Our Schools are Sick, and it is Our Fault | Tom Doland | TEDxRVA

[Music]

[Music] three years ago I was very sick I was

three years ago I was very sick I was

three years ago I was very sick I was hypertensive I was pre-diabetic I was

hypertensive I was pre-diabetic I was

hypertensive I was pre-diabetic I was miserable all the time

miserable all the time

miserable all the time changing my nutrition saved my life but

changing my nutrition saved my life but

changing my nutrition saved my life but that’s another story for another day

that’s another story for another day

that’s another story for another day because you see after I got better I got

because you see after I got better I got

because you see after I got better I got angry I started to question why are we

angry I started to question why are we

angry I started to question why are we not teaching nutrition in our schools

not teaching nutrition in our schools

not teaching nutrition in our schools this gets to me it’s our children we are

this gets to me it’s our children we are

this gets to me it’s our children we are raising a generation of kids who for the

raising a generation of kids who for the

raising a generation of kids who for the first time in the history of this nation

first time in the history of this nation

first time in the history of this nation have a shorter lifespan and a lower

have a shorter lifespan and a lower

have a shorter lifespan and a lower quality of life than their parents why

quality of life than their parents why

quality of life than their parents why diabetes hypertension obesity cancer the

diabetes hypertension obesity cancer the

diabetes hypertension obesity cancer the list goes on and on but what do all of

list goes on and on but what do all of

list goes on and on but what do all of these things have in common they are all

these things have in common they are all

these things have in common they are all nutrition related diseases they are

nutrition related diseases they are

nutrition related diseases they are linked to what we eat which means they

linked to what we eat which means they

linked to what we eat which means they are mostly preventable and yet we teach

are mostly preventable and yet we teach

are mostly preventable and yet we teach almost nothing about it in our schools

almost nothing about it in our schools

almost nothing about it in our schools except for what we teach them in the

except for what we teach them in the

except for what we teach them in the lunchroom and that is not a good thing

lunchroom and that is not a good thing

lunchroom and that is not a good thing and I’m not saying that we need

and I’m not saying that we need

and I’m not saying that we need healthier options amidst the process

healthier options amidst the process

healthier options amidst the process garbage that’s on offer I’m saying that

garbage that’s on offer I’m saying that

garbage that’s on offer I’m saying that maybe the garbage shouldn’t be on offer

maybe the garbage shouldn’t be on offer

maybe the garbage shouldn’t be on offer in the first place

in the first place

in the first place [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] I think that life needs to be part of

I think that life needs to be part of

I think that life needs to be part of our school curriculum kids need to learn

our school curriculum kids need to learn

our school curriculum kids need to learn how to plan and prepare simple healthy

how to plan and prepare simple healthy

how to plan and prepare simple healthy foods for themselves how they navigate a

foods for themselves how they navigate a

foods for themselves how they navigate a grocery store how to read a label what

grocery store how to read a label what

grocery store how to read a label what to look for and what to look out for and

to look for and what to look out for and

to look for and what to look out for and then we did get involved in our PTAs

then we did get involved in our PTAs

then we did get involved in our PTAs school boards local governments convince

school boards local governments convince

school boards local governments convince them that nutrition education is vital

them that nutrition education is vital

them that nutrition education is vital this is a choice these kids will have to

this is a choice these kids will have to

this is a choice these kids will have to make three times a day every day for the

make three times a day every day for the

make three times a day every day for the rest of their lives it is literally a

rest of their lives it is literally a

rest of their lives it is literally a matter of life or death would you help

matter of life or death would you help

matter of life or death would you help me tip the scale towards life that’s not

me tip the scale towards life that’s not

me tip the scale towards life that’s not rhetorical by the way I’m gonna need a

rhetorical by the way I’m gonna need a

rhetorical by the way I’m gonna need a big yes yes yes yes thank you but what

big yes yes yes yes thank you but what

big yes yes yes yes thank you but what can we do right now well a very wise

can we do right now well a very wise

can we do right now well a very wise person once said that when opportunity

person once said that when opportunity

person once said that when opportunity knocks it’s often ignored because it

knocks it’s often ignored because it

knocks it’s often ignored because it shows up wearing overalls and it looks

shows up wearing overalls and it looks

shows up wearing overalls and it looks like work well that’s funny but grace

like work well that’s funny but grace

like work well that’s funny but grace yourselves because I’m gonna give you an

yourselves because I’m gonna give you an

yourselves because I’m gonna give you an opportunity today to be change makers

opportunity today to be change makers

opportunity today to be change makers it’s got a little it’s gonna look like

it’s got a little it’s gonna look like

it’s got a little it’s gonna look like work sorry can’t be helpful but we if

work sorry can’t be helpful but we if

work sorry can’t be helpful but we if our schools won’t step up it’s up to us

our schools won’t step up it’s up to us

our schools won’t step up it’s up to us to start educating ourselves and each

to start educating ourselves and each

to start educating ourselves and each other we need to start having

other we need to start having

other we need to start having conversations about how we as a society

conversations about how we as a society

conversations about how we as a society can make this better and if you don’t

can make this better and if you don’t

can make this better and if you don’t know where to start that’s okay

know where to start that’s okay

know where to start that’s okay hit me up we’ll talk because you see I

hit me up we’ll talk because you see I

hit me up we’ll talk because you see I truly believe in the adage that social

truly believe in the adage that social

truly believe in the adage that social revolution begins with personal

revolution begins with personal

revolution begins with personal evolution

we can’t hold our schools to a higher

we can’t hold our schools to a higher standard and then expect less from

standard and then expect less from

standard and then expect less from ourselves true change starts here guys

ourselves true change starts here guys

ourselves true change starts here guys it starts here the good news is we can

it starts here the good news is we can

it starts here the good news is we can have it if we want it so what do you say

have it if we want it so what do you say

have it if we want it so what do you say we get started

we get started

we get started [Applause]