Issue Date: Vol. 52, No. 6, June 2012, Posted On: 5/31/2012
Fed Fines Two Utah Schools For Selling Soda In Vending Machines During Lunch
vending machine fine, vending machine, soda vending machine, federal school vending machine regulations, Davis High School, Kaysville Utah, Box Elder High School, Brigham City, Rob Bishop
KAYSVILLE, UT -- Two Utah high schools have been fined for violating federal school vending machine regulations by selling soda during lunch.
Davis High School in Kaysville, UT, turned off the vending machine in its cafeteria during the 47-minute lunch hour in compliance with federal law, which prohibits the sale of competitive foods of minimal nutritional value during meal times. But inspectors found that the school did not disable a soda machine in its bookstore. The federal government fined the school 75ยข per student, totaling $15,000.
Davis High's principal said the school will have to make cuts to its fine arts program to pay the fine.
Earlier this year, Utah's Box Elder High School in Brigham City was reportedly hit with a $19,000 fine for a similar violation.
Utah Rep. Rob Bishop denounced his fellow lawmakers on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this month for passing the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which limits at the federal level students' access to vending machines. He said he is not against encouraging more nutritious foods in schools, but advocated adjusting the law to let local schools and parents -- not the Feds -- decide what's available and when.
