This school fat-shamed a 6-year-old girl. And that's not even the worst part.

Her parents are completely outraged.

Laura Cacdac received a letter from her daughter’s school following a height and weight screening by their health nurse.

And what that letter contained made Laura incredibly angry.

The letter stated that her 6-year-old girl Charley was “overweight” according to her BMI (body mass index) and expressed their concern over its affect on her health and academic  performance.

Charley’s mum rang the school immediately to complain about the letter.

At first, I believed the school was doing a good thing to help their students. I have previously worked in primary schools and have witnessed highly obese children. So I thought - good on you school for taking initiative. I even cheered for the intervention.

But on digging a little deeper and I found a startling problem.When I entered Charley's details in a BMI calculator, the results determined that she is not in fact "overweight" but in a healthy weight range.

Have a look:

And a graph of the results:

I wondered why an earth she had to have a BMI test if she wasn't overweight. I learnt that BMI screening is a state-mandated program run by Palm Beach County Health Department to monitor child obesity. So, all children in Florida - no matter what their size have to do this weight defining test.

After receiving the letter, "Laura Cacdac called the school nurse, who said the letter was based on her daughter's body mass index, which indicated she may have a problem and should be evaluated by a physician," abc WPBF news said.

This is the girl that apparently needs to be evaluated:

This is a child that doesn't even appear remotely overweight. This is a child who looks healthy. Poor Charley read the letter from her school and said on ABC WPBF news:

"If I was fat it would make me feel bad and feel kind of sad... Like I'm kind of different to everyone else."

This turned my initial opinion right on its head. I support the Cacdacs for reprimanding the school. But while I'm against the school on this one, I'm not disputing that obesity is a problem in kids and in schools. I'm not disputing that something needs to be done.

But what I am disputing is putting that pressure and worry on all kids (who are in the HEALTHY weight range). We don't need to add to the worries and pressures put on kids while they grow up.

Sure, we need to intervene with overweight and obese children - for health reasons. But we don't need to make kids think they are fat. Or make them think there is something wrong with them.

That's exactly what Charley thought after she got the letter. And for a school to do that to a child is just plain wrong.

What do you think about the school's fat-shaming letter?

Want more? Try these:

"Is this the wake-up call that parents of overweight kids need?"

"Fat kids are not welcome in this store."

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