Shamed. It seems we are suddenly over using this word. If you do something or say something that goes against someone else’s thoughts, you must be shaming them. We seem to be shaming all over ourselves lately!
Recently a teacher in Australia sent a note home to a mom asking for a healthier choice in her student’s lunch. She had sent a slice of chocolate cake in the sack lunch and it just happened to fall in the school’s red food category. Now there are news articles out there saying the school shamed the mom. Seriously? Shamed for asking to pack a healthier option for her student?
I’m a teacher too, and I totally get it. Now, before you start shooting virtual arrows at my head, hear me out. You are the parent and can make choices for your student. But on the other hand there is obviously a school policy for health and wellness. I know the schools do where I live. They encourage healthy foods and habits. Now there are special days and treats, but overall the school district promotes and asks for healthy foods to come in and out of the building. This also includes what the teachers eat and bring in. Are those teachers being shamed by the schools asking that? No, it is policy.
So did being asked to choose a healthier snack shame the mom? I can’t say for sure. I do not know all the details. But I do know this; if I was the mom I would probably be a little miffed that the school is telling me what to do. But I would then realize they are trying to keep a policy in place. I would respect the school that is trying to help my student and all the other students learn. They write the policies for a reason. I would send healthier food to school. My kiddo can have the chocolate cake after school with me. Then I get a piece too!