Florida schools address vending machine rules

Competitive food rules are being changed in the state of Florida since Governor Jeb Bush took office last year. One issue at stake is whether carbonated beverage and other vending machines will be available to high school students all day, instead of one hour after lunch, as in previous years.

"I am totally opposed to having the vending machines turned on all day," says Dawn Houser, fsd for Brevard Cty. School Dist., FL. "Not only will the students use their disposable income on the vending machines instead of the cafeteria lines, but the net revenues collected from these machines will go to individual school principals instead of f/s—and they have the discretion to use the money for whatever they want."

Better for equity: She explains that all f/s profits go back into f/s, in the form of new equipment and furniture as well as entire cafeteria renovations in older schools.

"It's an equity issue," she adds. "Each school would not be able to make enough money on their vending machines to do any of the projects we have completed over the years."

The vending machines will make the most money in the high schools, Houser believes. "The high school principal is not going to share these revenues with an outdated elementary school that needs renovating, as we have done with our f/s profits."

No benefit: "The new rules say that high schools can have as many vending machines as they want and that they can be turned on all day," says Houser. "This is hardly going to benefit the students or the schools."

Houser explains that with the short time frame allowed for high school students at lunch and the temptation of snack foods and carbonated beverages, the school cafeterias will lose valuable revenue. "We want to expose students to more nutritional meals in the cafeterias than what they can purchase from a vending machine."