District 5 has put into place a new policy restricting the foods students are allowed to purchase while in school. Vending machines have been shut down and those running have had a decrease in available foods. The new policy the USDA has put into place is to match a federal law that will go into effect in 2014.
Some students are outraged by the decision.
Junior Brooke Clifton said, “It sucks. We’re told to make our own choices because we’re “adults” but now we have our choices taken away?”
Many students feel the same way.
Junior Derrick Rowell does not see the point, “I can bring my own food if they take away what I enjoy,” he said.
Although this new policy is supposed to help change eating habits, the changes could affect cafeteria sales. The cafeteria could lose profit because students are bringing more food from home.
Junior Kim Barr said, “If they are trying to make us eat healthy by taking away the foods that we have been eating for how many years now from the cafeteria, that’s still not going to change the way others eat at home. If anything, it will make others desire to have that food even more.”
The majority ofAmericais not obese because of the items students eat at school. The majority of Americans are overweight because of poor eating choices made at home or outside school.
Superintendent Heffner said, “We can’t control what people do outside of school and we’re not trying to. We’re not trying to tell parents what they serve is wrong but here at school we have to be compliant not only with federal law but we have to make sure that we’re doing what we need to do so that our students are physically fit and physically able to have good, long lives without all the problems that accompany the lifestyles that we’ve fallen into.”
Healthy habits enforced in school are good but students need to learn how to apply this out of school, too.
Susan Rutkowski, Health Science teacher said, “Anytime you can change your environment (healthier items in vending machines, etc.) to support a healthy habit, it is a step in the right direction. However, this needs to be accompanied by nutrition education to assist students in making healthy choices outside of school as well.”
Students see this step towards healthier eating as a problem, but the district is trying to help students make healthier choices.
Dr. Heffner said, “I firmly believe that we need to be a part of the solution, not a part of the problem.”
