Ed board delays decision on junk-food ban

A statewide junk food ban in school vending machines on Friday was still hanging over students' — but no longer, teachers' — heads, with the State Board of Education delaying action another month.

The board's finance committee, however, did decide to exempt teacher lounges from the junk-food ban.

"I want to thank them very much for understanding that teachers are adults and to respect that," said Elaine Tzourtzouklis, director of Wasatch UniServ, a Salt Lake, Tooele and Murray arm of the Utah Education Association. "Teachers will be delighted to know the state board does have faith that the teachers will do what's right for themselves and not give anything to the students they should not have."

But what about students?

A group of Murray High seniors this week had some questions, and praise, for the State Board of Education.

"I'm a health freak," student Stacey Marie Hansen said. "I think people should be able to get something healthy" if they forget food but don't want to brave long lunch lines that leave next to no time to sit down and eat.

"For a lot of people," student Mark Farmer said, motioning to vending machines full of chips, cookies and candy, "this is lunch."

Farmer nailed the reason behind the proposed ban, inspired by state child nutrition experts.

The state board proposes to ban junk food sales during the school day, and 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 board also is setting up rules for vending contracts, which would have to be approved by school boards, and for publicly reporting how vending profits are spent. Those proposed regulations are in line with recommendations from a legislative audit last year.

It also is requesting $1 million from the Legislature as a lost-revenues relief fund.

The proposal aims to battle childhood obesity and keep the schools' message on nutrition and healthy lifestyles consistent.

Still, Murray students acknowledge, a lot of people aren't going to like it.

"I know a lot of guys are going to be pretty upset about this change," Farmer said. "But for me, I say, way to go."

Student Penney Crosby also supports the state board's direction but questions whether some sodas should remain in machines. She says students with disabilities — her brother is among them — sometimes are rewarded in class with a chance to go to the machines and buy a Pepsi.

"It's their happy moment of the day," she said.

Board members Greg Haws and Mark Cluff would rather see the board's ban turn into recommendations that school districts can put in place, or not.