Brushing Up on Personal Hygiene at PreK Level

Today the New York Times had an article concerning a prek program in Massachusetts that added toothbrush time as part of the curriculum. While I applaud the idea of teaching children to brush correctly, having a program that require students to brush their teeth in school is another indication of schools trying to be parents instead of requiring parents to live up to their responsibilities. Schools already provide breakfast and assist in clothing students. Requiring students to brush their teeth in school because some parents are poor in ensuring that their children have proper oral hygiene is rewarding poor parental behavior instead of helping to correct that behavior. Once again the solution is simple: Set standards for parents and require them to live up to the standards.