Hey Fatty... Quit Teaching our Kids...

[Andrew Green]

Someone should tell this to the people making this into an issue.

yep

Have they nothing better to do?

Nope

For crying out loud, there must be some other issue out there that takes precedence over obesity.

Well, society goes on its media crazes, lately obesity is one.

Someone said "Hitleresque", no kidding. Why is this approach even being considered? How about educating people on the positive benefits of good health? Other than that, let them make their own choices. We should mandate the body style of our citizens? This is wrong in so many ways.

Or adding to fitness classes instead of cutting them, removing any games to strenuous for some and telling kids to sit still all day and then wondering why they are getting lazy and chubby...

 

[Deuce]

If schools are going to hire teachers based on their weight, they should hire obese people. When I used to sit in class with a skinny teacher teaching at the front of the room, not once did I think to myself, gee, he looks healthy, maybe I should eat right and exercise so I can look as healthy as him when I'm his age. But, when I had a very obese teacher, I thought to myself: Oh man, that's a big dude. I don't want to be that big when I'm his age. I better start eating right and exercising.

Now, I didn't actually change my lifestyle at that time, but, to me anyways, the obese teacher made me think more about my health than the skinny one.

When it comes down to it, the appearance of my teachers had nothing to do with my health or weight. The only way that I can see it having much of an effect on me is if the gym teacher had massive muscle mass and was willing to teach the class how to get into good shape. With the hormones raging, and the desire to look good for the ladies, it may have had an affect on some.

This whole idea is down right stupid. I can't beleive that someone would actually think this, let alone say it.

 

[Phoenix44]

Let's see...birth control...sexual activity...embryos...stem cells...death issues...

Yes, I think it's time for the government to get involved in our appearance.

 

[ginshun]

Have they nothing better to do?

Obviously not. If people had better things to do, we wouldn't see proposals like this, or lawsuits over gummi candy shaped like roadkill.

 

[Rich Parsons]

I'd expect a math teacher to be good at math.

I'd expect a English teacher to be good at English.

I'd expect a health teacher to be healthy.

It may not effect the validity of the material, but it does effect how well it will be picked up. Part of being a leader is leading by example.

Yes, the health teacher should be healthy or understand how to be healthy.

Just because they are male and are 5'8" and 165 lbs, does not mean they are healthy. They could smoke, or have cholesterol issues, or other issues. So, are we now going to not only weigh the instructors but also get regular blood work done?

 

[arnisador]

There's something unsettling about an overweight physician or health teacher. But, one pays for their advice, not their model--they're not fitness coaches.

Calling this 'Hitleresque' however is simply ignorant. Hitler is not remembered because he weighed government employees.

 

[shesulsa]

Calling this 'Hitleresque' however is simply ignorant. Hitler is not remembered because he weighed government employees.

Hence the use of the "esque" at the end of the name. No, Hitler did not weigh his employees, but he did forward a movement based on appearances reigning superior - blonde hair, blue eyes? Ring a bell?

Hitler used appearances and genetics to determine the superior race and forwarded it. How exactly is the term "Hitleresque" offensive or ignorant? Does it not play to the appearance value of a person in position?

 

[Tgace]

Nothing wrong with a blue eyed blonde IMO....

Never dated one myself though.

 

[arnisador]

No, Hitler did not weigh his employees, but he did forward a movement based on appearances reigning superior - blonde hair, blue eyes? Ring a bell?

Not to me, no. His ideology was based on anti-Semitism and the concept of the Aryan master race ("principle of the blood"). It wasn't based on having blond hair and blue eyes--would you describe Hitler himself as blond, for instance?--but on being Germanic, which he associated with fair skin, blond hair, and blue eyes. Note the distinction--he favors ethnic Germans, who tend to have a certain appearance, rather than a certain appearance, which Germans tend to have. It was always about the intellectual, cultural, etc., superiority of the German (more broadly, Aryan) race, and of course his rabid anti-Semitism. After he determined that the Aryan race was the most perfect race, he inferred that they were superior in all ways...including physical beauty.

It's basis, however, was in his notion of a master race, not of a physical ideal of appearance. I disagree with you on the basis of his movement; in fact, you're wrong.

Hitler used appearances and genetics to determine the superior race

No, he didn't use appearances to determine the superior race. He determined that he was a member of said race and worked from there. I don't know that he thought in terms of genetics as we understand the term today as much as simply a distinction between races ("The racial question gives the key not only to world history, but to all human culture." (Mein Kampf)). Dark hair was to him a signifier of miscegenation, not a crime in itself.

So, I find the comparison ignorant, that is, uninformed by knowledge of the facts, and offensive, as it compares the actions of Hitler to a suggestion to maintain a database of weights of government employees. Not all stupid ideas are equal. Weighing teachers makes no sense, but no one makes a suggestion like this expecting it to be enacted. It's an attention-getter for a politician--a statement that appears to be pro-children and pro-health, akin to coming out against crime. To compare that to Hitler's enacted plan to murder civilians based on their race is offensive.

 

[shesulsa]

:lol:

Surely you jest that you could not glean context from my statement? Clearly, you think I'm an ignorant fool who cannot logically distinguish the methods of Adolf Hitler from the political posturing of discriminatory fat cats.

You did not see a lengthy compare/contrast analysis from me, thus your over-application of logic and history upon my opinion is indicative of that which you accuse me of - ignorance.

I will not draw a picture for you on this, since you seem to be an intelligent man and will not insult you as you attempted to insult me.

That said ...

The tighter controls called for on our society to maintain certain proportions, though well-intentioned, are blindly sought. Though this may simply be bait and though Cabanilla has received free press, these tactics are petty, but speak a dangerous truth of American politics.

 

[Shaolinwind]

Parents need to quit blaming society for THEIR mistakes.

I couldn't agree more.

 

[Shaolinwind]

http://www.ktvu.com/education/4322022/detail.html


Uh... Uh... What the hell? I think thats pretty damn stupid myself... what do you think?

I can't see how a rational mind would think that hare-brained scheme would work. :disgust: Yet at the time of this post 19% of people who voted on that page think it's a good idea.

The teachers aren't the only portly folk on the island and the government knows it. Hawaiians have had things like spam and ramen noodles as a mainstay of their diet since WW2. There is a staggering number of obese people in Hawaii. Fat is normal there and there is very little incentive to stay trim. Parents do the cooking and their influence will most certainly nullify any influence a teacher will have, be they fat or fit.

Anyhow, doesn't the US government suggest that children eat lots of dairy and grains? Those things are an absolute dietary curse when consumed regularly and in quantity. I guess they think teachers make a nice scapegoat.

 

[arnisador]

Surely you jest that you could not glean context from my statement?

I don't know what this means. The "Hitleresque" statement was exaggerated beyond any notion of reasonableness and the "appearances" comment was incorrect. I don't know why it would matter whether your statement was lengthy or concise. I interpreted your statement that "Hitler [...] did forward a movement based on appearances reigning superior" to mean that you believed that Hitler based his political movement on appearances of certain individuals or groups being superior or inferior to those of other individuals or groups. As to the application of logic and history, I suppose I'm guilty there. Do I misundertand the purpose of The Study vice The Locker Room?

I think we agree that continuing this side discussion can serve no useful purpose.

 

[Tgace]

Surely you jest that you could not glean context from my statement?.

I never jest...and stop calling me Shirley.

 

[Shaolinwind]

I can't see how a rational mind would think that hare-brained scheme would work. :disgust: Yet at the time of this post 19% of people who voted on that page think it's a good idea.

The teachers aren't the only portly folk on the island and the government knows it. Hawaiians have had things like spam and ramen noodles as a mainstay of their diet since WW2. There is a staggering number of obese people in Hawaii. Fat is normal there and there is very little incentive to stay trim. Parents do the cooking and their influence will most certainly nullify any influence a teacher will have, be they fat or fit.

I forgot to mention something. A business associate of mine told me a story from when he was in Hawaii on vaction. He was taking a cab to a hotel, and quickly noticed the short, 400 lb woman walking on the sidewalk. The driver of the cab comments "oh look at her". He was about to concurr that she was indeed quite large when the cab driver PULLED OVER and and attempted to get her phone number. This is an excellent example of just how much the Hawaiians love their big people.

 

[arnisador]

Heh. It's all a matter of perspective!

 

[TonyM.]

My My, I haven't heard the concept of fat,barefoot and pregnant in thirty years and again it rears it's ugly head.

 

[Shaolinwind]

My My, I haven't heard the concept of fat,barefoot and pregnant in thirty years and again it rears it's ugly head.

I don't follow your meaning, in which post was the subjugation of women discussed?