The Charlottesville City School Board is taking a closer look at student nutrition. Board members and parents discussed the possibility of limiting sugar in school on Thursday night.
More than 700 people have signed a petition to restrict sugar in Charlottesville city schools. The hope is that a stricter nutrition policy will help put an end to childhood obesity.
James Halfaday, a supporter of sugar-free schools, said, "If I can lose 201 pounds, then students can do it, as well."
Halfaday knows the importance of maintaining a healthy diet.
"I used to weigh 377 pounds. It is true that teenagers inside the school system are becoming obese during school. I believe that the sugar petition that's being set forth here in the community is going to send a strong message of limiting the sugar inside the community," he stated.
Halfaday was just one of many Charlottesville parents who showed up at Thursday night's school board meeting in support of healthier school lunches.
School Board Member Juandiego Wade stated, "It was some wonderful input."
In the next two weeks, the school district will be voting on a new wellness policy. Board members say the goal is to go above and beyond the federal nutrition guidelines by limiting access to unhealthy snacks.
"We want to not only work with our children's minds, but also their bodies. If we can't nurture both of those at the same time, then we're not doing what we're supposed to do," said Wade.
The proposed wellness policy also includes a mandatory 150 minutes of physical activity per week with recess counting as part of that time.
"I think the choices that we need to put in front of our young children are the best possible choices," said Ivana Kadija, another supporter of sugar-free schools.
The school board hopes these choices will be delicious as well as healthy.
If approved, this will be the first time the school's wellness policy has been modified in the last five years. The board is scheduled to vote on the changes during its meeting on June 16.
