Aromas-San Juan School District Superintendent Jackie Mu
ñoz believes the school junk food ban signed into law Thursday
by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be a positive step toward
helping San Benito County students eat better.
Hollister – Aromas-San Juan School District Superintendent Jackie Muñoz believes the school junk food ban signed into law Thursday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will be a positive step toward helping San Benito County students eat better.
But she warned that there’s a limit to what teachers and administrators can do.
“Schools can help reinforce healthy eating habits,” she said. “We can do our part, but the habits formed at home are crucial to students’ behavior.”
The new laws impose a campus ban on the sale of sodas, set a new nutritional standard for vending-machine snacks, and require more fruits and vegetables in meal planning. Muñoz and other district administrators are working to make sure these guidelines are in place before the law goes into effect in July, 2007.
“We will be forming a committee in October to look at our food services departments,” she said. “And we will write new policies based on what we find out.”
Cerra Vista Principal Debra Bennett-Hill believes the new legislation will not have much of an impact at her school because lawmakers made California the first state in the nation to ban the sale of soft drinks in middle and elementary schools two years ago.
However, she does believe some the of legislation, such as the increased requirements for fruits and vegetables, will benefit students throughout the County.
“They went through and really cleaned up the elementary schools years ago,” Bennett-Hill said. “But I think (the new legislation) is great.”
One of the bills signed by the governor Thursday, SB965 by Sen. Martha Escutia, will expand the ban on soda to include high schools. Students will only be allowed to buy water, milk and some fruit and sport drinks that have limited sweeteners.
Although this will mean no more soda at Anzar High School, Muñoz is not concerned this will decrease the school’s revenue, because the machines can be filled with water and sports drinks.
The new rules are all part of an effort to fight childhood obesity.
“California is facing an obesity epidemic. Over the past decade, Californians have gained 360 million pounds,” Schwarzenegger said Thursday at a conference on childhood obesity. “And more and more, children are becoming part of the problem.”
Even though the law was just recently signed, Anzar officials have already discussed banning soda and are working to replace the soda with healthier beverages.
The governor also signed another Escutia bill, SB12, that will require foods sold in school vending machines to meet high nutritional standards and regulate the number of calories that can come from fat and sugar.
County Superintendent of Schools Tim Foley believes such legislative efforts can be productive.
“Ultimately its a good decision for the state and especially San Benito County,” he said. “Everyday 66 percent of students drink soda, while only 25 percent eat five servings of fruit and vegetables. And it’s a grave error to try to fund our schools athletic programs with revenue from soda companies.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Brett Rowland covers education for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 330 or br******@fr***********.com.
