think you live in a democracy!

Our school district has drastically cut funding for the school libraries and are instead taking that money and dumping it into technology. I understand the thought process, but the parents step up and run a bake sale every year so teachers can get new class sets of books. Last year the bake sale raised enough money to buy 4 class sets of books.

That is so very sad as it is a very good fund raiser for school funds. Perhaps you can have a veggie stall instead and everyone bring in veggies and fruit to sell. I'm quite upset about that, the children must be so sad about it.

Hi fran429, This is the most ridiculous thing I've heard! How can a bake sale be linked to child obesity? And Girl Scout cookies? If a child is obese because of overeating, it is the parent's concern (and fault for letting them overeat), noone else's. And sometimes a person is overweight for other health (maybe it's in the genes like me, I call em "fat genes") reasons, not just eating too much. Why does the world make everyone think they have to be skinny? We are all made different, not everyone is meant to be skinny. Then they wonder why there is anorexia and bolemia (not sure if spelled right). Do they have to control everything? This just makes me totally angry!

That is absurd. For one thing it is usually adults who purchase items at theses sales. They will feed their kids what ever junk they want wherever they get it from. Second a healthy sale can happen if wanted but now the state has taken that away as well. We did a healthy bake sale. Only low fat/sugar/etc items. We did awesome at our church.

hi fran,I find that decision to be very u fair...like you said, even iff the kids dosen' buy a cupcake at the bake sale at school, dosne;t stop him from eating them somewhere else.. I think that is crazy!!!!!!!