YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED NOW ON SB435!!

MD Senate Bill 435: Commercialism in Schools Act of2001

SB 435would establish standards for commercial activity in schools and help create abetter and healthier learning environment for over 845,000 Maryland students.

SB 435 DOES:

• Require County Boards of Education (BOE) to establish policies regarding commercial activities in schools, including vending machine sales.
• Prohibit access by students to vending machines containing foods of minimal nutritional value (e.g. sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, candy, gum, high fat snacks) until the end of the last lunch period.
• Require County BOE to establish policies that promote student health by reducing consumption of less nutritious foods.
• Require that each contract a school enters into be reviewed by the County BOE.
• Prohibit posting of advertising on school buses.
• Provide Counties with means of enforcement by allowing for contracts not to be renewed if schools violate the policies.
• Require that before a county enters into a contract for electronic services (e.g. Channel 1), parents and the community at large must be notified of such advertising.

SB 435 DOES NOT:

• Prohibit commercial sales in schools or food-related fundraising. SB 435 simply requires the County BOE to establish policies and standards for oversight of commercial contracts.
• Prohibit vending machines in schools. SB 435 requires County BOE to establish policies that promote health and provides for access to vending machines after the last lunch period.

Why is this bill needed in Maryland?

• Maryland State Department of Education and County BOEs must develop policies regarding commercialism, advertising on school property, and marketing to students; lack of such policies will continue to lead to school administrators and other school leaders pushing for goals that are not in the best interest of students.
• There is currently no mechanism for enforcement of existing policies or any review by County BOE of contracts entered into by school officials for thousands of dollars in funds received by officials.
• Marginal and socially irresponsible fund raising should not outweigh the devastating health implications of poor eating habits including obesity and diabetes – two of the fastest growing epidemics among children.
• Poor nutrition and health habits also impact academic performance through poor test scores, inability to concentrate, behavior problems, and higher absenteeism rates.

Many interested and committed people across the country have fought andwon to keep commercialism and exclusive soda contracts out of schools whilestill continuing to raise needed funds. Our children deserve no less and we should demand far more from those weput in charge to serve as role models and leaders for our children.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: SB435 is expected to come up for a vote before the full Senate this week or next(March 13-23). Please take a minute tophone, e-mail, fax or write to your Senators TODAY asking them to support SB435.

To findout who your Senator is, log on to the MD General Assembly web site at http://mlis.state.md.us/ and go to “find aLegislator”; from there choose “Look up form”; you will then be asked to enteryour name and address; once this search is completed, select the “Run Query”option. You will be provided a list withyour Senator and Delegates. Select yourSenator to get necessary contact information.

You mayalso call 1-410-946-5400 (Baltimore), 1-301-970-5400 (Washington), or1-800-492-7122 (Other areas) for assistance.

Notablequote from a student: “I’m going to tellyou the truth. When I go to school andhave money, I usually spend all of it on junk food.  And it’s a waste of money and I eat more junkfood than I do regularly at home.”

Forfurther information contact Cindy Tuttle at ct88@umail.umd.eduor Tracy Fox at tfox@capu.net

Sb435factsheet2.doc

3/12/01version