Do you enjoy having tasty treat for yourself between classes or during lunch? Well, who doesn’t? The vending machines are a perfect convenience for students craving a little snack.
Five years go the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 required the USDA to establish nutrition standards for all foods sold in schools for students, yet this did not include vending machines located in teachers lounges. School across America were changing to healthier ways for the better of the students and our future. In the Spring 2014 issue of School Nutrition News, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction justified school employees can continue to get junk food from the vending machine in the teachers lounge. They’re exempt from the new rules because “they aren’t accessible to students.” That meant the removal of high saturated and fatty foods from student vending machines. Being replaced with healthy items, students bodies will be able to be fully functional during school and lively. So where’s the issue? Well, recently a group of freshmen have started a petition to remove teacher’s vending machines permanently. I don’t understand how that will benefit the school community. Taking away their chocolaty treats doesn’t exactly do anything for the students.
While I disagree with the idea that administration shouldn’t be able to have snacks completely, I agree it’s unfair for them to have “better” treats. Why should students be told to eat healthy foods and drink our diet, zero calorie soda so we can grow up big and strong while our teachers are enjoying a delicious Sprite. In a way it’s quite hypocritical. There should be a change, maybe replacing their snacks with the healthier choices, but removing the vending machines isn’t really a victory we are seeking. Many students feel the same way as well and that this group is wasting precious time trying to take something from the teachers. It’s a privilege for many schools to even offer vending machines for students, so why try and take advantage of those who so graciously gifted us.Though it’s an amazing act of courage for fighting for what they believe in, their plan isn’t well thought out. While the group wishes to remain anonymous they believe that they “will be served the justice they deserve as hard working scholars.”
