Gov. Schwarzenegger Signs California School Nutrition Bills
Statement of CSPI Nutrition Policy Director Margo G. Wootan
September 14, 2005
The school nutrition bills to be signed by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger are the first and best of their kind in the nation. Congress should act to protect kids’ health in exactly the same way—by getting soda and junk food out of schools in the rest of the country once and for all.
Selling soda and junk food in schools isn’t philanthropic, it’s predatory. The money from soda contracts comes out of children’s and parents’ pockets. Coke, Pepsi, and other junk-food marketers enjoy being in schools because they know it is one of the only places they can target kids without parental interference. But in California, parents have clearly had enough, and leaders of both parties took notice. We hope that the Bush Administration and Congress similarly act to support parents efforts to feed their children healthy diets.
Governor Schwarzenegger and State Senator Martha Escutia deserve particular credit for their personal cheerleading for better nutrition in schools. Their examples are especially refreshing to see since so many other politicians choose to roll over and play dead rather than stand up to the junk-food lobby.