According to the Wade & Tavris (2011), obesity is an increasing epidemic in our society
today. Due to this obsession, more and more individuals are embracing desperate measures
to avoid becoming fat. The obsession with weight often leads to major eating disorders.
This is a major concern for you if you are a parent. Write a letter of grievance based on the
following scenario.
Your child comes home one afternoon and excitedly describes the pizza and fries that she
enjoyed during lunch. You are outraged that the local elementary school is still serving
high-fat breakfasts and lunches despite the healthy food initiatives championed by the
government. Use the information found in your textbook, as well as the CSU Online
Library, to draft a two-page letter to the school superintendent addressing your concerns.
In your letter, be sure to address the research in regards to genetics, environmental factors,
and potential eating disorders that are related to obesity. Also, include in your letter the
various emotions that you are experiencing based on your frustration with the local school
district, and its negligence to comply with national standards for healthy eating habits. Be
sure to tell the superintendent about your daughter’s recent emotional outbursts when
shopping for clothes. (Recently she shared that other girls tease her because she cannot fit
into her skinny jeans any longer due to her “fat stomach.”)
Letter of Grievance to the local School Administration
29 th March 2013
Address
To
School Superintended
Dear Sir/Madam
I hereby write this letter citing my disappointments and those of the many parents with
regard to an important issue that has come to my attention. This issue is about the nutritional
programs offered to the pupils at your school and how they affect this pupil’s health. Eating
disorders is a concern of not only me but also other people in our country today. I also try to
think that most teachers in your school acknowledge that obesity is a problem which need touch
measures to curb.
It was just last weekend when I was surprising shocked to hear from my daughter who
attends your elementary school that they were still being served “Pizzas” and “fries” which she
enjoyed during lunch time. Upon further scrutiny, I also realized that even much of the
constituents in breakfast meals were fats and excessive sugars. This is a total disregard to the
government’s health stipulations to school. It is therefore with regard to that that I would like to
get it clear from the school administration on why the school promotes such unhealthy foods in
contrast to the acceptable health diet.
Although there are people who would argue that there are other factors such as genetics
and environmental factors influencing obesity and not solely fat foods, studies point out that fats
and sugars remain to be the biggest contributors of this condition. Researchers have also pointed
out that the environment has a significant impact on a growing child (Wade & Tavris, 2011). For
instance, the kind of food exposed to children in the school environment will create a culture
with regard to the kind of food they partake. This will in turn lead to unhealthy food choices
among the kids. Fatty foods do not only lead to obesity but also other problems such as diabetes
resistance to insulin among other health concern.
It is therefore with this concern that I would urge the school administration to adopt policies
and programs in support to of health foods and eliminate those that would only jeopardize the
health of our children.
Reference
Wade & Tavris, (2011). “Psychology” Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Gladwell, M.