New York mom fuming after daughter gets school letter calling her overweight
New York mom fuming after daughter gets school letter calling her overweight
Gwendolyn Williams was determined to be in a report on BMI from her school. FAMILY
A New York City mom was fit to be tied Wednesday after her 4-foot-1, 66-pound daughter came home from school with a note calling her fat.
Eight-year-old Gwendolyn Williams is anything but fat, but her mom worries that the school's note, citing her , has left her daughter confused about her body.
"My daughter is thin; she knows she doesn't have a , but that night, I caught her grabbing the skin near her waist, and she asked me, 'is this what they were talking about?"' Laura Bruiji Williams, the girl's mom, told FoxNews.com. "It was awful to see."
Gwendolyn, along with her classmates, were handed a "Fitnessgram" sealed with a sticker at her public school in Brooklyn. The class was told not to open the letters, issued by the New York City Department of Education, but like most of her friends, she couldn't resist and read it.
"Some of her friends found out they were ," her mom said. "They were crying."
The New York Post first reported that Williams approached the school's principal to complain about the letter. The principal was sympathetic, but reiterated that students were given the instructions not to read the letter.
The so-called "Fitnessgrams" are issued annually in New York City by the department. They are intended to assess students from grades K-12 to help support lifelong , according to the department's website. About 870,000 students each year take home these reports.
"With body image such an issue, it's amazing to me that these letters weren't mailed to parents," she said. "What kid's not going to open that?"
The BMI report value in assessing health has been criticized. Gwendolyn is 4'1 and weighs 66 pounds.
"My organization and others believe that BMI report cards have no place coming from schools and can be more harmful than helpful," Chevese Turner of the Binge Eating Disorder Association, told The Post.
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BMI reports are stupid IMO! These children could possibly develop eating disorders.
The parents were.
lol...I'm a4/10 female and weigh 83 lbs. I don't even want to know what would be said about me.
lol...Former...Yes, I am a" picolamogliettina".<( Italian) ( small wifeand I hatebeing small or Picolla Donna)gggrrr... And yes, good for Gwendolyn's parents for giving her such wonderful self-esteem.
Who gives a crap whether she is overweight or underweight. That's none of the school's business anyway. I know a lot of people who were chubby when they were 8 years old and now as adults are average and still it's none of their business they are overweight. This is what the people with common sense are talking about when they condemn crap like this. With this Obamacare, just wait and you'll see. The school children are starving because Michelle Obama has taken it upon herself to tell them what to eat and they're throwing it in the garbage. The schools won't let them bring their own lunches. These may seem insignificant liberties to lose to some, but each journey starts with one step and we're heading down into a dungeon willingly and blindly.
They told the children ''not to open the envelopes''...LOL, are you kidding me!!!! And they work with children. FAIL
Good for this girl, she has her stuff together.
The only thing I can think of, is that the Schools are trying to look after the children's health...I thought that what Doctors .were for, sillyme...
They told the children ''not to open the envelopes'' Well, you knowthat's a guarantee that the children won't open them. /s
I certainly wouldn't have opened it...