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GM-Free Schools Campaign
Overview
Children face the greatest risk from the potential dangers of GM foods:
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Young, fast-developing bodies are influenced most.
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Children are more susceptible to allergies.
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Children are more susceptible to problems with milk.
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Children are more susceptible to nutritional problems.
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Children are in danger from antibiotic resistant diseases.
(For more information, watch a preview of Hidden Dangers in Kids' Meals: Genetically Engineered Foods, read a review of Hidden Dangers in Kid's Meals; or read Genetically Engineered Foods Pose Higher Risk for Children or the Spilling the Beans article Another Reason for Schools to Ban Genetically Engineered Foods.)
Schools throughout the UK and parts of Europe banned GM food years ago. In the 1990s, many Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) in the U.S. rallied against rbGH and more than a hundred school districts banned milk from rbGH-treated cows. Wisconsin dairy farmer John Kinsman describes the method he used to inspire several schools: "I simply talked to parents of small children. Once mothers heard about this, they didn't rest until their school made the commitment."
The emergence of the “healthy school lunch” movement in the U.S. today provides a ready platform to promote GM-free school meals. Parents and schools are already seeking to change kids’ diets in response to the obesity and diabetes epidemics, the proliferation of ADD/ADHD, and the increased understanding of the impact of food and behavior. Several school systems have made sweeping changes to their meal programs, and new parents are consistently the largest group of new buyers of organic food each year.
In addition, the US government has taken steps to upgrade school nutritional standards - the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004, for example, states that all school districts with a federally funded school meals program develop and implement wellness policies that address, among other things, nutrition and nutrition education by the start of the 2006-07 school year.
Supporting Local GM-Free Schools Campaign Efforts
The Institute for Responsible Technology (IRT) supports efforts to create GM-free schools by providing written and audio-visual materials, web support, and guidance to local campaigns.
With support from the Sierra Club and others, the Institute for Responsible Technology makes available one or more copies of our Hidden Dangers in Kids' Meals video (DVD or VHS) and You're Eating WHAT? CD to a limited number of individuals or groups who are committed to starting a local GM-Free School campaign or have an already existing campaign.
The Institute will work with local campaign organizers in the planning and implementation stages. We are currently refining campaign materials, media kit, and how-to-kit. These will evolve as we get input from local campaigns. We can also provide local campaigns with their own homepage, list serve, calendar, database, and useful links.
In addition, campaigners can purchase DVDs, CDs, and Seeds of Deception book at a special rate so they can make money showing the video and selling products afterwards, as a way to generate funds to support their local campaign.
If you are interested in Institute support for a local GM-Free Schools campaign, please send your contact info and a brief description of your goals, plans, campaign status, and anticipated resource needs to
gm-free-schools@responsibletechnology.org
Take Action
If you are a parent, click here.
If you are a student, click here.
If you represent a school interested in becoming GM-free, click here.
Parent Actions
1. Educate yourself, and stay informed.
A good place to start is with this website, as well as the Institute’s publications, and in particular the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video, which presents a compelling case for the dangers of GM foods to children of all ages. Plus sign up for our newsletter, Spilling the Beans, to stay up-to-date on the issues.
2. Educate your child(ren).
For older children, consider showing them the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video. We are compiling other material that can be used in the home or school, that describes the issues for various age groups.
3. Make your home GM-free.
Use the Buying Non-GM Shopping List to identify what food items you’re currently buying contain GM ingredients and what items you can purchase to replace them.
4. Speak with other parents.
We recommend sharing the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video with other parents you know. You can do this one-on-one or invite a group of parents to watch the video and discuss possible follow-up action.
5. Get involved in a local GM-Free Schools campaign.
See Supporting Local GM-Free Schools Campaign Efforts, above.
Student Actions
1. Educate yourself, and stay informed.
A good place to start is with this website, as well as the Institute’s publications, and in particular the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video, which presents a compelling case for the dangers of GM foods to children of all ages. Plus sign up for our newsletter, Spilling the Beans, to stay up-to-date on the issues.
2. Educate your friends and classmates.
We have found that the best way to do this is to share the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video with them.
3. Educate your parent(s)
Again, we recommend showing them the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video. Then discuss how you can make your home GM-free using the Buying Non-GM Shopping List.
4. Get involved in efforts to make your school district or college GM-free.
See Supporting Local GM-Free Schools Campaign Efforts, above.
School Representative Actions
1. Educate yourself, and stay informed.
A good place to start is with this website, as well as the Institute’s publications, and in particular the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video, which presents a compelling case for the dangers of GM foods to children of all ages. Plus sign up for our newsletter, Spilling the Beans, to stay up-to-date on the issues.
2. Educate other people you know, including teachers, school administrators, school board members, parents, students, school nutritionists, etc.
We have found that the best way to do this is to share the Hidden Dangers in Kids’ Meals video with them.
3. Get involved in efforts to make your school district GM-free.
- See Supporting Local GM-Free Schools Campaign Efforts, above.
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If you are a school decision maker ready to convert, partially or completely, to GM-free and need recommendations on how to do this, send your contact information and request to info@responsibletechnology.org
Other Resources
For a sample letter you can send to PTA members or school officials, click here.
For links to additional information on GM food and healthy school meal programs, click here.
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