Athletes and Celebrities Are Exploiting Our Youth

As someone who has dedicated his life to preparing his students to live active and full lives, I can't bite my tongue any longer. I can't remain silent while our own government publicly says the right things, but quietly, in back rooms, and takes actions that irreparably harm our children, or, more importantly, while athletes and celebrities use their fame to exploit our youth by endorsing foods and drinks that are unhealthy. Athletes like Lebron James, Peyton Manning and Robert Griffin III, and celebrities like Blake Shelton, all endorse foods and drinks that are high in saturated fats and sugar. Foods and drinks that they rarely, if at all, eat and drink nor give to their families, and this has to stop. I am not blaming these athletes and celebrities for childhood obesity, but they are not helping.

I care too much about my students, and all students, to allow them to be exploited by athletes and celebrities that they look up to and listen to. What these athletes and celebrities are doing is unethical, and, if they were endorsing alcohol or cigarettes, Americans wouldn't tolerate it. But, they are endorsing foods and drinks that are more harmful to our youth. So, I decided to speak out against these larger than life individuals who tend to be worshipped by young and old, and ask them to put our youth ahead of their greed. The "Preach What You Practice" campaign is intended to force these supposed role models to only endorse items that they actually eat and drink, or that are actually healthy for our children. It is apparent that the government is not going to protect our children, so we must take it upon ourselves. Our most valuable natural resource is not our oil, but our children.

#PreachWhatYouPractice