KLA: AMI V.P. Says Meatless Monday Campaign Denies Students Freedom Of Choice & Nutrition
10/28/2009 09:07AM
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American Meat Institute Senior Vice President for Public Affairs Janet Riley has publicly criticized the Baltimore City Schools’ adoption of the “Meatless Monday” campaign, a program done in association with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Under this program, students have a vegetarian-only option on Mondays.
The Bloomberg School also is home to the Center for a Livable Future and the Grace Spira Project named for the late animal rights activist Henry Spira. The Meatless Monday campaign seeks to link meat and poultry consumption to reduced public health and environmental harm.
While the campaign claims to be part of an “education” effort for school children, Riley believes it is “indoctrination.” She said by taking meat completely off of the menu one day a week, the school district is denying students the freedom of choice.
“I am not suggesting that every child be forced to eat meat every day,” said Riley. “What I am suggesting is that children and parents should have the ability to choose what they want to eat.”
She pointed out the meat and poultry included in the school lunch program might be the only source of protein some kids get during the day, since three-fourths of the children in Baltimore qualify for free and reduced breakfasts and lunches. Riley also noted that 75% of school children already are not getting enough protein in their diets, according to federal data.
For more information visit www.kla.org.