Zoneboy
05-22-2012, 12:14 PM
Link (http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_768.shtml)
(KUTV) Davis High School has been fined $15,000 for selling sodas to kids at lunch.
The fine will set them back thousands of dollars and make cuts to their arts programs.
Davis High has unplugged their soda and candy machines until they can figure out how to fix their problem.
And this is a problem.
If one of the students sticks quarters in a vending machine during lunch, the school is fined 75 cents for every lunch they serve and that adds up!
Davis High will lose every penny they've made in the candy and soda machines this year, plus some.
It’s money that normally helped put on school plays and contributed to the arts in general.
School lunch is served for 47 minutes each day, and federal law clearly states no soda can be sold during that time.
The school was aware and shut down their machines during lunch.
“Nobody realized our bookstore also sold carbonated beverages,” said Davis High Principal Dee Burton.
The rule is clear on one thing. No soda can be sold during lunch.
You can, however, buy soda before and after.
“The rule is vague and open to interpretation. For example, the way the rule reads - you can buy before lunch starts a carbonated beverage, buy school lunch, sit down in the cafeteria, eat the school lunch and not be in violation,” Burton said.
While sodas are out, Gatorade is allowed.
“You can sell Snickers and Milkyway bars because they have nuts and they're nutritious. You can't sell licorice, but you can sell ice-cream,” Burton said.
The idea of the federal law is to cut down on our nations obesity epidemic and force kids to eat real food during lunch.
Burton says it’s a nice idea but it doesn't work.
“The misconception is if we don't let kids buy candy and pop, we drive them to the cafeteria, it doesn't drive them to the cafeteria it drives them off campus,” Burton said.
So now he says kids are getting a better deal.
They get their candy fix cheaper at the gas station on the corner or the nearby grocery store, which brings up new problems with student safety.
The principal says getting rid of, or turning off, machines in elementary and junior high might work as habits are formed, but he's dealing with 18-year-old students making adult decisions, and they want sugar.
(KUTV) Davis High School has been fined $15,000 for selling sodas to kids at lunch.
The fine will set them back thousands of dollars and make cuts to their arts programs.
Davis High has unplugged their soda and candy machines until they can figure out how to fix their problem.
And this is a problem.
If one of the students sticks quarters in a vending machine during lunch, the school is fined 75 cents for every lunch they serve and that adds up!
Davis High will lose every penny they've made in the candy and soda machines this year, plus some.
It’s money that normally helped put on school plays and contributed to the arts in general.
School lunch is served for 47 minutes each day, and federal law clearly states no soda can be sold during that time.
The school was aware and shut down their machines during lunch.
“Nobody realized our bookstore also sold carbonated beverages,” said Davis High Principal Dee Burton.
The rule is clear on one thing. No soda can be sold during lunch.
You can, however, buy soda before and after.
“The rule is vague and open to interpretation. For example, the way the rule reads - you can buy before lunch starts a carbonated beverage, buy school lunch, sit down in the cafeteria, eat the school lunch and not be in violation,” Burton said.
While sodas are out, Gatorade is allowed.
“You can sell Snickers and Milkyway bars because they have nuts and they're nutritious. You can't sell licorice, but you can sell ice-cream,” Burton said.
The idea of the federal law is to cut down on our nations obesity epidemic and force kids to eat real food during lunch.
Burton says it’s a nice idea but it doesn't work.
“The misconception is if we don't let kids buy candy and pop, we drive them to the cafeteria, it doesn't drive them to the cafeteria it drives them off campus,” Burton said.
So now he says kids are getting a better deal.
They get their candy fix cheaper at the gas station on the corner or the nearby grocery store, which brings up new problems with student safety.
The principal says getting rid of, or turning off, machines in elementary and junior high might work as habits are formed, but he's dealing with 18-year-old students making adult decisions, and they want sugar.