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Food for thought

While improving school dinners is flavour of the month, hysteria fuels the campaign, argues Julian Grenier You can't deny Jamie Oliver his success. With 'Jamie's School Dinners', he has captured the support of the public and the attention of the politicians. More than 250,000 people have signed his petition for 'real school food' and everyone in the Government, from Tony Blair downwards, seems keen to voice their support.

You can't deny Jamie Oliver his success. With 'Jamie's School Dinners', he has captured the support of the public and the attention of the politicians. More than 250,000 people have signed his petition for 'real school food' and everyone in the Government, from Tony Blair downwards, seems keen to voice their support.

I do not want to be part of a crude, anti-Jamie Oliver backlash. But I think that everyone who works with children and families ought to stop and think for a while about 'Jamie's School Dinners'. For a start, are the facts that support the celebrity chef's campaign correct, and are the values that come through the TV programme worthy of endorsement?

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