ON-AIR: Controversy surrounds junk food ban

By Tuesday Hagiwara

Governor Rod Blagojevich’s recent push for a Junk food ban in Illinois elementry and middle schools was approved by the Joint Committe on Adminstrative Rules. The ban would halt soda, chips and candy in veding machines. Public relations coordinater for the Urbana School District Kathy Wallig says junk food and vending machines have already been removed several years ago.

“I don’t think that school districts should be making money off of childhood obesity.”

Wallig does admit that many schools who rely on vending machines to fund their programs will suffer. Wallig says this ban should not have been approved by the Illinois State Board of Education, but on a local level because they don’t represent school districts throughout the state of Illinois.