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If our cafeterias served delicious, nutritious food, then we wouldn't need vending machines. In fact, price is no option since 50% of the kids in each school will be receiving "free or reduced lunches" --at least that's the goal of Dr. Grier over in High Point.

I think we should negotiate a contract with The Chop House to bring lunches each day. If it's good enough for the good Doctor, then it's good enough for our kids.

We didn't have vending machines except for the few machines in the cafeteria when I was coming through school. I survived. However, I can't say the obesity rate was that different because students could buy all the junk food they wanted during lunch time.

I worked at one school that had vending machines on the main halls. Students were late to class due to waiting in line at the vending machines. Furthermore, students were not allowed to eat in class, which means students were getting detention for eating in class and/or for being tardy. Eventually, the school put the machines on a timer so that they only turned on during lunch time and after school. This stopped many of the problems that we were having, but it did nothing for the obesity rate.

When it comes down to it, students who want to make unhealthy food choices will do so whether the machines are in the schools or not. Students can buy cookies, icecream, chips, etc. now from the cafeteria or they can bring junk food from home. A better idea would be to sell healthy snacks in the cafeteria and in the snack machines. If students then choose to bring junk food from home, at least the parents are aware of it.

Great points, Andi.

When I was in high school, we didn't have vending machines - at least not to the extent schools do now. I think there was a soda machine in the gym, but it wasn't turned on until after school. Besides, it didn't sell Sun-Drop, and in Shelby, you might as well not sell anything if you don't have Sun-Drop.

But students still found a way to get junk food. I knew students who snuck off campus to a nearby convenience store and brought back bags of candy bars, soft drinks, chips, etc.

Does GCS have a contract with a soft drink company to supply vending machines to the schools?

Or was this included in the Sodexho contract?

Who gets the profits from these sales, the individual school, the school board or the main office?

I don't believe these machines will ever be removed from school campuses due to the fact that to much money has already changed hands at the upper management level.

Anyone remember Rancho Mirage??????????

And just recently, Grier was on the panel of judges for the "Coke" (the drink, hee, hee) Scholarships.

I wonder if he was paid in Dollars, Cokes, or Vending Machines?

Each school has its own vending contract. That money stays with the individual school.

I'm not sure if GCS has a contract with the vending companies to supply the machines or if that's up to the individual schools. I do know that individual schools get to keep the money and they use it to help out with funding as stated in Bruce's initial post.

I agree that the machines will not completely disappear. Schools need the extra funds too badly.

Does One soft drink company have exclusive rights to GCS???

Coke or Pepsi ????

If so, who negotiated this deal ???

....and to the above post that Grier was a judge, What a JOKE!!!!

No, each school negotiates its own deal. Some go with Coke, some with Pepsi. There isn't a district-wide GCS contract.

As long as I remember the school cafeteria offered junk food. There were no vending machines.

hi.
SELL JUNK FOOD IN SCHOOLS!!

hi.
SELL JUNK FOOD IN SCHOOLS!!

No junk food in schools! The obesity is rising!