Children are increasingly affected by the rise in junk food consumption, raising a serious question about who should take responsibility for addressing it. Some argue that schools should assume this social responsibility, while others believe the duty lies with parents. In my view, both positions capture essential truths and must be reconciled.
Schools have a responsibility to address the uneven health knowledge across families. They are the only systematic platform that reaches children from all social backgrounds, including those whose parents may be misinformed, overwhelmed, or unable to prioritize nutrition. In this sense, schools can equalize access to accurate information about healthy eating. Moreover, schools function as the training ground for citizenship. They shape the habits and attitudes children carry into adulthood, and encouraging healthy eating can be seen as part of this broader role in preparing responsible future citizens.
However, parents also bear significant responsibility as primary caregivers. Children spend their formative early years at home, observing and imitating parental behavior long before school influences begin. These early patterns form the foundation of later eating habits. In addition, parents hold greater emotional authority over their children than schools do. Without parental reinforcement, even the strongest school-based health initiatives are unlikely to produce lasting change.
These considerations suggest that assigning social responsibility to schools is justified, given their compensatory role and long-term influence on society, but they cannot succeed alone. Parents must participate because of their foundational impact and moral authority. Therefore, schools and parents must coordinate their efforts if children are to benefit in a meaningful and lasting way.
