Many middle school-aged students enjoy drinking soda, but if
state legislators have their way, they won
’t be drinking it at school next year.
Many middle school-aged students enjoy drinking soda, but if state legislators have their way, they won’t be drinking it at school next year.
Assembly Bill 677 proposes to ban soda from some public schools. Morgan Hill district middle schools would be directly affected by the bill, according to Janet Felice, director of student nutrition for the district.
Students at Martin Murphy and Britton have had soda as a choice in the campus vending machines, along with bottled water, sports drinks and juices. If the bill is signed by the governor, these students would find sodas removed from their vending machines next year.
If signed, the bill would take effect July 1, 2004.
“I really don’t anticipate this being a problem,” Felice said. “We have been working toward this anyway. The district has a contract with Pepsi, and if the Legislature does prohibit certain beverages, we will work something out so they fill the machines with other products.”
Sodas would remain in the machines in staff rooms and in the District Office building, Felice said.
“Our staff and administrators, as adults, can certainly make a choice they think is appropriate for them,” she said.
Felice said she does not believe the middle school students will have a problem with the ban, because the alternative products that would fill the machines are tasty as well as healthy.
Students in district elementary schools will not be affected by the ban: the carbonated drink has never been available to students at the elementary level.
Students at Live Oak High and Central High, who currently have access to soda, would not be a part of the ban at this time.
“I think if the ban does eventually extend to high schools, that might be a little more of a problem,” she said. “But if so, I think the students will adapt. Many of them are already looking for healthy alternatives in their diets anyway.”
The ban is a part of the California Childhood Obesity Prevention Act, Assembly Bill 677. The bill is based on data that in the past two decades, obesity has doubled in children and tripled in adolescents. On average, according to the bill, 30 percent of California’s children are overweight.
AB 677, passed by the legislature, was awaiting signature by Gov. Gray Davis as of Monday.
