Do you think sodas/vending machines should be banned from schools?

[ladylee]

Just curious what others think.

edited to add: after creating the poll I realized that vending machines are also probably available in elementary schools-so change that "young adult" to "children."

Here in CA we're more and more on the verge of banning soda machines & I'm so thrilled!

[YiddisheMama]

b'h

absolutely! and actually, i think i remember reading that there was a group in new york city working on making it illegal for vending machines to have garbage snacks etc during school hours and for half hour after school finishes or something like that.

i'll check the source again.

[3boysmom]

Yep, they are in our elementary school, and I hate it! The kids aren't allowed to make purchases from them until after school, but that just causes a huge line of kids around the things the minute the bell rings, all trying to bum money off each other and missing their bus in the process.

My son's middle school even has an espresso machine. There are no limits placed on using the machines in middle school...and they wonder why kids have concentration problems!

Needless to say, my kids are not allowed to use these vending machines, but I definitely believe they should not be allowed in school.

[Mollie]

absolutely. they are just putting money in the pockets of the manufacturers, and setting up bad eating habits. just my $.02!

[cumulus]

It's quite enough that businesses are allowed to program what children wish to play with and eat through their Saturday morning TV adds without giving them commercial time at school to set the eating habits of children who then might consume thier junk food for a life time. Those machines are a public health threat.

[Arduinna]

yes, I'm against soda machines and junk food in schools. I'm not against all vending machines though. It isn't the machine that is the problem, it's what it is stocked with.

[Alexander]

NO.

If you want children to understand why it is a bad choice, then the important thing to do is to provide a rich choice of foodstuffs for children to go for.

I also think that cigarette machines should be allowed in the halls, and smoking rooms provided. THe extra funds could then be spent on better education.

Of course, the only trouble is, there are two major problems with cigarettes

1) is that they are not expensive enough, and



















2) they are not poisonous enough. Smokers should drop dead b4 getting to the end of one.

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[Bug]

I think they should be banned.

[ladylee]

Wow, espresso machines in a middle school? Alexander, my HS had cig machines. Course we knew how to rig them & get freebies. Two quick yanks, and one slow one -unfortunately it only worked on the Kools, though.

Yeah, I think it goes without saying that no one would have a problem if the vending machines were stocked with Guru Chews instead of Twinkies.

I'm just following all of these stories like this and the ones about the fast food industry & making them more culpable--I'd love to see them all go down-supersize!

[bestjob]

There aren't vending machines at my daughter's school, but the Grade 8's do sell Freezies at lunchtime on hot days, as a fund-raiser for their graduation party. Not my favourite snack, but not the worst thing, either, and I've gotta think that they'd have a pretty lame party if they sold raisin-bran muffins. They charge $1 for the Freezie and give back 25 cents for the wrapper. I wonder if some young entrepreneurs are going around collecting the wrappers for kids who are too lazy (and rich!) to give them back in...

(Just asked my daughter and she looked impressed at the idea!)

My complaint about all vending machines is that they sell small amounts of bad food for large prices. Even healthy snacks come wrapped in plastic and cost a small fortune. Consumer goods are perceived as cool, so children want them. It is really hard to raise a child who doesn't define herself by what she shops for these days. I'd like to think that schools can rise above shopping malls.

[Greaseball]

I do think that kids should be able to eat whatever they want, but I don't think the school should provide anything that is detrimental to learning. I think if kids want junk food, they should have to wait until after school.

So I voted yes, ban them!

Too bad it isn't a real election...

[Clarity]

I think allowing them turned on after school and at school events would be ok. A lot of schools are used by adults at night who don't have much time after work and before their night classes, school dances, plays, sports.

What I do think about is some kids are junk addicts already...so they, around here, cut class or at lunch leave school grounds by the carful (and get in accidents) or cross busy highways to get to McD's or 7-11.

More healthy choice, not just a total ban. For the adults at least, healthy choices would be welcome!

[alexa07]

I really try not to ban any food. I just try to teach its place in the food pyramid. My kids are allowed one treat every day.

With soda, I explain that it is no different than candy. If you want soda, that it fine, but it is your treat for the day! My kids almost never choose to have it. I have the same rules with sugar cereal and pop-tarts. Understand that they are junky and you can have them instead of some other junk.

Of course on a day when they might get many treat (like their birthday) they can have soda because they are getting almost unlimited treats.

[lilyka]

I voted no but that is when I was thinking just in high schools. The definitely should not be in elementry or middle schools. but in high chool you are old enough to make your own choices and if your children aren't mature enough by the time they are 15 to choose wisely then it is the parents responsibilty to help them and if you just want to control every little food choice then don't send them to public school.

But they certainly shouldn't be available to little kids.

[plum]

I don't think they should have them in elementary schools, but I don't think it's wrong to have them in high schools. At that point you're old enough to make decisions on your own and if you want to buy a Coke, why shouldn't you be able to?

[journeymom]

I voted 'yes', they should be banned. But in defense of the public schools that do have thes machines, it's because they're constantly scrounging for money. The money they receive from their contracts with the soda companies and vending companies pays for programs that these schools couldn't normally afford. I don't get too angry with them about it. Though I was totally disgusted to learn that my old high school, where dh's sister is going currently, offers Pizza (Sl)Hut at lunch. Maybe I'll be angier when it's my own kids' school. Dd's grade school doesn't have any machines right now (except in the staff room).

I do think, though, that if schools had the attitude that vending machines were off limits no matter what, that it wasn't worth it at any price, maybe they'd find a way to get the money else where.

[hvl25]

I think it contributes to obesity and to attention problems if kids are filling up on sugar. Plus, how do you know, jut because you tell your kids not to drink it or get it from the machines that they don't? Or that their friends don't give them money for it? It is such a waste.

[hvl25]

Originally posted by journeymom
I Though I was totally disgusted to learn that my old high school, where dh's sister is going currently, offers Pizza (Sl)Hut at lunch.

I have seen schools with Taco Bells in them too, that is crazy !!!

[Greaseball]

Some schools end up going to extremes when accepting money from soda companies, like by suspending people for wearing Pepsi t-shirts if they get money from Coke, or by not allowing students to eat or drink anything in classrooms during class except the soda they get money from.

I read about these cases in Fast Food Nation.

[CortLong]

I think that they should DEFINITELY be banned from elementary/middle schools and I think that they should BE there in High Schools, but hopefully my kids will choose not to buy from them!