CITIZENS' CAMPAIGN FOR COMMERCIAL-FREE SCHOOLS
Attention Education and Assignment Editors
Contact:
Brita Butler-Wall
206-523-4922
Sarah Luthens
206-409-7084FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 17, 2003
SCHOOL BOARD CHALLENGERS CALL FOR END TO COCA-COLA CONTRACT
School Board Set to Renew Tonight despite Public UproarSchool Board candidates in all four school board races this year are calling on the Seattle School Board to end its 5-year exclusive contract with Coca-Cola, by voting NO on contract renewal at tonight's special school board meeting. The controversial contract is due to expire on Aug. 31, 2003.
Today's letter addressed to School Board President Nancy Waldman was signed by Dr. Brita Butler-Wall, (challenging Waldman), Theresa Cardamone (challenging Barbara Peterson); Lisa Stuebing (challenging Steve Brown), and Adrian Moroles (running for the open seat in West Seattle).
The candidates join hundreds of health professionals, parents, community leaders and obesity lawyers in demanding that the Seattle School Board stop selling high-sugar beverages to children at school to make up for their fiscal follies. The letter calls the sales of sugary beverages in schools " an action which is unhealthy, unethical, unnecessary, and potentially illegal." [Letter follows]
Moroles, a parent and Human Resources Director at SEA-MAR says, "I absolutely think it is wrong to do this contract for revenue purposes, knowing fully what harm these products do to our children".
State Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, author of a bill that would restrict junk food sales in schools statewide, recently sent a similar letter to the School Board.
The proposed contract has been slightly revised so that carbonated soft drinks would no longer be available to middle school students during school hours. However, the district will still offer unrestricted access to non-carbonated sugary drinks such as Fruitopia and PowerAde in middle schools, and unrestricted access to a wide variety of carbonated, caffeinated beverages in high schools.
The fight against the Coke contract was spearheaded by Butler-Wall's organization five years ago. The Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools is a broad statewide coalition of education, labor and community groups. Started by a handful of parents and teachers, the grassroots organization now has over 2400 individual supporters in Seattle and 120 communities throughout Washington State, including many local elected officials and community leaders.
The School Board will vote on renewal of the Coke contract on Thursday, July 17 at a special meeting beginning at 6 PM in the auditorium of the Stanford Center at 2445 Third Ave. S. in Seattle. The meeting is open to the public, but the Board has said it will not allow any further public testimony on the Coke contract.
For more information, please call 206-523-4922 or cccs@scn.org. Or check the website, www.scn.org/cccs, for more details.
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[Letter follows]Citizens' Campaign for Commercial-Free Schools
7034 Ravenna Ave NE.
Seattle WA 98115
www.scn.org/cccs
------------------------------------------------------------President Nancy Waldman
Seattle School Board
July 17, 2003
Dear Ms. Waldman:
As candidates for Seattle School Board, we oppose the renewal of the 5-year, exclusive contract with the Coca-Cola Corporation, due to be voted on tonight.
While we share your desire to fund valuable student activities, it is inappropriate for an educational institution to rely on this method of fundraising, especially when other large, urban districts have found practical and healthy alternatives. Within the past year, Los Angeles, New York City, and Philadelphia have all banned the sale of sodas from their public schools.
You have been presented with clear evidence that the promotion and sales of soft drinks (including non-carbonated beverages such as Fruitopia) in schools is an action which is unhealthy, unethical, unnecessary, and potentially illegal.
Should you choose to vote for some version of this contract, you will be presenting the voters with a clear choice in September and November.
Sincerely,
Brita Butler-Wall, Ph.D.
Candidate, Pos. 3Lisa Stuebing
Candidate, Pos. 2Theresa Cardamone
Candidate, Pos. 1Adrian Moroles
Candidate, Pos. 6CC: Brown, Peterson, Bass, Schaad-Lamphere, Lilly, Kumasaka