Virginia schools could hold numerous fundraisers per year selling food that doesn’t meet nutritional guidelines under legislation that has passed both houses of the General Assembly. The bill requires the Board of Education to craft regulations that would be more permissive than current state policy, and permit the sale of what some call “junk food” during school hours. The Senate made its decision only after lengthy debate about what’s really best for the students.
The bill would allow sales at school of such food as candy bars and donuts. The Senate amendments permit no more than 30 fundraisers per year. Bill opponent Senator Dick Saslaw said lawmakers are supposed to set overall guidelines.
“For the life of me, I can’t see why you would want to vote for this bill—unless you believe, quite frankly, that America’s just not fat enough.”
But Senator Bill Stanley dared his colleagues to eat a nutritious school lunch. He said the taste will make such fundraisers popular—and they’re essential for cash-strapped schools.
“These events where we can raise money through these food sales are important. And they pay for the things that otherwise cannot be paid by the monies that are generated for the schools by our counties and by us.”
The bill now goes back to the House, which had initially set the number of fundraisers at 12 per year.
