Colorado governor vetos bill requiring nutritious food in schools

[Pitt Gorilla]

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/8649863/detail.html

DENVER -- Gov. Bill Owens has vetoed a bill that would have required schools to make sure half of all items offered in vending machines are nutritious.

The governor said lawmakers should look at their own vending machines in the Capitol before they try to tell others what to do.

Witnesses had told lawmakers that many schools rely on revenue from vending machines to pay for athletics and other programs, and that many children prefer junk food.

Owens said current law already encourages school districts to adopt their own policies. He agrees that there are health questions, but he said he can't support legislation that -- in his words -- micromanages school districts and their policies.

Owens said two vending machines in the Capitol basement had 10 types of chips, 20 types of candy bars, 13 kinds of cookies and pastries, three types of crackers and two kinds of nuts.

[jspchief]

My wife is facing a similar situation at the school where she teaches. The PTA has forced them to get rid of all vending machines, and junk food is no longer allowed for parties or as rewards on special occasions.

I respect wanting to give the kids healthy choices, but kids aren't getting fat from school. Parents are expecting the schools to be tough when they don't have the willpower to do it at home.

[Coach]

My wife is facing a similar situation at the school where she teaches. The PTA has forced them to get rid of all vending machines, and junk food is no longer allowed for parties or as rewards on special occasions.

I respect wanting to give the kids healthy choices, but kids aren't getting fat from school. Parents are expecting the schools to be tough when they don't have the willpower to do it at home.

Agreed.

[alanm]

The Gov is right. It's bad enough that you have the anti smoking gestapo every where you go. Now you have health brown shirts trying to impose their will on every ones kids. :shake: It's people like this that make you want to take them out back and whack their kneecaps. :D :evil:

[Bugeater]

Yeah, I'm sure if they fill the vending machines with carrot sticks they'll sell like crazy. :rolleyes:

[|Zach|]

The amount of money schools get from those things is crazy...

[mikey23545]

<B>"Colorado Govenor Vetos Bill Requiring Nutritious Food in School's VENDING MACHINES"...."</b>

Fixed your thread title for you...You should really get a job in the mainstream media (assuming you don't already work there)...

[Mr. Kotter]

My wife is facing a similar situation at the school where she teaches. The PTA has forced them to get rid of all vending machines, and junk food is no longer allowed for parties or as rewards on special occasions.

I respect wanting to give the kids healthy choices, but kids aren't getting fat from school. Parents are expecting the schools to be tough when they don't have the willpower to do it at home.

Yup.

Our school has been doing this for two years now. And it's ALL food at our school. The cafeteria food is horrible; I mean, just awful. I realized chicken nuggets, pizza, and cheeseburgers aren't the best choices for kids every day...but the menu now has caused many of the kids to bring food to school, or just not eat at all-- so I'm not sure it's really solved anything. They are now bringing in the food they would have bought. And if changing kids attitudes toward food and developing good eating habits was the goal, it's failed miserably so far. Maybe it's a long-term approach that will eventually work for kids who've known nothing else, but I'm skeptical.

It's gotta start at home, with parents.

[KCFalcon59]

My wife is facing a similar situation at the school where she teaches. The PTA has forced them to get rid of all vending machines, and junk food is no longer allowed for parties or as rewards on special occasions.

I respect wanting to give the kids healthy choices, but kids aren't getting fat from school. Parents are expecting the schools to be tough when they don't have the willpower to do it at home.

Absolutely right. When I pick up my kids at school it is so sad to see some of these kids 6-10 yrs of age who can barely walk because they are fat. Then you see their parents and you see why. Truly sad. The schools have nothing to do with it. It starts at home. Hell, I'm fat but I don't make my kids eat everything on their plates. I don't let them have a package of oreos for snack right after dinner either. Candy is a treat and not an every meal food item.

Poor kids.