School Milk

[Farriercm]

Michael Gove wants to bring back milk for Schools, Hope Thatcher the Snatcher does not come back to haunt him.

[rockyracoon]

I'm sure the kids will be delighted, I hated the warm stuff we were made to drink and it makes me feel sick just thinking about it.

[ummmm]

I loved it.

[woofgang]

Those of us who were at school when milk was supplied will remember the amazing waste especially in summer. Yes there could be refrigeration these days which there wasn't in the past, but who will pay for the supply of the huge fridges needed?

[rockyracoon]

Ummm, did you like it when it was warm? Bleurgh. I remember the bottles in the top crate usually had holes in the lids where the birds got to them first.

Refrigeration would be better but I'm not sure how many schools will run out and buy them. It's a bug bear of mine if my daughter has food tech for afternoons lessons, all the ingredients are left out of the fridge until they need them, too long on a hot day IMO.

[inksplotter]

I can only slightly remember it-I think my school may have continued it when it was banned elsewhere. Because of our bossy headmistress?

[inksplotter]

I learnt it was 1971. That must have been about 10 years after.

[Old_Geezer]

I used to like it. But I wonder what utter failure is being implied by Mr.Gove that he thinks such a move necessary today.

[Old_Geezer]

I do not recall any waste. Did some schools get older milk ? We have come to expect chilled milk these days but there's nothing wrong with milk at room temperature. It doesn't go off on a morning.

[mikey4444]

I like the idea of this. It would be the ultimate irony for a Tory Minister to bring back milk, that was axed by a previous Tory Minister !

The logistical problems can be overcome, as can the kitchen facility problems as well. In Wales we have a free Breakfast Club available in some Council areas. My sister-in-law works at the local school and these free breakfasts have been a great success. The Teachers comment on how much better the children behave when they have a proper breakfast inside them, rather than a packet of crisps and a can of coke. If it can work and be financially viable in Wales, that it can work everywhere else.

[royfromaus]

Waste of time!

Will they force feed the kids who do not like it?

[mikey4444]

America is a country where they execute their convicts with gay abandon, especially Texas. I have never understood why, in a country where millions of people are supposed to be "born again Christians" they take such pleasure in breaking one of the 10 Holy Commandments with such ease and glee themselves. Capital Punishment doesn't bring back the victim who was killed, and plainly doesn't work as a deterrent either. Pointless and vindictive exercise as far as I can see.

[mikey4444]

Ignore above ...posting on too many fronts as usual !

[Sqad]

mikey...I you suggesting capital punishment for children who refuse to drink their milk OR just for Michael Gove?...........;-)

[ChillDoubt]

How long before Little Johnny at the local infants contracts listeria and the ensuing lawsuit costs millions?
Cynical? Moi?

[mikey4444]

Well, not the kids obviously Sqad ! However, I am prepared to give Mr Gove some more time. He only has another 9-10 months to go to make this change, so he had better get a move on !

[Prudie]

I liked it in the winter, we always added Crusha to flavour it.

[knowabit]

My daughter has milk at school. It comes in a small carton with a straw and it is kept in the fridge. And yes, I have to pay for it.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes how the left love to call her the "Thatcher the Snatcher", even though they are unaware of the reason behind certain school milk cuts.

Once again Heaths government was forced to make cuts after yet another free spending Labour government, Margaret Thatcher as Secretary of State for Education had to respond to a Treasury demand for education cuts in four areas:

Further Education fees
Library book borrowing charges
School meal charges
Free school milk

/// Responding to the demands to end free school milk, Mrs Thatcher said: "I think that the complete withdrawal of free milk for our school children would be too drastic a step and would arouse more widespread public antagonism than the saving justifies." ///

/// She proposed the compromise, later accepted, that milk would only be available to pupils in nursery and primary schools. ///

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/uk/2000/uk_confidential/1095121.stm

[woofgang]

OG, my experience was that in summer the milk often went sour as there was no refrigeration or place to store it (in both primary and secondary schools) and in winter sometimes it froze. Many children didn't want/like it anyway and if made to drink it some would bring its straight back again. Are schools allowed to insist that it must be drunk today because if not the waste problem remains.
As I said, today, storing it out of the fridge would probably not be allowed so someone will need to fund the fridges needed to store the stuff, not just the original purchase cost but the ongoing maintenance and fuel costs.

[Farriercm]

Oh Dear. AOG.