ABSTRACT
Sometimes it takes a national back pain association to alert you to a philosophical difficulty in education. The other week such a group, Back-Care, brought out a report on the loads children carry. Whereas Italian children – the other pack-horses of Europe – carry between nine and 20kg around with them, British children come near the top of the league with up to 25kg in their schoolbags. One in 10 regularly carry 13 per cent of their bodyweight around in books, files, PE-kit, sandwiches and the rest; and some tote more than a quarter of their weight, like Marines.
