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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMeet Nine-year-old Martha Payne of Argyll, Scotland
Council Yields to Mounting Internet Pressure, Lifts School Lunch Photo Ban Placed on Child Food Blogger
Neetzan Zimmerman
June 15, 2012
Nine-year-old Martha Payne of Argyll, Scotland, became an overnight sensation after her school lunch review blog NeverSeconds managed to convince her school to start serving students healthier meals. But, as anyone who rattles cages soon learns, the Powers That Be aren't big on being bossed around by the little guy.
In a blog post published last night entitled "Goodbye," Martha announced that she had been banned from taking photos of her school lunches. "This morning in maths I got taken out of class by my head teacher and taken to her office," she wrote. "I was told that I could not take any more photos of my school dinners because of a headline in a newspaper today."
*snip*
Support for Martha has been flowing in through Twitter and other social sites. An early champion of her cause, Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, tweeted "stay strong Martha," and asked his followers to retweet the message. An even stronger tweet of support came from the Scotland's Education Secretary Mike Russell, who also happens to be the Argyll and Bute MSP. "I have made it very clear to the Council Chief Executive that I believe the ban should be lifted immediately," Russell tweeted this morning.
The uproar worked: The council lifted the ban, effective immediately. "I have just instructed senior officials to withdraw the ban on photos from the school dining hall," council leader Roddy McCuish told the BBC. "It is a good thing to do, to change your mind and I have certainly done that."
MORE
Neetzan Zimmerman
June 15, 2012
Nine-year-old Martha Payne of Argyll, Scotland, became an overnight sensation after her school lunch review blog NeverSeconds managed to convince her school to start serving students healthier meals. But, as anyone who rattles cages soon learns, the Powers That Be aren't big on being bossed around by the little guy.
In a blog post published last night entitled "Goodbye," Martha announced that she had been banned from taking photos of her school lunches. "This morning in maths I got taken out of class by my head teacher and taken to her office," she wrote. "I was told that I could not take any more photos of my school dinners because of a headline in a newspaper today."
*snip*
Support for Martha has been flowing in through Twitter and other social sites. An early champion of her cause, Naked Chef Jamie Oliver, tweeted "stay strong Martha," and asked his followers to retweet the message. An even stronger tweet of support came from the Scotland's Education Secretary Mike Russell, who also happens to be the Argyll and Bute MSP. "I have made it very clear to the Council Chief Executive that I believe the ban should be lifted immediately," Russell tweeted this morning.
The uproar worked: The council lifted the ban, effective immediately. "I have just instructed senior officials to withdraw the ban on photos from the school dining hall," council leader Roddy McCuish told the BBC. "It is a good thing to do, to change your mind and I have certainly done that."
MORE
- It's stories like this -- in times like these, that keep me coming back to the idea that we may, just may make this thing work after all. Martha's blog now has well over 4,000,000 hits at this posting and her site has raised over £45,000 for Mary's Meals (a global school feeding project). Martha's my new hero......
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Meet Nine-year-old Martha Payne of Argyll, Scotland (Original Post)
DeSwiss
Jun 2012
OP
These kids have grown up with social media. They know how to get a msg out. Go, Martha, go.nt
Honeycombe8
Jun 2012
#4
abelenkpe
(9,933 posts)1. K & R nt
chalky
(3,297 posts)2. A big K&R for Martha
n/t
dixiegrrrrl
(60,010 posts)3. and a little child shall lead them.....
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)4. These kids have grown up with social media. They know how to get a msg out. Go, Martha, go.nt
Smilo
(1,944 posts)5. Whooohooo Martha ...........
I love hearing how our children are not taking things laying down - whoever said children are our future - those that are up and coming now certainly are
Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)6. What a great kid (nt)
BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)7. You GO, Martha!!
K, R'ed and FB'ed