Teachers want exemption from Ore. junk food ban

[The Straight Story]

Teachers want exemption from Ore. junk food ban
2/13/2009, 5:14 p.m. PST
By BRAD CAIN
The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Two years ago, the Oregon Legislature decided to ban the sale of most junk food in public schools to combat childhood obesity.

But now some teachers complain that the law treats them like children and want the option to purchase sugary sodas and high-fat snacks in teachers lounges and other "employee areas" during the day.

"We are adults and able to make choices, good or bad, just like any other grown up," said Doreen Powers, a 4th grade teacher at Butternut Creek Elementary School in Hillsboro.

Members of the House Education Committee agreed on Friday, advancing a bill that would exempt school employee areas from the 2007 law that banned the sale of candy bars, sugary colas, high-fat chips, oversized slices of pepperoni pizza and other high-calorie snacks.

The bill was sent to the full House over the objections of Nancy Becker, a Portland State University nutritionist who helped draw up the 2007 law.

http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-29/1234574346173410.xml&storylist=orlocal

[davidinalameda]

1. on the surface, I have no problem with this

but aren't teachers supposed to set good examples for their students?

[tyne]

2. Of course they are.

This is one stupid and, ironically, childish, opposition and demand.

[JVS]

5. What happens in the teachers' lounge, stays in the teachers' lounge.

They should be able to do as they please there.

[davidinalameda]

7. it's still on school property

and what if a student sees his teacher with a soda

but then again, I remember when teachers could smoke on school property

[JVS]

11. Then it's the END OF THE FUCKIG WORLD

Kids aren't supposed to go to that room

[rvablue]

3. Why don't they just bring it from home?

:shrug:

[The Straight Story]

4. Our robot overlords like us to feed their machines money

:)

[noamnety]

10. That's my question as well.

Nobody's saying they can't have their junk food - just that it's not the role of the state to be in the business of supplying it to them.

[tritsofme]

13. Is that how all state employees are treated?

Because if that is the case that is one thing, but I very much doubt that it is.

[noamnety]

14. I'm not sure what you mean by "treated"

You make it sound like it's completely unreasonable and maybe borderline abusive for state employees to have to deal with the indignity of bringing their own snacks to work with them.

I am a public school teacher. I am not getting the problem.

I like to occasionally eat a sandwich for lunch made on samoon bread from my local store, and for snacks sometimes I'll have a piece of mozarella or a cliff bar ... but I don't get all indignant because the state hasn't contracted with a vendor to keep a constant supply of my personal food preferences stocked at the school for my convenience.

This is not all that hard to cope with. I assume these teachers manage to supply themselves with breakfasts and dinners all by themselves. Next time they are at the store, they can buy a bag or two of their preferred snack food, like I do. Each day, they can grab one of the snacks and bring it into the classroom with them. Problem solved.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

6. I thought the bill was stupid when it first passed

The locals schools and school districts can control the vending machines. There was no need for nanny rules from the state level. This backlash was to be expected.

[XemaSab]

8. Oh, the crushing hypocrisy!

"We want the kids to all eat vegan salads for lunch, but we want our greasy cheeseburgers and sodas."

Seriously, why is pizza banned?

You can make a healthy pizza that tastes good. :shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

9. I foresee a black market.

[Vickers]

12. Translation: "I'm addicted to high fructose gluten whey red dye #3 corn syrup glycerides!!!"

:P