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Opinion
 

Staff Editorial

                        Robyn Morrow             Chris Elliott                        Mark Suarez
                                               John Arterbury       Caitlin Cuppernull

Who knew reading made you fat 

Opponents of Book It, a program implemented by schools to reward avid readers with a personal pizza from Pizza Hut, argue that the program encourages poor eating habits and corporate sponsorship, two things that do not belong in an educational environment.

While bad eating habits should not be promoted, the good aspects of the program clearly outweigh the bad. Literacy is the foundation of education and any incentive students have to learn how to read should be administered, even if it could mean a few extra calories. 

Organizations have no business telling parents what their children should be eating. Schools are not forcing kids to go to Pizza Hut, but merely offering a reward for studious behavior. The sole decision of whether a child should have pizza should rest with the parent. 

Sure, Pizza Hut is profiting from Book It, but when one looks at the bigger picture the end result seems more important. In a sense, Book It is beneficial to every restaurant -- if students can't read they'll have a hard time figuring out menus. 

If obesity and poor health are truly the problem, countless other programs contribute much more to the epidemic than Book It, and most do so without a worthy intent. 

Those opposing Book It should focus their attention on programs that don't serve a greater good. Cafeterias could be made healthier or athletics programs could be made more effective. Opponents should also keep in mind that if children are literate they will be able to read nutrition labels and see just how unhealthy the foods they eat are. 

If one truly has the interest of children in mind, they should be doing everything possible to foster one of the most important skills an individual can possess.