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While fat-shaming may be one of the latter socially acceptable forms of discrimination, a new story in The Hechinger Report highlights the children who face weight stigma at school – and the consequences devastating toll on their well-being and academic performance.
“Would you like a cupcake?” a fifth-grader recalled being asked by one of her classmates who routinely called her “fat.” Teachers routinely fail to confront students who shame their classmates — and play their own role in anti-obesity bias.
The 15 million American children considered obese are more likely than other children to perform poorly academically – a reality called the obesity achievement gap. Now new research suggests that teacher bias may be part of the problem.
“Teachers often view obese children as emotional, unmotivated, less capable and uncompliant,” wrote journalist Kavitha Cardoza. “This can lead to teachers giving these students fewer opportunities to participate in class, less positive feedback and lower grades.”
Schools across the country have policies that prohibit bullying based on race, gender and religion. Few mention body weight.
Read Cardoza’s latest story (which also appeared in Teen Vogue) here.
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In the news
I can’t stop reading about the elections. I keep reading about the elections: Survivors of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting that left 20 children and six adults dead are now old enough to vote. Six explain how the shooting continues to impact their lives – and their choice for president. | The Washington Post
- These are the states where young voters have the most potential to influence the results of the presidential election. | CIRCLE
- Donald Trump has promised to carry out mass deportations if elected. It could separate millions of families — and leave schools cleaning up. | Chalk stroke
- School shooting survivor David Hogg’s multimillion-dollar bid to elect young progressives. | The 74
About two-thirds of teachers use tools designed to catch students using artificial intelligence to cheat on homework, but a survey of the leading services has found that error rates can “mount quickly” and “have devastating consequences for students who have been incorrectly marked. ” | Bloomberg
- Lawsuit Alert: Parents are suing their son’s high school in Massachusetts in federal court, arguing he was unfairly punished for using AI to conduct research and write a history article. At the time of the incident, the district lacked policies on acceptable uses of AI. | The 74
School security vendor is under scrutiny again: Evolv, a publicly traded security company that sells “weapon detection” metal detectors to schools, warned shareholders last week not to rely on its latest financial statements as an independent investigation dissects its sales practices. | Associated press
- For more than a year, industry insiders have scrutinized Evolv’s claims in its sales pitches – and the high false alarm rate from its detectors. Last year, the Federal Trade Commission opened an investigation into the company’s marketing practices after allegations that Evolv overestimated the capabilities of its technology. | The 74
- A year after Virginia’s Prince William County Public Schools struck a $10.7 million deal to install Evolv scanners, teachers reported a decline in gun seizures. School security officials found no firearms, three knives, two box cutters and a ‘pneumatic’ paintball or airsoft gun. The results, a school board member said, present “a pretty good ROI (return on investment) on these Evolv scanners.” | WTOP
What teachers need to know about the rise of AI-generated deepfakes – including computer-generated and non-consensual nude images that students have created to harass their peers. | Education week
The spy and the school board: Atlanta’s Cobb County School District hired a private security firm, allegedly run by anonymous former U.S. intelligence agents, to analyze students’ social media accounts and identify potential online threats. The public learned about the unnamed company receiving an undisclosed amount of money during a presentation at a school board meeting by a man “identified only as Rob.” | Atlanta News First
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on December 4 in a case challenging Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, which could have implications for transgender youth nationally. | Them
Day in the life: A journalist from Minnesota walked the halls with a school employee. This is what he learned about police work in school. | The Minnesota Star Tribune
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Emotional support
Matilda doesn’t need a costume. She’s a monster every day.
(Can we see your pet costumes!?)
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