Smart Snacks in School:Who Will Answer All the Unanswered Questions?

 Florida has come up with regulations implementing the “smart snacks” federal guidelines, the essence of which is enumerated in the above poster.

It is no secret that I do not agree with this rule; however, it must now be implemented because, unlike Georgia and Tennessee, the politicians in Florida were terrified of the feds and acquiesced with this restrictive policy.


But now the question shifts.

 High Schools, per this poster, are allowed 15 days of non-conforming “fundraising.” But what does that mean? The flyer says local school boards will determine the precise language under these guidelines. I have already received one request from a parent requesting that all 15 non-conforming fundraising days be reserved for “project graduation.” But wait, what about the tennis teams and cross country teams throughout the district that also raise money with non-conforming snack sales? Are they just “out of luck?” Who is going to decide who gets a fundraiser “day” and who doesn’t? Will they be divided? Or will all clubs be able to


submit requests and sell their wares at school on set-aside “non-conforming snack days?”--  of which there can be 15 per school year at the high school level. So who picks the days? Who can sell? Who decides? What is the punishment for students if they sell something outside of the 15 days allotted by the feds? Can minor sports teams now sell their snacks at other campus events like football, basketball, and baseball games-now that their in-school fundraising days have been curtailed?

These are important questions that need to be answered as school starts next week, and lots of campus groups, clubs and sports teams have no clue about what the process will be.  One thing about which they are acutely aware--they need to raise money!