Tar Heel Food Police Strikes Again
Hoke County officials rightfully came under fire last month when it was revealed that a student was forced to eat a school lunch – of chicken nuggets, no less – after a government inspector determined her home-made lunch didn’t meet nutrition standards.
Now the state food police is looking to extend its reach into private homes. This from the Civitas Institute:
The Child Care Commission makes the rules covering childcare in North Carolina and has proposed the same nutrition rules governing pre-K programs should apply to private Family Child Care Homes. Those are private residences that care for at least two children who are not related to the homeowners.
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While those homes don’t have to supplement homemade lunches now, they would have to do so under the new regulations. The proposed rules also prohibit homeowners from serving such snacks as cookies, chips or donuts, except for special occasions.
Children older than 24 months would have to be provided with a snack or meal every four hours. But the meal could not include flavored milk, sugary drinks (including Kool-Aid) sweet tea and fruit drinks. The caregiver also could not give an infant juice in a bottle without permission from a heath care professional.
The homeowner also would have to provide an area for mothers who are breastfeeding their infants. Under the new rules the accommodation would have to be in an area other than a bathroom, have an electrical outlet and be shielded from view by staff and the public.
The Child Care Commission will continue to review the rules at a meeting on May 8. Whatever that panel approves moves on to the Rules Review Commission for consideration. After the Rules Review Commission acts, then citizens have 24 hours to object to any rule. If at least ten people sign a petition of objection, the rule goes to the General Assembly for a hearing.
There’s little reason to suspect this won’t make it through the Rules Review Commission, and in equal measure be forwarded to the General Assembly (surely, there at least 10 sane people left in North Carolina). If it’s fast-tracked to the GA, don’t let it slip through without letting your elected officials know where their constituents stand: You can have my Kool-Aid when you pry it from my cold, artificial grape-stained hands.
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