School committee backs MASC resolution urging end to BMI screening in public schools

The Grafton School Committee voted May 13 to support a proposed 2025 Massachusetts Association of School Committees resolution urging the state to remove mandated body‑mass‑index (BMI) screening in public schools.

Rebecca Soko introduced the resolution and outlined research she reviewed arguing BMI has limited usefulness as a population health screening tool and can cause harm for adolescents. "There is a lot of evidence that it is not really meaningful and ... the damage that it can do ... is astronomical," Soko said during committee discussion. The resolution text that Soko circulated to the committee argued the BMI formula originated in 19th‑century measurements of adults and does not reliably reflect health across populations or during puberty.

Committee members said the requirement imposes training, privacy and reporting burdens on district nurses and staff while providing no clear in‑school intervention. One member noted students already obtain annual physical examinations from health care providers that include weight and growth information, and questioned the need for a separate school measurement that is then only reported to the state public health department.

Soko moved the motion to support the resolution; the motion was seconded and carried on a voice vote. The committee agreed the resolution will be forwarded to the MASC annual conference this fall for consideration as part of the association’s legislative agenda.

The resolution text asks the MASC to urge the Legislature to remove BMI screening requirements from public schools and to ban BMI screenings in school settings. The committee signaled support for the position and for wider outreach to other districts seeking co‑sponsors.