The 'Eagle Times' Student Newspaper: Editorials

Sugar-withdrawal spurs student anger

Commentary by Calla Mounkes

October 13, 2006

Obesity in the United States is on the rise. According to MSNBC's website, msnbc.com, "approximately nine million children over the age of six are obese." This startling statistic is catalyzing politicians' efforts to minimize the availability of non-health foods in educational environments.

Silver Lake school district administrators have also made the wise decision to refrain from selling certain soft drinks to students. Silver Lake's efforts to curb the obesity rate are in line with federal guidelines. The announcement at the beginning of the year was met with many uninformed students' groans and complaints.

The students, used to the ease of buying a sugary drink to boost them with caffeine, calories, and sugar, were angered when notified of the absence of the saccharine beverages. Most students don't think about the consequences of what they put into their bodies.

Students are constantly bombarded with warnings from administrators, parents, teachers, and even television commercials about the dangers of marijuana and alcohol use. The world is finally waking up to the plight in the United States of overweight and obese people. Silver Lake High School principal Larry Winter shared similar sentiments.

"We are always saying 'Don't smoke' and 'Don't drink.' Why shouldn't we be saying, 'You need to know the amount of calories contained in one of these drinks'?" said Winter.

Although the school has begun to make efforts to eliminate non-diet sodas from the school environment, there have been no efforts to abolish high-fat and calorie-filled snacks from the food machines. In a statement from Winter, he noted that there were alternatives to those.

"The stuff that's in there now, you'll see there are some baked chips versus just plain salt ones. So there are some alternatives now," said Winter.

However, aren't the diet sodas, juices, and other drinks nourishing alternatives to the non-healthy sodas? If health advocates go part of the way toward a healthier eating society, the entire plethora of a child's caloric intake should be recognized. Going part of the way with obesity-related issues won't cut it. Chips and candy should be removed also.

Many students believe it is an infringement on their rights to take away the beverages. But students are still allowed to bring soda from home. Also, often times the pop elsewhere is less expensive. So why are students complaining? The nonentity of SLHS soda sales is an inconvenience to students that they will obviously have to suffer through. No amount of complaining will change the district's decision.