From Deseret News archives:
Teachers could lose their Fritos
No longer would you be able to get your Diet Coke at a faculty lounge vending machine under a policy the State Board of Education is working up.
Students wouldn't be able to get a pop or candy bar, either, at a school vending machine or a fund-raising table anywhere on campus during school hours.
The idea is, if there's going to be a campus junk food ban, then it should be everywhere.
"Part of the discussion (about faculty lounge treats) was around hypocrisy," board member Denis Morrill said in Friday's board meeting in St. George, which was streamed over the Internet.
Seeking to ban bonbons for kids is fine, says one teachers union boss. But extending it to faculty in a place that's off limits to kids is not.
"For heaven's sake, what's the matter with these people?" said Elaine Tzourtzouklis, executive director of Wasatch UniServ, a regional arm of the Utah Education Association. "Teachers are adults. If you want to do it with children, that's great," she said. But if the board is taking this tactic, "then I would like to have a (statewide) ban on ice cream and green Jell-O. That's ridiculous, and so is what they're doing."
But of course, as with many things, where there's a will, there's a way. Children and grown-ups alike could just bring treats and pop from home, if they want to. Schools just wouldn't sell it to them.
The state board's proposed rule would ban junk food sales during the school day, limit vending machine fare to 300 calories, 35 percent fat, 10 percent of total calories from saturated fat and beverage sizes to 20 ounces. It also would ban trans fats.
The state also is setting up rules for entering vending contracts, such as with Coke or Pepsi. Contracts would have to be approved by school boards, and vending profits and expenditures would have to be publicly reported. Those proposed regulations are in line with recommendations from a legislative audit last year.
The school board hopes the rule will add ammunition to children's battle of the bulge in a time of rising childhood obesity rates. But some fear it also will thin out schools' wallets.
Vending machine sales bring schools about $3.75 million a year, a legislative audit found last year. The money largely goes to student activities. Selling healthful fare does decrease revenues, as was found in Wasatch School District, where students can leave campus at lunchtime.
The state board wants to ask the Legislature for $1 million in one-time money to make up for vending machine revenue losses.
The idea is to send a message to children that healthful foods will be sold in schools, where they also learn healthful eating habits as part of the state core curriculum.
Treats, however, could be sold at football games or other after-school activities. "Games concessions can continue to have whatever illegal contraband they desire," board member Mark Cluff said.
The proposed rule would be implemented next school year.
The board will discuss the proposed ban again next month.
E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com
