LETTER: Lawmaker’s plan to have Nevada schools track obesity levels a bad idea

State Sen. Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, has introduced Senate Bill 165 that would define obesity as a chronic disease and would require some school districts to track obesity levels (Tuesday Review-Journal). State Sen. Denis is correct that there are a lot of obese kids — and even more obese adults — living and working in Las Vegas. And it is true that being overweight places kids and adults at increased risk for a variety of diseases. But is fat-shaming these overweight kids and their families good public health policy, the proper role of our limited school resources, or any business of teachers, school nurses, principals, administrators or schools districts?

People who are fat, even young kids, know they are fat. They can step on a bathroom scale or look in the mirror if they need further confirmation. And we — as a state — can tax sugary drinks, french fries and potato chips. We can require military-style basic training after school for fat kids, bring in the kids and their parents for mandatory meetings with school nurses who will show them state-approved, age-appropriate videos of the medical effects of diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.

We can even refuse to promote obese kids to the next grade level if they fail to attain a healthy body-mass index.

But the reality is that the educational establishment goes hat-in-hand to the Legislature every other year for more money. They always have and always will. The establishment can never get quite enough money to “do their jobs.” Yes, ancient school buildings need continuous repairs. Yes, new schools need to be constructed. Yes, all kids need iPads — or the equivalent — and connectivity. Yes, teachers often pay for supplies out of their own pockets and many are underpaid and over-worked. But the overarching reality is that the kids aren’t learning. Year after year, our public schools are ranked last or next to last in the nation.

So, state Sen. Denis, rather than wasting precious resources on fat shaming, why don’t you do something that will help our kids learn to read and write?