Now The Fat Police Work for the Public Schools

Charlotte, NC (TLS). First it was smoking. Then it was sugar. Then, trans-fatty acids in food. Now Big Brother is sticking its big nose in another place it doesn't belong in a free society--telling parents that their children's BMI, or Body Mass Index, is too high.

To enforce this latest attempt by big government to snoop into the private lives of American families, Big Brother has solicited it's public school system to serve as its foot-soldiers.

The 'fat police' are now working for the public schools!

We can be thankful that as of yet, the Federal Government has not enacted this crazed policy in all public schools nationwide. But don't count your blessings too soon. Remember the Democrats control Congress, and you can bet your last Krispy Kreme doughnut they will seek to implement these intrusive measures on the entire country.

My ultimate nightmare concerning these intrusive, nosy big government snoops is not only will they rid society of smoking, sweets, and transfats, but the day is coming when the local doughnut shop will be outlawed in the name of 'looking out for our best interests.'

Ground zero at present is the state of New Jersey's recent legislation requiring all public schools to continuously monitor the Body Mass Index of all students.

This in itself is enough for most libertarians to cry foul. What on earth is the government doing meddling in medical matters that should be left between patients, families, and their physicians? A school nurse, a teacher, a principal, or a guidance counselor has no business sticking their nosy schnauzes into such private matters. The BMI of my child is none of their freakin' business.

As expected, when the state of New Jersey first implemented the law, there were protests and many parents were leery. As time has passed, however, their resistance has worn thin, and even some who previously opposed the measure now claim they are glad the government-run school system is keeping tabs on their children's health.

This is invariably the way it works. Collectivists in the socialist army of Big Brother impose on citizens their intrusive ideas that encroach on liberty and privacy. At first there are complaints. But complacency sets in, and less than stalwart citizens cave in to government propaganda, i.e., 'we are just concerned about your children's health.'

My, what a nice thing that is, isn't it.

Actually, they don't give a flying flip about the health of your child. What they really want is more control over our lives.

Remember that when they come knocking on your door demanding to look into your cupboards and refridgerators to see what you are feeding junior when junior's Body Mass Index is out of whack. The food police of the public school system will demand to know what you are feeding junior that makes him so fat and out of shape.

Presently, there are but a handful of states that have enacted such ridiculous legislation. If this is not an invasion of privacy, then I don't know what is. Someone, somewhere should take these states to court, all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, to force public school snoops to show how their practice is not an invasion of privacy, particularly in light of the stringent measures Congress approved years ago concerning privacy of medical records.

Either medical information is private or it isn't. The present federal law says it is private. This being the case, public schools are breaking federal law by monitoring students' BMI unless parents give express written approval for them to have that information. The way these state laws are written, the students and parents have no choice, placing the states in question squarely at odds with federal laws on privacy of medical information.

So far in America, courts have maintained that minors do not have to notify parents when getting an abortion, due to the 'right of privacy.' Yet this so-called right to privacy does not apply to a student's medical records in the states that have enacted the Body Mass Index laws.

Perhaps this information, in addition to information on gun owners and the like, are to be entered into a Hillary Clinton-style national database where those who do not maintain an acceptable Body Mass Index are denied college entrance.

Once the genie is let out of the bottle, it is very difficult to get it back in. Jefferson's warning about these things was very sobering--liberty sometimes must be preserved only by the blood of tyrants and patriots.