It seems like every school event held in Walpole sells food products for people attending to enjoy. Everything from the musical to sporting events sell snacks and drinks to raise money for an organization.  Some students or parents organize bake sales, where people donate baked goods such as cookies and brownies, in order to raise money. But in early May, Massachusetts passed a law banning bake sales during school, a half an hour before school, and a half an hour after school which was set to take effect in August of 2012. Some state officials even wanted to expand the ban onto things such as white bread and whole milk in the cafeteria and the door to door sale of candy bars. Others wanted to ban bake sales completely. On May 10 the ban was lifted after complaints from parents, students, and schools all over Massachusetts. It’s good that the state is trying to prevent childhood obesity but it should not have the right to control what people eat.

Childhood obesity currently effects approximately one third of the children in the United States. Officials in Massachusetts are concerned about our children’s health, but they have taken it too far. Students use bake sales to raise money for things like sports and clubs. Without these fundraisers schools would be forced to cut many of the activities they offer. This may reduce the number of kids playing sports which is a better way to fight childhood obesity. Moreover, bake sales are not held every day and kids deserve a treat every once in a while. Cutting out sweets all together is not going to end obesity. Instead, schools should focus more on encouraging healthy eating habits for the main meals of the day. If kids eat healthy at breakfast, lunch, and dinner then they should be allowed to have a small treat a day. They could also increase the recess time for younger kids or have more gym classes. These ideas would be more successful in reducing childhood obesity.

If parents teach their kids good healthy eating habits at home, then kids will know that they should only have treats every once in a while. Also, if kids eat healthy at home then they should be allowed to have a treat during school. The state should be focusing on things that are more important than bake sales like encouraging exercise or making the lunches at schools healthier. Banning bake sales in Massachusetts would hurt students and their schools more than it would help them.