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| Yes | 59% | 36 votes | Total: 61 votes | |
| No | 41% | 25 votes |
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Add to FavoritesWith the fairly recent skyrocketing of childhood obesity, it would be a positive influence on children if soda vending machines were absent within the school building.
With that said, no convincing of the reader that the "child obesity in America" issue is solely due to these bubbly soft drinks is being made. There are plenty of other additions to this change that could be taken; healthier lunches being one of them. However, through the removal of these vending machines, the first step towards a healthier lifestyle will begin.
After all, children are taught in schools. And not just the basic four subjects. They are taught what parents should be teaching them. In this day and age, it seems as though the school is relied on entirely too much to be the parental figure. But, that is an issue for another time. So, through schooling, children are taught to socially interact, to cook, to clean, to manage their check books and to exercise properly. They are taught self-care and function outside of parental rule; self sufficiency. Why does it seem as though healthy eating is lacking in this life curriculum?
Notice, in the beginning paragraph, it was said absent and not restricted. Good behavior and eating habits are cultivated at a young age. Since the schools are playing parental figures, if the individual schools were called to teach and enforce healthier eating habits, then perhaps this would not be an issue. Then, perhaps, a limited amount of soda vending machines could make their home within the school building.
But, America is so wrapped up in bad eating habits that this would truly be counterproductive to this cause. Truth is, soda, itself, is fine in moderation. It's when the child ingests nothing but this soft drink that it becomes a concern and that's exactly what America's youth is behaviorally taught. Children as young as a bottle drinking age are given this soft drink and continually given it as they progress through the years. Among the physical downside, this enforces the behavior that soda is a fine substitute for more nutritionally valued beverages.
So the only feasible solution that seems to be is a complete removal of this beverage inside the school premises and a substitution. A substitution of perhaps fruit juices and waters? Or a milk vending machine? A healthier choice to what is available now.
Besides, soda is so readily available at countless other spots; our homes included. Why do the children need them during school hours? Simple answer is: They don't.
Once this has begun, other healthier options can being to fall into place. This would be the first step towards a healthier youth in America.
Learn more about this author, Rachel Mellace.
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No
Soda machines in school's can be a catchy idea to school administrators because it provides funds for school activities such as field trips, clubs, and sports, but at what cost does it come to our kids?
Some would say that it's up to the parents to decide to give their kids money for sodas or not but when a soda is only a dollar it is not hard for a child to get change for one without consent. Kids are given money for lunches every day and can you trust every kid at a school to buy a lunch instead of buying a soda?
Some people say kids should be taught control but their kids! They don't know when to many sodas is to many. Your never going to find a child that will tell you they don't drink soda because it's not good for them. They like the taste so they will drink the soda if the option is available. the fact is if kids can get the beverage they will, and if the option is available kids will find a way to get money to purchase it.
People will say it brings so much money to the school, and it does, but so do other types of healthier vending machines. It has been shown over and over again that kids will buy drinks like Gatorade and juice if they don't have a soda option. So if instead of high fructose soda filled machines we placed juice, we would still get the revenue and we would keep our children healthy.
Then the factor of kids leaving class to buy a soda cause the are thirsy. Kids are in school to learn and I have seen many times children leave class to sneak out and get a soda, claiming they only had to go to the bathroom. Do we really needs our kids minds wandering to the soda machine and then jacking them up before they go to class?
Then there is the addictive nature of caffeine. While most Americans live with a caffeine addiction do we really want to subject our children to such an addiction at such a young age?It seems wrong to leave our children physically addictive to a substance at such a young age. Let them decide when they can balance the pro's and con's of the ordeal.
I think we need to pull the soda machines out of schools and replace them with healthier choices!
Learn more about this author, Charles Foster.
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