Ill. Education Board to Deep-Six Junk Food
Mar 16, 3:27 PM (ET)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Vending machine candy, chips and soda will be history when the state's elementary and middle schools students start classes this fall.
The Illinois State Board of Education voted Thursday to ban schools from offering junk food during the school day for pupils through eighth grade in an effort to keep unhealthy food out of the hands of youngsters.
"Good nutrition helps children attend school more regularly, behave better when they're in school, and score better on tests," Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in a statement. He said the ban would reduce the temptation for children.
Local school officials had complained about the plan, saying they get crucial revenue from vending machine sales. The plan originally included high schools, but they were exempted.
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