Here’s Why Public Schools Need to Stop Forcing Children to Drink Milk

A recent article on Salon discusses why offering schoolchildren milk with every lunch is bad for their health, the planet they’re set to inherit, and the millions of cows who suffer at dairy factory farms. Let’s dive into the facts.

For starters, dairy is unhealthy. In fact, it’s the number one source of saturated fat in the United States. Additionally, dairy consumption can increase your risk of cancer. According to a 2006 Harvard study, women who had diets high in meat and dairy increased their risk of cancer by 33 percent. For men, dairy consumption has been linked to prostate cancer in more than 20 studies. And don’t be fooled by the industry’s claim that we need milk for calcium. The truth is, we can get all the calcium we need from nutritious plant-based sources.

What’s more, dairy production is terrible for the planet. From polluting waterways and drinking water to being one of the leading causes of climate change, dairy farming is destroying the planet. We should want to preserve this planet for future generations, but by supporting the destructive dairy industry, we’re doing the complete opposite.

Dairy is not only unsustainable; it’s also unspeakably cruel. At dairy factory farms, cows are treated as mere milk-producing machines. They are forcibly impregnated and kept in terrible conditions. Calves are torn away from their mothers shortly after birth. Male calves are killed for veal. Females are forced into the dairy herd, trapped in a cycle of abuse for years until they are considered “spent and sent to slaughter.

So why are America’s public schools pushing dairy products onto kids? The answer is simple. The United States government subsidizes the dairy industry.

The Salon article states:
Between 1995 and 2009, the dairy industry received nearly $5 billion in government subsidies. The government also protects dairy producers from natural price declines when demand is down by purchasing surplus milk and cheese.
In fact, the U.S. government supports Dairy Management Incorporated, a marketing arm of the dairy industry that tries to get Americans to consume more milk, cheese, and other dairy products.

It’s deplorable that our own government helps promote a product that’s unhealthy for consumers, dangerous for our planet, and terrible for cows who suffer immensely at dairy farms.

Fortunately, you can join the millions of people taking a stand against this deceitful and cruel industry by switching to a compassionate vegan diet. You can also demand that your local public school offer a healthy dairy alternative.

Ready to go vegan? Click here to get started!

Click here to see our ultimate guide to nondairy milk.