School Safety: Dangerous Trap on Campus

Megan Roth

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Schools are supposed to be safe havens, right? We drop off elementary students, allow high schoolers to go on their own, and encourage graduates to go forth with their secondary education. Our campuses are supposed to be safe; yet, nearly every campus has the same dangerous trap: the vending machine. Vending machines have been on school campuses since they first hit the market decades ago. They started with simple soda machines (remember the glass coke bottles?) and evolved into the junk food laden, fat bins that exist today. Students can get their hands on any number of sugary delights by simply inserting a few coins and pressing a button. Seems harmless; however, indulging in those delights every day can be downright dangerous. Vending machines can be both a blessing and a curse. They're convenient for students on the go and offer quick relief to hunger and thirst; however, they can also serve as a sort of trap for the students who fall prey to the appeal of the machine's convenience and ease of use. A 2006 survey found that 99% of high schools, 97% of middle schools, and 83% of elementary schools have vending machines or school snack bars making unhealthy treats readily available to students. Perhaps this can be used in explanation for why 20-30% of are country's children are overweight or at risk of being obese? Okay, not perhaps. Having vending machines and snack bars on campus and easily accessible to students contributes to the alarmingly high obesity rates which are plaguing students. According to Iowa Senator Tom Harkin, "There are many reasons for this public health crisis, but one big reason is that our nation's schools have become inundated with junk food and sugary drinks." And Harkin's not the only state official to recognize the ways in which vending machines have contributed to this problem. In fact, lawmakers have introduced various bills (at both the state and federal levels) aimed at lessening junk food in schools. While some have straight outlawed the machines from their campuses, others have taken a slightly less erratic approach. Instead of completely eliminating vending machines on campus, many schools are making the switch to healthy vending machines. That's right, folks - they're placing nuts, dried, fruits, organic juices, and other natural foods right in the hands of students, the benefits of which are multi-faceted. In 2007, the American Beverage Association partnered with the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation and agreed to remove full-calorie soft drinks from all school campuses. Providing healthy snacks to students doesn't just provide them with the nutrients they need; it also enables them to feel satisfied during the day and contributes to healthy eating habits, thus making them less likely to snack on junk food when they're not at school. It seems that, by limiting junk food in schools, our educational systems are moving in the right direction. And it's about time. After all, our school systems are supposed to be "safe;" yet, they've been posing serious health threats to students just by allowing the mere presence of sugary sinkholes and fat-dispensing machines.