Question of the day
First, read this:
Unable to get lawmakers to support a ban on junk food in schools, Gov. Rod Blagojevich is asking the Illinois State Board of Education to use its authority to bar the sale of soda and other unhealthy foods at elementary and middle schools.
"I believe that if we successfully implement a ban on junk food at elementary and middle schools, it will help build the case for a ban in high schools," the governor wrote to board members Monday in a letter obtained by The Associated Press. "So I'm asking you to help our most impressionable kids form good eating habits, and prove that schools are better off without junk food." [...]
In his letter to the state education board, Blagojevich wrote that he is sensitive to such concerns but believes the costs associated with selling junk food in schools outweigh the benefits. Jesse Ruiz, chairman of the state board of education, said he is inclined to support Blagojevich's proposal and noted that childhood obesity is a growing problem.
The Blagojevich administration focused its junk food ban on elementary and middle schools because a ban at the high school level would be less effective since high school students have more access to junk food elsewhere, Regenstein said. High schools also would lose revenue from vending machines, he said. [...]
Kathleen Dezio, spokeswoman for the American Beverage Association, said the industry adopted voluntary guidelines last summer that restrict what drinks are available in school vending machines.
Do you favor the governor's proposal? Why or why not?
posted by Rich Miller @ 11/29/2005 03:21:00 AM
75 comments
75 Comments...
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I am all for this.
Since Illinois taxpayers are now responsible for subsidising health care costs for Illinois children via AllKids, the state has every right to micromanage their (and their parents) daily lives.
The governor will get my vote in 2006 because of this position.
More of the same using anything he can to get free press.When you start trying to control peoples eating habits that is to far out.It is the parents right to control thier kids not the governor.What next weather control.On cloudy cool days each child will wear a blue jacket.No one has a right in America to micromanage anyone one.
The public health is an extremely important issue to me. I hope the governor does everything he can to stop people from eating junk food. I'd also like to see him do something about the fast food, tobacco and alcohol companies marketing to Illinois children. Maybe an extra tax on the sale of these products that can be used to fund state education programs?
Public health is important. Junk food in excess is not good for kids. This issue may be important to the governor and his young family, but it is not going to sway my vote for him, anon 6:26, and I don't believe you one bit when you suggest it's what going to guide your hand in the next election. Good lord!
6:44 wants more taxes.
How about R forcing parents to be, you know, parents?
I think this is a worthwhile cause. Sure, we may not be able to "prove" how effective a ban will be, but it is something that just makes sense and cant hurt anything.
As a parent, I watch what my kids eat. I cant control what they do at school and it makes me feel better if I know they can only get healthy snack food.
This is ridiculous. He's banning something that isn't even available in most elementary and middle schools. It's a meaningless publicity stunt.
But, on a more serious level, this is another example of the administration making an end-run around the legislature. The General Assembly looked at the issue and rejected it because it wasn't needed. Schools were already doing a good job of restricting access to junk food on their own. The problem isn't with vending machines in schools, it's with parents who don't parent.
In this case, it's a goofy but mostly harmless circumvention of the legislature.
But, that not the case with some of his other end-runs. When he shuts down the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (another plan rejected by the legislature but being pursued anyway by Blagojevich)taxpayers and students will suffer so that he can score some quick cash and reward campaign donors.
I hope that those who post on this site are being sarcastic when they claim they'll vote for this guy.
Perhaps this isn't available in all schools or even a minority...but the simple truth is kids don't need junk food!! Time to get back to the basics -- the food pyramid that is!! What is wrong with outlawing junk food in elementary and jr. high? Most of these age groups need a little guidance in deciding what a healthy food choice is? If we can't do something good for the kids without making it all about politics we live in a sad state!! Get off of your political agendas and let the Governor do something that is truly good for the health of children every -- who knows maybe healthier food choices could lead to healthier kids?? my that's rocket science isn't it!!
Let's set the record straight. In our District the machines are only available at lunch time and after school, not during school hours.
Adults use these machines far more than our students. In fact these machines are mostly sport drinks, water and fruit juice. It's in the teachers lounge where we have soda.
These are local issues that are strictly monitored by districts. More and more districts are taking healthier roads.
The contracts from soda vendors brings in outside revenue that taxpayers do not have to pay to the district. Those dollars are used as building discretonery to help build up book rooms, science rooms, etc.
At a time when districts are cutting teachers, programs, and extra curriculars finding alternative revenues are paramount. At least we are finding revenue sources and paying our bills.
This is a local issue. Why doesn't he concentrate on gang violence, bringing business back to the state, get rid of his PR squad - 24 people to make him look good, that's the crime.
How much revenue do schools get from vending machines? I'd have to know that before deciding how I feel about the plan
Hey Mr. Governor if you are so interested in controlling my children I will drop all 4 off at your house about 5 p. m.Oh the youngest has a dentist appointment Friday and the oldest wants a car.Thank you my good man you have been a Godsend.After I drop them off don't try to contact me as I am not leaving a forwarding address.
Anyone who does not believe that poor diet and too little exercise are major problems today isn't reading the newspaper.
But this is not the way to solve it.
I don't think school districts want to sell soda in machines, but they are doing it instead to get revenue. School districts and park districts now enter into sponsorship deals with soda makers, committing to carry their product only in return for a chunk of change. Follow the money!
If Governor Blagojevich would spend as much time on fixing school funding as he does on publicity stunts, schools would not need to sell soda.
As one earlier poster said, it is a local issue and I believe most schools would make the right call. But when you can't pay for teams and clubs and need more revenue, sure, sell soda, shorts, and shorts.
6:34 is ridiculous.
6:55 is blind to the way the family of today operates.
Related to this, perhaps an equally important step for the Governor is to ask ISBE to stop the practice of allowing high schools to excuse the requirement for physical education. It is not just what we eat, it is the amount of time we exercise too that is important.
These are not just "concepts" though...both diet and exercise in school involve money.
I agree with the "bad idea" posters, though I'm no supporter of having this stuff accessible to the kids during school hours.
Since most of the B-Team likely never attended (or God forbid, had children in) a public school in Illinois, they may not understand how the "local control" concept our school system is built upon works.
This is not the kind of decision traditionally made in Springfield, fellas. It's left to the local school board and/or superintendent to decide the best policy for their district, taking into account the student population of the school building, the size of the building, what extracurricular activities might be held there, and a host of other factors.
This looks to me like a diversion around the front pocket while Filan slides the big fat ISAC wallet out of the back pocket.
This is a great idea!
It just doesn't go far enough. What will prevent irresponsible parents from letting their kids bring candy bars in their lunch sacks? We need to assign some DCFS workers to every school to inspect all incoming lunch sacks and boxes and make sure that no candy gets in the school.
While they are there, they can hand out informational bulletins on the latest things this great Governor has done. After all, we know they all just sat around and did nothing anyway when there were Republican Governors, so let's put them to work.
And, when we institute ALL KIDZ, we need to assign a nutrition advisor to all families so they can help parents plan menus. This would be a great opportunity for a private contractor to offer this service and we can structure it as a no-bid professional services contract so we make sure that only companies that are loyal to the administration get the work.
We also need to assign state workers to stand outside fast food restaurants and educate parents on proper food choices. Our responsibility doesn't end with school you know.
And, since working mothers might not have time to cook their families a nutritious meal, let's offer a visiting cook program for everyone enrolled in ALL KIDZ. At least once a week, a member of the Service Employees Union will come in and make a meal for the family.
Don't worry, this all won't cost anything, because it will be financed by savings and improved efficiencies in state government. We've projected out the savings over the next 90 years and there will be enough savings over the 90 years to pay for this program until after the next election. After that, we'll just re-calculate the savings and find more money, all without ever having to increase taxes during Rod's time in office.
What a great state we live in!
Horace Mann (above) advocates that this kind of decision is better left to the school boards. He says local control is better for these kinds of decisions.
What if the local school board decided to implement a curriculum of 'intelligent design'?
This is *exactly* why the state needs to be involved. We can't have umpteen dozen school boards deciding what is right and what is wrong.
(And don't say 'intelligent design' can't happen in Illinois public schools...there are many counties downstate that carried Alan Keyes in the last Senate election.)
Anon 8:06 has some excellent ideas. I hope that many of her ideas will be implemented during the Governor's second term!
Bring it on!
Despite whatever cynical belief I may have that Hot Rod is doing this just for good press, it is a good idea to get these things away from kids. The bottlers and junk food manufacturers want their products in schools because that is the age that children form life-long eating habits and brand loyalty.
However, Mongo is right that a lot of school districts have entered exclusive contracts with bottlers in an attempt to find extra money where ever they can. So while he gets this garbage out of schools, G-Rod also should find a way to off-set the revenue loss for these districts.
If you're a parent and comfortable with government watching your kids during the day...then I don't question this proposal..I question the job of parenting you're doing.
Just think this will create another department he can fill with Democrats.All we have to do is figure out the name.Will it be the potato chip police or the candy k-9 corp. and each child will be strip searched at the door.
Mongo,
Congratulations! You actually posted without making unfounded,lidelous innuendoes about the Governor's personal life.
Keep in mind that Governor Blagojevich has raised the per pupil foundation funding level more than the last two governors combined...all without raising sales or income tax. He was able to do this by cutting the waste in state government and by cutting bureaucracies like ISAC to ensure that precious state dollars go to the students and teachers in the classroom, not to the overwhelming number of holdover patronage workers that still infest state gov't..
With his team of new, dynamic, young administrators in place, more reforms can be expected during his second term. The governor will continue to pursue initiatives like this one that he feels will benefit the most vunerable in our state. And yes, if the legislature balks at initiatives like this he will go around them, when possible, to benefit his constituents.
Bring it on!
Bill once again you don't have your facts straight.On the national level we got an F in our education level.I do not believe t6hat the F stood for fine.
Bill, you don't get it. You can't say with a straight face that your hero ARod gave "precious dollars to the teachers in the classrooms" when he swiped a billion dollars out of their pension contributions over the next two years to pay for God knows what.
And who are the dynamic young administrators and where are they?
the Dude states:
he does this because he is the father of two young daughters and he understands the challenges that parents face in trying to keep their kids eating healthy.
PULEEZE! the gov's little darlings are in private school, NOT public school. they're being treated to green tea and whole wheat scones, i'm sure. the Montessori tuition rates preclude the need for profit thru vending machines.
Didn't he or at least some lawmakers try this about 18 months ago?
Say NO to the nanny state. This is the USA. Leave decision like this to the local school boards.
As far as the sponsorship deals with beverage companies go, the distributors of coke and pepsi also distribute other healther beverages like water and fruit juice.
What exactly does the state plan to do when school districts don't comply with their overreaching BAN? Sue them? Punish them?
Our schools exist to EDUCATE. Wake up and smell your local schools' report cards and stop adding more bureaucracy to our struggling schools.
ohmygosh Bill congratulated me!
Bill, most of us don't resort to libel and slander. Please keep that in mind.
Everyone involved in politics knows the school funding formula is broke. He needs to address this! Wasn't education one of his 4 priority areas?
We all know this is a catastrophe waiting to happen. Bill I would ask you if Governor Blagojevich is doing such a good job re school funding, why are there an unprecedented number of schools on the fiscal watch list (or whatever it is called)?
I am not even an education guy and I know this. The public does too.
Governor, solve the big problem, not this little pimple.
In response to 8:10 statement:
This is *exactly* why the state needs to be involved. We can't have umpteen dozen school boards deciding what is right and what is wrong.
Why not make a federal law about soda pop in schools? Does it make sense to have all the states deciding what is right and what is wrong? Why not have the UN convene a central planning committee so that the schools around the world are not subject to the questionable judgement of their locally elected officials? Why restrict the subject matter to soda pop in the schools, why not cover a whole host of troublesome subjects like sex-ed, intelligent design, and world history.
I think you're really on to something.
There is nothing wrong with controlling the types of food available to kids in schools, but why does it take a state law or executive order to do it.
Why aren't parents putting pressure on schools themselves.
They are paying for schools through their very very high property taxes. And their school boards must have, directly or indirectly, approved letting these vendors into the schools.
This is another example of liberal left policies. The government needs to make decisions for people because they can't be trusted to make those decisions themselves. And the government needs to have a lot of power over people's lives to make sure that they do what the government wants.
those of you saying that the governor stole from the pension system are plain wrong. first of all, the pension system is badly in need of reform. everybody agreed on this at the onset, but republicans with lots of state employees in their districts backed down from doing the right thing in fear of state employee voter backlash. there were changes made to the pension system that will benefit all taxpayers down the road, and thses changes WILL NOT affect existing teacher pensions. what a lie that blago opponents perpetrate on this subject.
besides, if you are so offended by meddling with the pensions, where were you for the 12 years prior to blago when edgar and ryan routinely raided the pension fund to pay operating costs and skipped payments all together. blago is actually trying to fix the mess left to him by the republicans.
I am so tired of government feeling the need to control our lives. But with Rod, it's anything to get some press. Maybe if Illinois was funding their schools the way they should be schools wouldn't be so tied to the income they make from vending machines. Also, as a teacher, I have never seen a soda machine in an elementary building that was available to the students. The school districts I'm familiar with also only turn on the machines during lunch time and they don't contain much soda, mainly juice and Gatorade type drinks. Our illustrious Governor needs to be more concerned with doing things to straighten out his own backyard and quit trying to micromanage ours.
I favor the proposal, who wouldn't? I am just suspect about Blago's means of accomplishing such a ban.
1) What are his plans for making up the lost sales revenue to the schools already in dire straights due to the lack of funding of Bushwhacker's No Child Left Behind.
2) I don't like that he is skirting around the GA by going directly to the School Board when he did not get his way (must be taking lessons from revered guv of California- and it did not work for Arnold).
3) Since FY04, the State Board of Education has hardly been the independent body it once was. Of course Ruiz will back Blago or he will be out of a job. For better or for worse, Blago and his budgeteers tell the Board how they want schools run and where the money is to go, not the other way around.
10:15
Well Said! They just can't handle the truth. Fortunately, the voters can.
Bring it on.
I say we get tougher drug use by our kids...that way they won't always have the munchies and eat all this junk food.
Go back to Winnetka and your $1.5 million house, right of right.
Some of us need the government to help us. Just because you don't mean the rest of us don't. I will continue to support candidates that try to help us by giving us stuff (programs and money).
"What's ISAC?" - Governor Rod Blagojevich
boo-hoo Anon 11:36...so someone who doesn't want the government telling them how to raise their children lives in a $1.5 million house? Your arguement is pointless, just like your reasoning. Try again please...or just drop your kids off at Rod's house, I hear he's home most days after his morning run.
BAH! What a stupid idea! In any given school district, there are three lunch options for students who are not in high school: sack lunch, hot lunch or a la carte lunch. When you're in high school, you have those three options plus the option of leaving campus for lunch (if you go to an open-campus school). If you're a kid with two working parents and your dad leaves you $3 for lunch every day, what are you going to choose? Pizza boats and soda or a sensible hot lunch? Or if you have to pack your own lunch, will you bring PB&J with chips and a Twinkie (R) or a lunch with a turkey sandwich, pretzels and a banana? Kids will eat terribly no matter what and I have a hard time imagining that kids would choose the healthy routes. So if you take away a kid's ability to buy a soda and Snickers (R) at the vending machine, little Bobby or Suzie will find ways around it. Ever heard of lockers? Will chocolate become contraband at school? Plus, when said children return home, they will more than likely come back to a pantry full of sweets, chips and other stuff that rots your teeth. Then what happens? Is Blago going to have a neighborhood health inspector come to each house to make sure that Mr. and Mrs. Smith aren't buying Pepsi (R) and Fritos (R)? It is the PARENTS responsibility (please note that word that Democrats hate so much) to enforce decent, healthy food choices upon their children. Unfortunately, we take it to the extreme. And I don't buy the ridiculous claim that people eat so poorly because of being busy. You can go to Shop 'n' Save (R) and spend a whopping 40 minutes going up and down every aisle and making sure to buy healthy foods. If you can't find less than hour to go grocery shopping for your kids then that is just plain silly. It's not that hard or time-consuming. It is a shame that such an issue brings such debate and political grandstanding.
10:15, YOU are "plain wrong" as well as a lousy spinner. I really don't even know where to start disassembling your "work," but I'll try.
1) "everybody agreed at the onset..the (pension) system was in need of reform." WRONG. Emil and many House D's raised concerns about Rod's plan along with the R's. The plan that passed was much more reasonable than what he proposed.
2) "The "reforms" will not affect current teachers' pensions." WRONG.
Ask any of the teachers' union folks who are bargaining right now about the new 6% salary cap on pensionable salary and what that has done to local contracts.
3)"edgar and ryan..raided the fund ..and skipped payments altogether" ABSOLUTELY WRONG! Albeit with some prodding from Netsch, Edgar signed the law in 1994 that started Illinois back on a path to get caught up on the unfunded liability. Before that, yes, he was guilty of pay as you go pension funding and one attempted diversion which the courts slapped down. After the new law passed, Edgar and Ryan, with the respective GAs, made sure every required dollar under the law made its way to the funds from FY 96 to FY 03.
Then came Rod.
FY 03 (4th qtr)and 04-Borrowed the money to make the required contributions-sent the pension funds the payment book.
FY05-Tried a $210 million diversion because Filan was such a great bond salesman; that dog didn't hunt from day 1, so he was forced to fully fund.
FY06 and 07- $1 billion plus cut from required contributions for each of two years in order to "balance" budget.
just like the junk food, it's all show, no go with this guy.
I do not favor the governor's ban. The governor raised some important points in his presentation yesterday, but banning these products in schools is the wrong approach, in my opinion. I agree with the others who stated all of this seems like more of the governor's same headline pandering.
One can't help but wonder what this man's administration might look like if he attempted to govern with some substantive ideas and policies instead of the bubble-gum proposals he trots out once a week.
When will I be able to renounce my Illinois citizenship. At this point I'm wondering if Illinois be remain in the union because of the socialistic mentality that keeps surfacing from Chicago (the new IL State Capitol). Thanks to Rod for passing out the Communist Party ID cards they will come in handy when the Russians want to get back at us for not giving them enough foreign aid.
When will I be able to renounce my Illinois citizenship. At this point I'm wondering if Illinois will remain in the union because of the socialistic mentality that keeps surfacing from Chicago (the new IL State Capitol). Thanks to Rod for passing out the Communist Party ID cards they will come in handy when the Russians want to get back at us for not giving them enough foreign aid.
Wingnuts.
Before this ridiculous discussion goes any further, let's lay some facts in foundation:
Children don't have a Constitutional right to soda.
Neither do school district employees.
The public school system has a legal obligation to protect the health and welfare of children -- "in loco parentis" -- from the time they get on the bus in the morning until the time they get off the bus in the afternoon. So yes, legally, we live in a "nanny" state, and have for a long, long time.
The evidence that empty calories and fat are bad for kids is incontrovertible.
That said, there is nothing in the Governor's proposal that prohibits parents from sending their kids to school with two snickers bars and a Coke for lunch, if they so choose.
Vending machines and cigarette taxes are no substitute for school funding reform.
That said, we could probably have an intelligent debate over whether the State Board of Education has the authority to make this call or the local school board. And a robust debate on whether concentrated fruit juice and granola bars are any better for kids than soda and candy, but just about every other argument against on this thread is absurd.
And yes, we need to reform school lunch menus while we are at it. We should start by thinking about structuring our procurement laws in ways that encourage consumption of Illinois crops, livestock, and food stuffs. The more locally grown, the better for our economy and our kids health.
Yello dog is right! Let them eat soy!
Amen!! Yellow Dog!
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Great points Yellow Dog. Funny though, I didn't hear your Governor mention school funding reform during his press hogference yesterday.
Wingnuts? That word is so overused, come on YDD, you can do better than that...I thought.
Do you really need to post here to make yourself feel intelligent? That's the way it comes across when you resort to name calling to those who...I know it's hard to believe...disagree with you.
Cheers
YDD, schools do a horrible job of policing their students and teaching them morality. Why should schools be selective when it comes to which actions are deemed okay and which action are deemed not okay? Passing out condoms in schools is fine BUT soda and candy bars in vending machines are not? I know everyone on this board is going to think I'm a "wingnut" for that statement, but I really could care less. I don't think schools are a "nanny" system, either. Schools are in place to educate kids and help make them into better people, not as a mechanism used by parents for free day care during work. If parents want their kids in a "nanny" school, I suggest they send their kids to a military school, a parochial school or a vocational school. Public schools should be run by educators and administrators, not babysitters.
This is only a first step. Next Blago is going to team up with George Bush to make sure that no person is ever overweight in this nation again. State and federal laws will require all persons from the age of 2 to 102 to go out every afternoon and jog or ride their bikes for at least one hour. Everyday. Work...school...leading a nation or state...not important...just follow their example and get physical.
Yellow Dog is right, this is a ridiculous discussion, and it has been since the Governor started it.
We had better quit worrying about what they eat and concentrate on what they are being taught.This is some more of his grandstanding and the press fell for it again.
Just to let you screamers know, there are federal guidelines for school lunch programs--if your district participates in the federal lunch program and receives commodities.
There have been changes to reduce the amount of fat in school lunches. Salads and whole grains are included in many meals.
At the high school I just retired from there were alternatives to the hot lunch main course. They were usually a chef salad with a choice of dressings that included low fat or a taco salad served in a baked--not fried--taco shell boat.
If a student received free or reduced lunch tickets, those were their choices.
Once a week was soup and salad bar with all kinds of choices for the salads including low fat dressings. Lunch tickets were accepted.
Problem is that for many districts the cost for these types of foods goes up in the winter. There were times that the price of lettuce and other produce would become cost prohibitive and the salad bar would be put on hold until the price went down.
On the al a carte side, there were some fried foods such as fries but they were not offered each day. Alternatives such as baked chips as well as regular chips, reduced fat Twinkies, etc., were also provided.
There were snacks and sodas in the machines--along with reduced fat and fat free items. Machines also included bottled water and milk as well as Coke products.
When school started, the machines were shut down until after school. The food service director said that since the school received federal commodities, the machines had to be blocked so no one could use them until after school.
The school had a contract with Coke for their products. These included fruit drinks--had to read the labels to see that some were more sugar and flavoring than juice--sports drinks, water, as well as Coke, diet Coke, etc.
This contract enabled the school to get a new scoreboard for the football field--even if it did Coke on it. Ditto the basketball court. The money was for other items as well. Funds were used for all-school assemblies.
Take that away from high schools and there would be less for students activities.
Junior high/middle schools may also be using the funds from snack sales for items that the regular budget cannot affort.
I am for blocking sales for elementary students with restrictions as mentioned above for middle and high school students.
The health curriculum includes making healthy choices in foods. The students use nutrition counter books to examine their meals and learn to substitute better choices.
However, there are a lot of families that eat fast food for many meals. The students particularly the younger ones will tell about all the times they have been to McDonalds for burgers and fries, etc., instead of eating at home.
Parents need some education, too.
Incidentally, I read an article on physical fitness Sunday in the Parade magazine that said Illinois is the only state that requires daily physical education. If you would look at the requests the ISBE gets for districts to op out of PE, there are always quite a few. Make more students take a physical activity every day--the kinds that are not just playing sports where they stand around for their turn--and that may help with the children gaining weight.
Bill, you walk on thin ice when you slam a member of the Comment Posse. Those guys have carte blanche and I wouldn't be ticking them off.
Let's turn down the volume on this discussion just a little and see if we can get the major issues out in the open:
1) Is it desirable for children to subsist on junk food (whether provided by parents or school vending machines)? I think even the relevant sales executives would have to agree that such products should not be the mainstay of their own children's diets, and I suspect (though I don't have the numbers on hand to back me up) that there is a relationship between children's access to high-sugar and high-fat foods and the epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and other diseases of plenty.
2) Does the government have an interest in this question? Yes, regardless of whether you justify it on the basis of a state's need to proactively work for the welfare of its citizens or on a state's responsibility to keep itself economically competitive (healthier citizens mean a healthier work force, which in turn means a healthier economy).
3) Is it the place of the government to regulate this issue? It depends. If by regulation we mean searching every lunch box to ensure that a parent did not pack a Pepsi rather than a high-fructose-corn-syrup-laden "juice drink," then of course not. If by regulation, however, we mean prohibiting the sale of junk food on school premises by school personnel or officially sanctioned vending machines, then inasmuch as the government is contributing to the problem it has a responsibility to fix it.
4) What level of government should deal with this? My instinct is to go with the "local control" people, since (in general) political issues should be pushed down to the lowest possible decisionmaking level that is appropriate. But, on the other hand,
5) Are the local districts able to decide this? The decisions about vending machines and lunch menus are typically made on the local district level, and one could argue that if they don't want to have junk food in schools they don't have to have it. But is that really true? Given its need for funding (and the admirable role that the private sector plays in supplementing what the public sector provides), does an individual school district have the flexibility to turn down private-sector assistance while competing against districts that don't?
A state-level ban on district-sponsored junk food sales, it strikes me, would have two worthwhile effects:
1) It would give local school boards the political cover to turn down the opportunity to become a Coca-Cola district, and
2) It would send sufficiently strong incentives to the market to provide what the schools need. The pay-off for these companies is to get children in the habit of choosing their products; in a more health-conscious society, bottled water and healthier menu options may well be the most lucrative vending machine fare anyway. If the state were to ban junk food sales, I have no doubt that companies would line up to provide healthier fare.
That would accomplish the state's aim of getting children to consume healthier options while preserving parental autonomy and local districts' private-sector funding.
6) Is the executive power of the Governor the most appropriate way to make this happen?
My hunch is that it is, since he has the executive authority to make that decision, and the legislature can make a law to the contrary if it disagrees. Then again, I'm open to being persuaded that I'm wrong.
- JCE
Finally someone mentioned physical education (2:59pm). It seems as if there has been a movement towards less and less physical activity in schools. Since this governor has *increased* the amount of fundng to schools, why doesn't he do and end around on the state board of education and mandate that all schools have to have all kids excercise every day? It would probably be the only time during their waking hours that they would have their fat little behinds moving and their heart rates elevated.
Mr. Testicular Virility is trying to "prove" what a good parent" he is by asking ISBE to ban something that does not need to be banned. Not to mention it is a way for Mr. Hair do to get his name in the paper ostensibly trying to "save the children". I can hear the campaign rhetoric already - "blogo bans junk food from the schools to save the kiddies!" (Please listen to the hysteria in my voice.)
This is as empty as the calories that arod is trying to ban.
left up to the school boards? good plan, i hear cigarette manufacturers are looking for new markets and the kids can sew soccer balls in gym class. think of all of the subsidies.
it is a statistical fact that the earlier in life habits start, both good and bad, the deeper impact they have on an individuals adult lifestyle. i don't see it as bad thing to limit access when even the most obsessive parents can not watch their kids.
To YDD et al
The reason soda machines are in schools is money for the schools. Period. Every school official knows diet is a problem.
This is all about school funding. But if I can paraphrase another commenter, the Gov didn't touch that issue with his testicular virility.
Re comments by eastvold, those were good points. I might disagree with your conclusion but yes, this is an issue that could be addressed by the Gov. I just think this is the wrong issue...it is a subterfuge.
And by the way, it is about physical education too. I mentioned that at 750 a.m. today and someone else picked up on it.
Dang it, address the big problem...school funding!
you can thank the President for the lack of p.e. is due to more time trying to mee the no-child-left-behind requirements
all of the negative postings do a great job of commenting on their personal dislikes of rod, but do not mention anything about why the ban is a bad idea. publicity hound or not, it is still a good idea
anon 2:55
and we should leave the house without tieing our shoes when we're late for an appointment
just because it is at the top of the important list doen't mean it should be neglected
right on anon 4:06
when you maintain a house and all you focus on is making sure the furnace works, the rest of the place may be falling in around you
I can see the political ad on this one now:
Scene I:
The 4 tops (look-alikes) all standing around in a State Capitol like setting wondering where the Governor is?
Scene II:
A Frito-Lay truck (small van) drives by a school & then you see a Governor lookalike running after the van waving a white piece of paper (a subpoena).
Scene III:
Pan out watching the Gov running after the Frito-Lay truck (into the school parking lot) while front & center up shows JBT.
Scene IV:
JBT: “I’m Judy Barr Topinka and I’m running for Governor. I’ll be meeting with the legislative leaders on THE PEOPLE’S BUSINESS, instead of trying to police vending machines in our schools. As the current State Treasurer, I can tell you that Illinois CANNOT AFFORD another four years of amateur hour."
Scene V:
Cut-away to: The Governor look-alike, who triumphantly (finally) catches up to the Frito-Lay truck.
Scene VI:
Cut-away to: The 4 tops in the look-alike capitol building, looking even more disgusted, if that’s possible.
Scene VII:
Cut to background image of the State Capitol: (both display & voiceover) “Vote for Judy Barr Topinka for Governor – Let’s put the grownups back in charge of our State”.
I hope to God you don't get paid to produce real political commercials..that is so lame.
How is it a good idea exactly Anon 4:01? If you like the government parenting your child, that's your business, but some of us prefer to raise our kids ourself, and we don't need politicians pointing out the obvious simply because they're poll numbers are in the tank.
Maybe Rod can mandate that all parents ensure their kids are wearing caps and mittens when it drops below 30 degrees?
If you check, I am sure the governor has hired another "special assistant to the governor" to work on this. Someone needs to look into all his special assistant postitions.... there are many.....
I don't want Blago telling my kids what they can eat and drink. That's my job. I'd rather that kids be required to wear uniforms to school -- peer pressure is far more dangerous to kids than a can of coke.
What a mixed up set of priorities. The Gov is willing to ban junk food but won't allow school prayer. What a joke!!!
What a stupid idea. Why is it the Democrats always seem to think they have to tell people how to live their lives?
Maybe if the government wasn't paying for everyone health insurance they would have less money to send to school with their kids to buy all the junk food in the first place. Lets face it the parents are the ones giving the kids the money in the first place. STOP GIVING THEM MONEY AND THEY WILL STOP BUYING JUNK FOOD!!!
At the very least the Gov is very hipacritical is his quest to control everyones lives. Why doesn't he live in Springfield? He's tell us to get rid of vending machines and he can't even live in Springfield.
The Gov should be worrying more about his own business instead of everyone elses.
Come on, people. Stay on target. We aren't talking about the Governor's (objectionable) stands on school prayer or abortion, or his inexplicable and reprehensible one-man campaign to move the state capital north of I-80.
If his junk food proposal is a bad idea, attack him on that. If it's good, why not admit it? But save your other attacks for the campaign season.
The ideal concept of a junk food ban is good. In reality, when a "pretzel with cheese" is the so-called healthy food offered as the main entree in the school hot lunch program, then there is a problem. By the way, since when did the high-fructose corn syrup, high calorie laden "sports drink" become a healthier choice than soda? Those are reasons that food choices and food education should ultimately be the responsibility of the PARENT. The schools already have enough responsibility, of which basic education seems to be running a distant last.
I apologize to anyone who was offended by my wingnut comment.
No, not everybody who disagrees with the Governor's actions is a wingnut.
But the chap who compared a junk food vending machine ban to weather control is.
So is the slippery slope fellow who equates the ban with assigning a nutritionist to every Illinois family, and the fellow who calls it communism.
Aside from that, I think it's pretty clear from some of the comments that many commenters didn't take the time to read the story. The Governor isn't banning all junk food all the time any where. He didn't say parents couldn't send their kids to school with junk food, or kids couldn't bring it themselves. All he said was that schools couldn't sell junk food to kids in vending machines.
Like I said, I think it's fair to criticize the Governor for overstepping his authority and usurping the rights of local school boards, although nobody has yet to cite for me the law.
It's also fair to criticize him for not offering a counter solution to schools who are worried about the revenue losses, although I'd point out that he'd probably be more likely to if Republicans weren't salivating over the opportunity to dust off the Dawn Clark Netsch ads.
Finally, it's easy to accuse the Governor of grandstanding, as I have many times. But I think folks are off-base on this point this time. We all know the Governor obsesses over fitness, so his position is no surprise. We also know that obesity and diabetes are top concerns of his friend and political ally Tom Cross, who sponsored more school vending machine bills than I can count this year. Let's also not forget that obesity has become the top public health threat in America.
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dude, you are way out on a limb. This isn't a "difficult" issue....it's a non-issue, safe position. Aside from the more colorful folks that Yellow Dog mentioned, is anyone going to make it their life's ambition to bring Blago down over this? I really doubt it. So give me a break. The difficult issues don't have anything to do with what's available in the school vending machines, they have to do with fiscal mess in Springfield. Why can't the Governor find more than a few hours a year to deal with that?
here we go again...... another meaningless proposal meant to look as if it will "help our children" that is really nothing more than a campaign wedge issue designed to possibly put republican gov candidates on the wrong side of an issue. pathetic!
11:17 - "a campaign wedge issue designed to possibly put republican gov candidates on the wrong side of an issue"
Only if the GOP lets it happen. If a stand against the Governor's proposal is worth taking, then it can be justified--maybe not in a sound byte, but at least in a letter to the editor. But--with all of the things that the Governor gets wrong--can't we at least let him get credit for the tiny fraction of the time he gets something right?
A party's stance on an issue isn't proprietary; why invent a major disagreement when there doesn't need to be one?
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