School Snack Loophole in GA

For the record, I am a retired teacher from GA and after church this morning I joked about how eating school lunch was a big part of the 50 pounds I have recently shed. The truth is I rarely ate school lunches but school fundraiser food, specifically Krispy Kreme donuts, is another story all together. The donut fundraiser was my all-time favorite for a couple of reasons. Lots of money was raised this way, $1,000 each time was my goal and most times it was easily met. Along with buying a donut for each of my students on the day the donuts were delivered, I also bought and brought a couple dozen home. Now getting to the point on this blog, school lunches have been getting healthier. There have always been standards but with childhood obesity (and maybe in my case, teacher obesity) being considered a major heath issue the standards are getting even more strict. I think this is a good thing because I have come to like healthier foods yet I know kids when presented with a choice between salad, veggies, and fruit or fries and nuggets are probably not going to make the healthier choice. I am for the standards for healthier school lunches. Snacks are another story, because in my elementary school students did not have access to snack machines. If they did I think prohibiting soft drinks, candy, and chips, isn't a bad idea. However, the GA state school board has created a loophole in what has been dubbed the School Snack Law that allows GA schools an exemption for up to 30 fundraisers each school year. Krispy Kreme can rest easy and keep the light on!