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what parents are concerned about is whether the quality of milk is really reliable. more importantly, what right does the school have to deprive children of their right to choose milk?

mca media commentator

recently, a netizen exposed that an experimental school in dezhou, shandong, prohibited students from bringing their own milk into the school and required students to open the bags for inspection before entering the school. a parent asked why they could not bring their own milk, and the school staff said it was because of the cold weather. the parent asked, why can the milk provided by the school be drunk? the other party said that the milk in the school was heated. after the incident was exposed, the staff of the local education and sports bureau said that the incident was being verified and handled, and the results would be announced to the public in a timely manner if there were any.

©huashang daily news

is it possible that a small box of milk is worth the school's "opening and checking" at the school gate as if it were facing a "big enemy"? the on-site video shows that students are waiting in line, and their schoolbags are opened one by one, as if they are checking for some contraband, which is incredible. the school seems to be very concerned about the health of students and is afraid that drinking cold milk will cause diarrhea. but the problem is that the weather is not cold now. the local temperature has been in the twenties recently, which is far from the point where cold drinks cannot be drunk. everyone has different physiques, and many people's stomachs are not sensitive to cold drinks. diarrhea after drinking milk is not necessarily related to temperature. another possibility is lactose intolerance. what's more, cold drinks are not just milk. why only ban milk and ignore other things? even if it is really to ensure that students drink hot drinks, then the school's milk can be heated, so why can't students heat their own milk? this "care route" can never get around the end of "banning bringing your own milk". perhaps the staff had no confidence in such an absurd reason, so after the parents asked a few more whys, they immediately asked back with a straight face: "which class is your child in?"

this question was more effective than any other answer, and immediately silenced the parents. however, it did not prevent the exposure on the internet. the soul-searching questions of netizens became the "internet mouthpiece" of parents - "since you are asked to bring your own milk, who will the school sell milk to?" the school provides milk that students have to pay to order. the school explained that the milk they sell is not more expensive than that sold outside. however, what parents are concerned about is whether the quality of the milk is really reliable. more importantly, what right does the school have to deprive children of the right to choose milk?

this ban is very similar to the practice of the yading scenic area in daocheng, ganzi, sichuan, which prohibits tourists from bringing their own instant noodles. the scenic area claims that tourists eating their own instant noodles will affect the environment, while selling hot dry noodles that need to be soaked in hot water for 22 yuan a bucket. it is hard not to imagine such a blatant "double standard". the so-called environmental protection is just a fig leaf for profit. similarly, the school's reason for prohibiting students from bringing their own milk is completely untenable and it is difficult to escape the question of motives.

in fact, it is not uncommon for schools and families to cause disturbances due to forcing or covertly forcing students to consume at school. not long ago, a middle school in xiangyang, hubei required students to order milk, claiming that it was voluntary, but if they did not order, they had to provide medical allergy certificates. a middle school in shenzhen, guangdong stipulates that if students do not order school meals, they can only sit on the ground in the open-air playground to eat their own lunch. some schools claim that the purchase of school uniforms is voluntary, but tell parents that they must wear uniform clothing when there are activities at school. this kind of "forced voluntary" is an infringement of students' rights and interests under the banner of "protecting students' interests". behind the "for the children", it is likely to be for commercial interests.

this phenomenon reminds the education regulatory authorities how to ensure that schools do not infringe on the rights of students and parents when formulating school regulations, and how to create a fair education environment for students and parents? first of all, the additional conditions of "voluntary consumption" should be eliminated to prevent students and parents from being trapped by unreasonable and overbearing terms. secondly, the school's consumption items must be clearly publicized, and all charging items, standards, and service details must be exposed to the sun to protect parents' right to know. in addition, the complaint channels must be unobstructed so that parents' objections will no longer be left unaddressed or "fall on deaf ears."

whether there is a secret exchange of interests between the school and the merchants behind this kind of "ban", and whether the school's ban violates relevant laws and regulations, the local education department should respond with a clear investigation. after all, the school's responsibility is to educate, not to promote products. milk can be cold, but the school's rules and regulations must be warm.