Post written by VegBlogger. Follow me on Twitter.
Have you heard that the Baltimore City Public School System has decide to implement Meatless Monday's at their schools? Good for them, right? Well, believe it or not, that sentiment is not shared by everyone. Can you imagine that the American Meat Institute was against the idea? Go figure!
Take a look at this video, in which Lou Dobbs goes as far as saying that serving vegetarian food in the school cafeteria one day per week is a "political storm in the marking." Notice how the meat industry folks tout that it is unhealthy for kids to not have "choices" on that day in the cafeteria. Do they ever stop to think about the "choices" that vegetarian children have just about every day at schools around the country? They certainly don't have the abundance of choices that those eating meat have. Most are lucky to get even one vegetarian option on the menu.
And one more thing, could someone please inform the woman from the meat industry that vegetarian food has protein? While you are at it, why not let the CNN newscasters know that as well. They discussed how kids could be missing out on protein on that vegetarian day each week. The report showed that they were serving vegetarian chili that day. Are they not aware of the abundance of protein found in beans? Likewise, that those beans are devoid of cholesterol, cruelty and are far better on the planet?
If you are like me and think that offering some vegetarian food is good for the planet, the animals, the kids health, and for getting them to try some foods outside the "meat" box, drop the school district a line to let them know you support their decision to have Meatless Monday's. While you are at, consider contacting your own school district to ask them to do the same.
It's difficult to undo the hold that the meat and dairy industry has on our schools and government bodies in general. But with actions like this at the Baltimore schools, there may just be some hope! Kudos to the school system. Let's hope they stand strong in the face of criticism from the meat industry and that other school systems follow suit.
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