Texas moves to make public school lunches healthier; 38% of fourth-graders remain overweight

She's right, of course, and it's downright unbelievable that public schools throughout the United States continue to serve children foods that blatantly promote obesity, diabetes, and mental and behavioral disorders like Attention Deficit Disorder. It's nutrition at its worst. How do we expect our children to learn anything when their bodies are pumped full of toxic foods and drinks served at the school cafeteria?

To make matters worse, most public schools continue to sell junk foods and soft drinks through vending machines that kick back a portion of revenues to the school district. Kids get their sugar high, and the school gets a few dollars to help pay for books and salaries. Meanwhile, teachers get classrooms full of crazed, caffeine-addicted kids who suffer all the classic side effects of consuming high fructose corn syrup and other refined sugars.

At least Texas is doing something about it: no more fried foods, they say. No whole milk. No high-sugar foods. It's about time. Now we need a national ban on soft drinks and junk foods in our nation's schools. What we need is a federal law that forbids public schools from serving disease-causing foods and drinks to children. And, technically, cow's milk should be off the menu too, but that's another issue altogether...

• AUSTIN (AP) --- Deep-fried fritters and whole milk are on the way out, and baked chips are in at Texas public schools.
• In an effort to fight childhood obesity, the Texas Agriculture Department is revamping the rules on what foods public schools can serve to their 4.2 million students.
• Deep fat frying is banned altogether, and so are pizza fund-raisers that compete with the cafeteria.
• The policy expanded on a move last August by Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs that banned "foods of minimal nutritional value," including sodas, hard candy and gum, during the elementary-school day and at middle-school lunches.
• About 20 states already restrict students' access to junk food until after lunch, and about two dozen states are considering total bans or limits on vending machine products.