Originally published May 26 2005
School nutrition bill approved by Connecticut House
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The Connecticut House approved a bill that proposes a ban on junk food and soft drinks in kindergarten through 8th grade schools.The bill was proposed to combat the rising levels of childhood obesity in the state (and across the country) and, while Representatives admit this measure is not a cure for the problem, they feel it is a great step forward. The bill also proposed mandating 20 minutes of recess a day for students, outside of gym, which many proponents and opponents of the bill thought was unnecessary since most Connecticut schools already adhere to this standard. Opponents of the bill say schools are not meant to act as parents.
- State representatives on Wednesday diluted a section of a wide-reaching school nutrition bill that would have required public schools to stop selling soda.
- Bogged down in a lengthy debate, lawmakers changed the proposal to allow sales of diet soda and sports drinks, but only in high schools.
- The House approved the amended measure 88-55 after eight hours of discussion and sent it back to the Senate for final approval.
- The legislation was designed to curb a rising childhood obesity rate.
- It would require at least 20 minutes of recess each day for children in kindergarten through fifth grade outside of gym class.
- Vending machines, cafeterias and school stores would be able to stock only healthy snacks approved by the state Department of Education.
- Weary proponents lauded the bill late Wednesday as the strongest childhood obesity legislation in the country.
- While other states - including California and Arkansas - have passed limited bans, they are not as extensive as Connecticut's, they said.
- Lawmakers left cans and bottles of soda on their desks as they talked, and at one point a soda was mysteriously planted on Fleischmann's desk.
- For many the issue came down to a single question: Should schools act as parents?
- Rep. Konstantinos Diamantis, D-Bristol, said he weighed 240 pounds as an eighth grader and couldn't play sports because of weight limits.
- "Banning a particular food isn't going to teach a child a proper form of nutrition."
- For the schools that don't, most only need to add 10 or 15 minutes, Fleischmann said.
- If schools have trouble meeting the requirements, teachers could add a few minutes of physical activity in class, said Rep. Mary Mushinsky, D-Wallingford, a longtime advocate for nutrition legislation.
- In New Haven, Nathan Hale Elementary School went "junk free" last year.
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