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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: "RESIDENT CREATES FCPS WATCHDOG GROUP" Adamstown, Maryland - September 02, 2010 - Adamstown resident Jerry Jongerius has just created a new online FCPS Watchdog Group at fcpswatchdog.stopterc.com, in response to the President of the Board of Education, Kathryn Groth, recently making numerous blatant false statements to the press. What caught Jerry's attention was Kathryn's August 24 claim in a letter to the Frederick News Post where Kathryn stated as a fact (and not opinion) that: "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts ... Several candidates claimed that FCPS cafeterias serve fried foods and other items that are not nutritious. First of all, they serve absolutely no foods that are fried". However, FCPS actually serves many fried foods. By way of illustration, FCPS serves UTZ potato chips, which are fried. Also, FCPS serves Tyson 'Chicken Nuggets, Tyson 'Popcorn Chicken Bites', Tyson 'Chicken Patties', and SeaPak 'Shrimp Poppers' -- all of which are fried during production. According to Jongerius "Kathryn owes all parents in the county a huge apology for grossly misrepresenting the nutritional value of foods that FCPS serves to our impressionable children". As proof of this, Jongerius points out that the Popcorn Chicken Bites that FCPS serves to children actually have MORE fat and LESS protein per calorie than McDonald's Chicken McNuggets. This is as per nutritional information sheets that FCPS itself provided, http://www.stopterc.com/fcps/nutritionlabels.pdf, when compared to nutritional information provided by McDonald's at http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdf. According to the FCPS information, FCPS serves Tyson product #3596-928, http://www.tysonfoodservice.com/Products/3596-928.aspx. This topic has already been the subject of one of the Group's emailings. Jerry is puzzled why there appears to be an organized effort on the part of FCPS to misrepresent the nutritional value of the foods FCPS serves to our children. Jongerius points to the FCPS lunch menus that FCPS itself publishes, http://fcps.schoolwires.com/15291082384139377/site/default.asp, where foods that have actually been fried during production are described to students and parents as only being "Oven Baked". Jongerius goes on to say "By making these false statements to the public, Kathryn has not only violated the 'public trust', but has also grossly violated the Board's Rules of Conduct, which state that a Board Member must 'Clearly distinguish opinions from facts. Ensure all statements of fact are accurate and verifiable.'" Anyone with tips or information on any questional FCPS behavior are encouraged to send an email to fcpswatchdog@stopterc.com. Contact: Jerry Jongerius STOP Taking Excessive Risks with our Children fcpswatchdog@stopterc.com 2531 Park Mills Road Adamstown, MD 21710-9119 Ph: (301) 831-1345 Fx: (801) 681-8893 |