Seattle Press on Line - Advertising Restricted in Seattle Schools, Junk Food Should be Next

Teacher Ted

Advertising Restricted in Seattle Schools, Junk Food Should be Next

By Ted Lockery

Dec 06, 2001 -- It was a bittersweet victory for advocates of commercial-free schools when, the day before Thanksgiving, the Seattle School Board passed (6 to 1) a policy that would "significantly restrict" commercial advertising in schools. I suppose we should have been thankful for any policy limiting advertising and commercial activity in public schools. Just five years ago, the district was ready to sell wall space to corporate advertisers. But in the final hour of a very long struggle, waged by members and friends of the Citizens Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools (CCCS), we watched helplessly as the draft policy prohibiting corporate advertising in Seattle Public Schools succumbed to director Barbara Peterson's amendment to "significantly restrict" the practice.

Disappointments aside, the watered-down policy does have its merits, thanks in part to the efforts of director Nancy Waldman, and former director Michael Preston. The Policy on Advertising and Commercial Activities:

* Prohibits advertising on scoreboards, readerboards, school buildings, and athletic fields;

* Phases out Channel One's commercial-laden television programming in Seattle middle and high schools by the 2004-5 school year;

* Protects students from the collection of personal information for vendors;

* Specifies that "all company logos appearing on District property...shall be for product or sponsor identification purposes only," and will be limited in size;

* Specifies that "vending machine facades shall not be used for advertising" and that they "will be replaced with generic facades."

This last provision concerning vending machines in Seattle public schools is particularly significant. In the ceremonious comment period before casting their final vote, three of the school board members each cited the need to take up the issue of nutrition in our schools. (Applause!)

Finally, after years of debating the rules of the game--"Do logos constitute advertising?" "Should the District decide, or should individual schools decide what constitutes advertising?" "Does a Coke machine, disguised as a giant pop bottle drenched in magnified water droplets, really compel children to buy the sugar and caffeine products inside?"--the School Board is beginning to wonder if the junk food vending game is one that public schools should be allowed to play in the first place.

The Board, however, should be advised that it doesn't have to start from scratch in developing clear guidelines restricting the sale of junk food in Seattle Public Schools. It can start by taking a second look at the existing (and very flawed) Food Sales Policy and Procedure that, to its credit, prohibits the sale of "all carbonated pop" and non-approved snacks until after the last lunch period. Merely enforcing the existing policy would greatly reduce student consumption of "empty calories."

I can't tell you how sickening it is to watch students in my school drinking 20 oz. bottles of pop before 9 a.m., or to watch students crowd the vending machines at lunch for bags of Doritos, Funyons, and Oreos. The sickening feeling I get, however, isn't just distaste for the choices kids are making but shame in my own complicity (and that of my school) in taking students' money in exchange for an unhealthy diet of sugar, fat, and salt.

I know that some of the money from the snack and pop machines goes to the school yearbook, sports teams, and, in some cases, scholarship funds. But, however we try to rationalize the monetary benefits outweighing the blind disregard for district policy (and for ethical practice), it is just plain wrong to sell junk food to teenagers throughout the day at school in place of "whole calories" served at breakfast and lunch.

The district Food Sales Procedure was last revised in 1984. It claims, "An approved list of nutritious foods shall be maintained by the Vending Machine Committee...Only nutritious foods from the approved list will be permitted in the vending machine slots." Who knows if there really is a Vending Machine Committee these days, but a sample of the approved list reveals that, while Almond Joy, Milky Way, and Butterfinger candy bars are prohibited from school vending machines, Mounds, Sugar Babies, and Kit Kats are allowed! Ding Dongs and Snowballs are nixed, but Twinkies are A-Okay! As for chips, Munchos are out, but Cheetos, Ruffles BBQ, and Tostitos are district approved!

As the Seattle School Board turns its attention from advertising and commercialism in schools to vending machines and nutrition, it clearly has its work cut out for itself and for us. We need leadership from the Board, as well as leadership from within our own schools--you and me included. We need to have the courage to demand that, while a comprehensive food sales policy is being crafted (with our input), we should start by (1) limiting snack and pop vending machine sales to the hours after the last lunch period, (2) seeking healthy food and beverage alternatives, and (3) exploring more ethical funding sources for extracurricular activities.

Teacher Ted Lockery teaches at Nathan Hale High School. E-mail him at teacherted@seattlepress.com.

Reader Comments

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Emily Melville	May 19, 2003	Layton, Utah	Student
I am in 9th grade and I watch the same things. Students my age are getting into habits that may ruin them in the long run. I don't see why it's allowed to store these things and sell them to students. You go to health class and learn about a healthy diet, then at school, they sell you junk food! I definitly agree with this article you wrote


dids	Aug 04, 2003	sydney	student
you dummy, youre wrong!!!!!!!!!!


cassandra	Oct 02, 2003	san jose california	7th grade student
junk food makes us happy which means we'll be better students. if were not happy then we wont want to pay attention in class. and we kids will eat the junk food if u took it all away we wouldnt eat anything at all. and one time i was hyper because of sugar i guess but wen i got into class i want to learn, write, etc. beacuse i wanted to burn of the engery. so i think junk food is good to have


Brian	Dec 04, 2003	westview high school	Junior at Westview High
Junk food makes you happy, and you want to burn the energy off in class?! Students after lunch will be misbehaving due to the sugars in soda and candy, and this will take time from the teacher doing her job to correct the students misbehavior. Also, candy and soda contributes to obesetiy. This can cause kids to feel socially detatched and feel like they have no friends. Obesity in children at an early age can cause health conditions such as diabetes and coronary heart disease. "enjoy coca-cola"


Lisa	Mar 12, 2004	Utah	music teacher and mother
As a mother of four, I try to sneak nutrition into my children's diet anytime and anywhere I can. I am disappointed with the school district I live in and the reluctantance of taking the pop machines out of school because they need the revenue. They are making a revenue from our children's bad decisions. There is something wrong with this. If revenue is the aim why not stock the machines with alcoholic beverages that are more addictive or pornagraphic magazines? If profit is the aim of public schools then we need to reexamine our schools!


D	Feb 27, 2005	Seattle	Student
Well, I think it's our choice to make decisions, yes we all gonna get fat, and unhealthy and die... whatever... how about eating fast food and go to gym or actually do something in PE / weighlifting class? I've been eating fast food since the beginning of the school year... hey, how come I'm not gaining even a pound? And yes, from Ballard high all the stuff will be taken out, but people still go to Zestos, and the Shell, and other places... so it's not gonna help. Schools just going to lose more money... And yea, why is Powerade is gonna be taken out? yes it has sugar in it, but it's healthier than coke, sprite, etc... but no, schools just wanna make that big change. Come to think of it, why did our school got a new icecream machine IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR? to take it away? to tease us?


gangsta	Mar 01, 2005	seattle	student @ st.joseph
i think that certain types of junk food should be banned. c ya ;)


Jhakeem Haltom	Mar 10, 2005	Rochester	Social Worker
We live in a nation that is run by the relationship between corporations and government. The government recieves money from the corporations in return for legislative support. Having corporat advertising in schools is bringing this supposedly illegal relationship to the surface. For you high school students please listen. Though the food taste good these corporations are asking for your complete obedience for life. Many of you say you want to be free to choose what you want. Well choose to live for the empowerment of one another, not for the Coca Cola and Mcdonalds who have only their interest in mind. I dare you to investigate why our heart attack, cancer rates are so high. Yes we don't get enough exercice, but another peice of the pie is the corporate processed food we constantly eat as Americans. And now they want to influence a new army of corporate zombies by advertising their goods in school. If you want your school to be better, stop focusing on popularity and who's cool and who's not, and work on supporting one another. There is things you all could do to make money for your schools. You don't need corporate america waiving their junk money in your schools face saying "come on you know you want it." We need one another not corporate america. Your taste buds will appreciate the sacrifice when your spirit feels like you did the right thing.


tom polski	Mar 22, 2005	webster,wisconsin	student
i hate you all


Polly	Mar 24, 2005	seattle	student
vending machines are the coolest characters in our history. We need them to eat good candy. You should add orange juice to pop-machines. Give us free laptops or no deal!! hahahah...


Heeba	May 03, 2005	cali	student
I think all of you are retards except the mother of four. You should all reconsider your thoughts before I wipe them all out along with your pity vending machines.


Jennifer Wilkerson	Dec 14, 2005	Texas-Arlington Heights High School	11th grade student
A surgeon general report found that 14% of american children are obese. 300,000 people die each year from obesity related illnesses or conditions that are made worse by obesity. foods high in fat put children at a higher risk of diabetes, heart disease and other healt related problems. eating lots of sugarmakes students less able to pay attention in class. selling junkfood promotes bad eating habits! schools dont sell cigarettes to 18 year olds because it would be endorsing an extremely unhealthy habit just like eating junkfood does. it corrupts your body makes you wired and unable to pay attention in class.


Peter Margison	Jan 20, 2006	Dayton Ohio	College student
As I think about the idea of competitive schools, advertising and the like, this page pops up. Okay, for all you fat kids or parents with fat kids, it's not JUST the food. I'll grant you that's a step in the right direction, but you ought to consider running in the right direction. I weigh 275 lbs. and I'm only 5'8. I've spent the past years having my weight in flux. Now, some consider me obese, based on these proprtions. Hell the army won't even take a guy by those particular standards (hght and weight) UNLESS, they measure your neck, and arms. Muscle mass plays a big role. Regardless, I'm getting off topic. I would prefer the kids of today in school fat because of corporate schooling. Why you ask? Because then schools get competitive. Yeah, they might carry atrocious foods, but just like now, they'll have healthy food as well. Moreover, our educators need more moeny. Anyone who has any sense remembers that there MIGHT have been a handful of teachers who really influenced you in middle and high school. With schools pulling in more cash, you're apt to have happier teachers I love the idea of competitive schooling because it raises the bar. More money, higher standards, less tolerance. GO CORPORATE!


kagz	Feb 04, 2006
At my school the district wants to take away jumk food in 2006 in the new school year. Do you think we should protest? How did you protest?


Kyle Hamlin	Feb 21, 2006


Kyle Hamlin	Feb 21, 2006	East Side	Male Prostitute
I think that any body willing to pay for junk food should be able to eat it


Jayson Holmstedt	Feb 25, 2006	Oregon	Director of Technology
The bottom line on this issue is not what a person should or shouldn't eat. The issue at hand is if a school should contribute to the promotion of a particular product or service. The answer, I believe, os no. Public schools, starved for funding or not, should not be used as an avenue of media that is not of educational value. In other words, schools should provide a neutral, unbiased place in which children are taught and educated in a manner that allows them to make the correct choices - after they leave the school. Education is not just math, science and english - education should include topics that prepare our children not just for the job markets of the future, but should prepare them for the choices of everyday life as well. A school is an institution of education, not a media of persuasion. Unfortunately because of the path society has taken, it has forced schools into making decisions that have not been at the best interest of our children's education, and/or health. As educators we need to prepare our kids to make the right choices, not promoters of one choice or another.


Kyle Hamlin	Mar 09, 2006	Bronx	Uroligist
I have inspected a lot of people down there over the years and junk food makes that stuff gross don't do it


themaster	Mar 20, 2006
!!!!!!!!!!!!we need junk food at schools!!The schools lose money without junk food.


Thugstools	Mar 30, 2006	China	Student Gangster
I love Chocolate and junky sugars it makes me go whooooopty doooo


Chiller	Mar 30, 2006	South America	High skooler
Yo D u got an ice cream machine in ur skool :O niceeeeee!


Jessica	May 14, 2006	Kansas	Student
I think it's our choice to drink and eat junk if we want, and I don't know about what other schools serve at lunch, but the food my school serves is dripping with grease, literally! The pizza actually drips when you pick it up, it's gross. The food they serve us has more calories than the soda we buy out of the vending machines.


Fatso	Jun 05, 2006	Virginia
Eat salads, don't be stupid.

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