Parent Teacher Association (PTA) Healthy School Foods Resolution Passes
by an Overwhelming Majority
The New York Coalition for Healthy School Lunches worked to introduce
a resolution at the New York State 108th Annual Parent Teacher Association
Convention. The resolution mirrored the New York State Legislative Resolutions
K1888 and J3971, and was introduced by PTA member, mom, and New York
Coalition for Healthy School Lunches Executive Director Amie Hamlin.
The Healthy School Foods Resolution passed by an overwhelming majority.
The resolution states:
HEALTHY SCHOOL FOODS – 2004
1. Support initiatives that would encourage local school districts
to provide optional plant-based vegetarian (vegan) school entrees;
nutrition education materials and instruction; eliminate high calorie,
high fat, low nutrient desserts from the menu; eliminate a la carte
and vending items that are low nutrient, high calorie, high fat or
high sodium and replace them with high nutrient and generally low
calorie items; and support Farm to School programs, including organic
where possible.
2. Encourage units/councils to educate parents and school district
staff about healthy eating patterns including plant-based entrees.
3. Urge units/councils to share in the decision making about implementing,
within their own schools and school districts, the recommendations
of the NYS Legislative Resolutions, and support any legislative resolutions
that promote healthy choices, such as vegetarian, in school lunch
programs.
Now that the resolution has passed, it is part of official NYS PTA
policy, and local PTA’s are encouraged to work towards implementing
the recommendations of the resolution. The resolution was one of four
new resolutions voted on at the conference. The others included multiple
day test administration for students to prevent them from having to
sit through 9 – 12 hours of testing in one day; R rating for new
movies that depict tobacco use; and recess for schools – ensuring
that all elementary school children have at least 20 minutes a day of
unstructured play time.
If you are a member of a PTA, please contact us for more information
on how to introduce healthy school meals in your school.
Contact Information:
Amie Hamlin, Executive Director
(631) 286-1343 or
amie@healthylunches.org
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