Letter: Junk food is too accessible to kids at schools

Friday, Jan. 30, 2004 | 9:34 a.m.

I am pleased to see the issue of snacks in schools being addressed. However, we need to look at the entire picture, not just at the vending machines.

There are no vending machines in elementary schools, but there are student stores. When I was a child, principals encouraged parents not to send money with their children to school. Today, schools advertise to the kids about the great snacks that can be purchased at the student stores. I have watched students in my children's school throw out their lunches and go directly to the store to buy snacks.

In the morning, the kids can buy doughnuts; in the afternoon, volunteer parents go from class to class taking up classroom time for the kids to purchase "candygrams." Teachers use candy as incentive and rewards.

I am careful not to pack sugary snacks for my children, and yet, nearly daily, my sons come home with candy in their hands received as a candygram or as a reward.

What we are setting up is a system where children see food as reward, instead of as a way to nourish their bodies. Whatever happened to giving out bookmarks, silver stars and praise? Our kids don't have time for recess, supposedly, but there seems to be plenty of time to sell them chips, soda and candy! We spend class time to teach them about the food pyramid, but then destroy what we've taught them by providing a poor example.

It is time that we re-think the use of food as incentive and fund-raisers, before we destroy the health of our children.

BETTY JOHNSON