What I want to know is, Who in the Hell is the IDIOT that let soda machines into our schools? It didn't happen during my time. You could not even smuggle a soda into school without getting into major trouble. You could have milk or water. We did not even have soda at home and milk or water or juice was it. Coke was for vacations, carnivals, and Rodeos. Soda was something you might get from a soda jerk, at a drive in restaurant or theater. But in school, Never. Lou, who I work with, is 42 and says their were no soda machines in his school. So how in the hell were they allowed in?The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to halt nearly all soda sales to public schools, according to a deal announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation.
Under the agreement, the companies have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools, said Jay Carson, a spokesman for former President Bill Clinton. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools. Cadbury Schweppes PLC, Coca-Cola Co., PepsiCo Inc. and the American Beverage Association have all signed onto the deal, Carson said, adding that the companies serve ''the vast majority of schools.'' The American Beverage Association represents the majority of schools.
Does anyone know how those machines got into our schools? How did the Beverage companies get so powerful that they control what beverages and snacks get into our schools? Now they are a problem and need to be removed. They are making our kids, or grand kids fat and they have to come out and it is taking a former president and his foundation just to get them out. My God, what has happened to America? Why can't we just say to our school superintendents "Get the damn soda machines out of our schools and take the snack machines with them because they are killing our children!" We should also tell them, "When you get the machines out of our schools, you get out because you are idots for loosing control!"
4 comments:
I was also at schools without soda and snack machines, I dont even remember there being any around at all. We were given a half pint of milk every day and if we were thirsty there were water fountains.
Kids are way over indulged, what do they have as SPECIAL treats, seems to me they get everything now.What a shame to have nothing to look forward to, as I did, with getting maybe chocolate at Christmas and Easter.
Sign of the times, how sad.
I'm 45 and we always had soda machines from the time I was in 1st grade. The machine looked very much like the one posted above the piece you wrote except it had no window. You simply placed your nickel or dime in the machine, pulled the handle down and a bottle came out. I am an assistant principal in a high school now. Soda machines generate funds for the school, but I agree with your view on the hazards. When I was a child, we played more and the colas were a luxury. They weren't stocked in the fridge at home like they are in many homes today. Military drill instructors have told me that the increased use of soda has weakened the bones of the recruits making the young soldiers more prone to injury during training. Marine Corps recruits at Parris Island aren't allowed to have soft drinks during boot camp. The lure of funds to many schools is tough to get over. Parents will have to take on the fight and many of them bend to the will of their children who want the drinks. Additionally, access to drinks and candy in school represent a very small opportunity for many students to have these sweets. Federal law prohibits the sale of these items before every child has had an opportunity to eat the lunch served by the school. It is easy to blame schools, especially public schools because they can't really use profit/demand as a defense like the convenience store or movie theater. As I stated above, the fridge and pantry of many American homes are the real culprits. Change the minds of how we consume and that will change the landscape of schools.
Thanks for your comments guys. I tried to be dramatic and get a little controversey going. I usually don't punctuate my postings with so much swearing. I might post both of these on my main blog if you don't mind.
Fine by me. I don't have an account, so I wrote an Anonymous. I'm Chris in Louisiana.
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