Check out this eye-opening, provocative opinion piece from public-health attorney Michele Simon about how the battle to kick junk food out of the schools is losing ground. Enter the power-wielding lobbyists from Coca-Cola and more.
Simon, who is director of the Center for Informed Food Choices, a nonprofit in Oakland, Calif., notes that in Connecticut — where the governor vetoed the bill – lawmakers involved in an eight-hour House debate stalled at one point while "relating memories of being deprived of candy as a child."
Not sure how Simon is privvy to this information, but this is simply scandalous! If this truly happened, why would lawmakers be discussing candy deprivation?!
4 thoughts on “Kids Lose; Junk Food Lobby Wins”
Children need to be protected from junk food companies trying to sell their wares at school. In New York last year, the Board of Education granted a license for Cadbury Inc., the makers of Snapple, to be the exclusive soft drink vendor in the city’s middle and high schools in exchange for a hefty financial grant from the company — a move that was overturned only after much protest by parents and health advocates alike.
It’s simple — like tobacco and alchohol, kids need to be protected from marketers of high sugar products targeted directly at them, products that lead to obesity and other well documented health problems associated with high sugar consumption. There should be little debate about creating a food safe zone in the nations schools, where nutrition prevails over advertising. Without it, our kids will have litle chance but to succumb to the same unhealthy lifestyle as many of their parents.
Although I wish all big business would be good, responsible corporate citizens, I realize that’s not likely to happen. That’s why we have government–to act in the public interest. But apparently that’s too much to ask.
It’s outrageous and unconscionable that any school district in the country makes junk like soda, Snapple, etc. available to children.
Kudos to Connie for keeping us up to date on what Big Food and Big Sugar are up to. Knowledge is power!
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