I'm finally up to date with the school board meeting podcasts on lebocitizens.com. I still need to update the change order list. Thanks for your patience. Elaine
"Dr. Matthew Keefer, General Pediatrician at Children's Hospital Los Angeles I would say at best it's no harm, at worse, it can cause a lot of side effects that aren't necessary. Certainly, young children don't need any caffeine at all. If an older child has a cup of coffee or a soda every once and a while it's not a big deal. But when it comes to energy drinks, there's no role for them in pediatrics. If you're using these for working out or to enhance athletic promise, it's not a drug for that. What happens is some kids use them in replacement of good hydration, which is worse. Caffeine can cause you to lose more water. We do use caffeine in young infants if they're having trouble remembering to breathe. Occasionally it's used for some people with migraine headaches, but beyond that, there's no medical use really. There's a reason why caffeine in the form of coffee is one of the highly subsidized corporate perks. It keeps people alert and working. But it's a problem if you're talking about teenagers who need a lot of sleep. They probably need a good 8 plus or 10 hours a night, and teenagers as whole tend to get a lot less sleep. Many use caffeine to stay awake, and using a drug to make up for a deficit and it isn't good." But, we'll be able to fill more game slots at the "crown jewel" because the kids will be up all night!
I have to ask....is there anything in this community that you do approve of? It is not possible for disagree with everything! This is no different then buying tea or soda (actually better for them then soda).
12:07 I have to ask...do you ever think? Why when kids drink huge amounts of sugary soft drinks and run to Starbucks at the drop of a hat, would you add a caffeine and sugar drink to their daily routine? Please tell us all how Carribou Coffee is better for them?
Times have changed. Teenagers drink coffee. And good tasting coffee at that! I used to complain about the crappy cafeteria coffee we had in college. And my sister said, "At least you had that! We drank coffee that came from a vending machine!" I highly doubt the Lebo H.S. kids drinking a cup of coffee during the day are going to start having massive health problems because of it. I hear their schedules are so tight. I doubt they'll be grabbing a cup between every class. Enjoy, kiddos.
From the federal governments National Institute on Drug Addiction. http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/latest-science/adolescent-caffeine-use-cocaine-sensitivity
I guess there is some truth, 12:07, in the phrase "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding everything you see."
Apparently 12:07 you have no intention of heeding Bendel's advice to put the divisiness behind us.
Some logic... "times change." Oh OK, marijuana is now being legalized across the country. Guess due to changing times, we can look forward to kids walking the halls stoned sometime soon.
Yes, times do change. We had a smoking section at Mt. Lebanon High School so that students wouldn't smoke in the bathrooms or on the street corners. We weren't allowed to have soda machines. I'm glad to see that things are moving in the right direction. Let's bring back the smoking section too. With kids' schedules being so tight, there is little time to grab a smoke. Elaine
The gold standard for school nutrition was created in 2007 by a committee organized by the Institute of Medicine. Adherence to the recommended standards has been analyzed across the country. As a state, Pennsylvania is one of the least adherent to the standards.
In their comprehensive report, "Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools", the IOM committee "did not support the sale of caffeinated products to school-age children because of the potential for negative effects, including shakiness, headaches, and other symptoms of dependency and withdrawal that could disrupt their abilities to concentrate and learn. They recognize that some products that do not meet the minimal amount, such as chocolate milk, contain naturally occurring trace amounts of caffeine and those items are permissible".
12:35, I agree that a high schoolers having a coffee or two during the day isn't a big problem. It's no big deal. But let's look at the overall picture. The Kid arrives at schoonearly and grabs a Caribou Coffee. Then grabs a mocha latte for lunch. Afternoon they go to their sports practice and hydrates with a caffiene laden Gatorade. Then they come home, wash down dinner perhaps with a soft drink. Then it's off to the Galleria to socialize with friends at Starbucks or take in a movie with a 32 oz cola. Still want to tell the kiddie to enjoy?
I'm curious is the Caribbou Coffee for the kids or for the bottom line of food services? Do they make a profit on the coffee? Is it in the same range as the profit on the regular food items? Since the field sign ordnance has been passed will we see advertising through out the school and athletic facilities promoting Caribbou Coffee?
Is the order of the day "Just Do It" with no thought given to whether doing it is a good idea or not?
I find it funny the same group who wants less government control, spending, oversight is the same group that complains when the government implements something that is 100% a choice. Our education system in this country is not lagging because of caffeine in schools. Take a step back and look at the big picture. Parents need to teach their kids responsibility. If you as a parent do not want this then teach your kids. Are you against ice cream sales on Friday afternoon at elementary schools? What next will take the ire of your eyes? Again, I have to ask, does this community do anything right in your eyes?
There is usually some benefit associated with a deal like this. Perhaps it is free coffee machines for teachers' lounges. Or free Caribou K-cups.
When we had the smoking section, Coca Cola offered to put in a scoreboard for free, had the school district permitted pop machines in the school. Instead, the school district banned candy sales, but kept the smoking section.
In recent years, weren't regular sodas banned, but diet sodas were permitted? Has that changed too? Elaine
3:54 oversimplifying as usual. No one is suggesting that the government should control kids caffeine intake. The issue is whether the government should provide one more source for something the kids really don't really need and some "experts" say might be bad for them in large amounts. Suggest you open up the link in the comment at 12:36 regarding caffeine and adolescents. You might learn something if you can move beyond trying to fight with people.
I am a fan of this blog. I was against the cull. I think the turf deal is shady and horrible for this community and our kids. But good Lord - high school kids drinking a cup of coffee during the day is not going to keep me awake at night (pardon the pun). I love the comparison of a cup of coffee to legalized marijuana. Stretch much? And 3:35pm - with a diet like that - I'd blame the parents for allowing their child to develop such awful habits. And Elaine - while the old smoking section still amazes me to this day - if my memory serves me correctly, the under 18 law wasn't in effect then. So while a really bad idea -it wasn't illegal for kids to be smoking back in those days. Last I checked - coffee is still legal. And of course someone is making money off of this deal. Seriously Elaine - love you but in my opinion the outrage expressed on this thread seems silly at this point. With everything else we should we worrying about going on up at the high school (drugs)....we're all going to freak out about coffee?
1:08pm. Have you read about the drug problems in this community and up at the high school? Clearly not. I'm betting there are quite a few stoned kids already walking the hallways.
4:36 can you not read, can you not comprehend. No one compared pot to coffee! The comment refer to "times change." It was a comment that pot is being legalized across the country. In fact it's being debated whether to legalize right here in Pennsylvania. If it is... can we expect to see it being sold in the cafeteria?
To 4:39, yes I am fully aware of the drug problem and yes, no doubt there are kids stoned in the hallway and I've heard rumors that there are kids pushing drugs in the hallways. So what is your point 4:39? Do you have one? Do you want me to look the other way or what? I suggest you open the link provided by 12:36 from the Federal Government National Institute. The claims within are from doctors and pediatricians, surely experts more knowledgable on the subject than you or I.
I don't think anyone is "freaking" out about coffee sales at the high school. In reading this, I think there is an exchange of idea, pro/con, coupled with some links to literature.
I heard the coffee isnt cheap.. This isnt your $1 cup that drops from the vending machine .. My HS student says the new cafeteria is nice but unnecessary and way over the top.
Yes, you are correct 5:15 and I stand corrected. I lumped energy drinks (which I know slot of our young athletes use) under the Gatorade label. Much like using we use Xerox to describe a copy.
My bad.
But apparently the sports companies are noticing the consumption of energy drinks among athletes. http://running.competitor.com/2013/12/nutrition/energy-drinks-vs-sports-drinks_26671
The above is an editorial from "Addiction" magazine.
"Marketing tactics for caffeinated products targeting youth appear as egregious as previously admonished practices of the tobacco and alcohol industries. As researchers we should move more quickly to understand more clearly the impact of caffeine products on youth health and behavior. In the meantime, initiation of actions (e.g. mandatory labeling, retail and marketing restrictions, educational campaigns) [5] to curtail and counter marketing promotions that promise our youth a better life through caffeine would appear the responsible thing to do. We should not worry—no one is going to take away our Joe.""
From the Federal National Institute on Drug Addiction.
"In a new study, rats that were treated with caffeine in adolescence showed an increased sensitivity to cocaine as adults that was associated with altered dopamine signaling in brain reward pathway involved in addiction. These changes were not seen in animals that were given caffeine as adults. These results highlight that adolescent brains are still developing and can be impacted by substances in ways that are different from fully developed adult brains. Caffeine use by adolescents may prime the still developing brain for later use of other illicit drugs."
Mr. or Ms. 5:30pm. I highly doubt if pot becomes legal in this state that it will be legally sold to minors in a school cafeteria. But let me check and see if I can find a link from an expert so you can relax a little bit.
6:39 don't bother. I highly doubt it too. It was a little sarcasm directed at the "times change" argument for putting coffee in the school cafeteria. I could have just as easily said "tattooing" is trendy, should we put it into the art curriculum. Get the point now.
It is tragic though that Elaine's piss and vinegar attitude about all things Mt. Lebanon has complete strangers arguing about a coffee stand at the high school.
There he is again. I thought you weren't going to converse with "gutless wonders" any more Mr. Franklin. Which meet your gutless definition Dave, the pro or anti coffee people?
Yep Mr. Bendel there's your citizen that supports putting divisiveness behind us.
#1 When someone challenges free speech that our forefathers fought so hard for us to have and that same person criticizes a person who exercises that same right, what does that say about you?
#2 Is anyone forcing you to type in the html address of Elaine's blog and forcing you to read it?
Now why would Franklin be so quick to marginalizing Elaine and her blog? Hmmmm. He surely didn't chime in here to debate about coffee in the high school.
CA restricts sale of beverages not to include habit forming caffeinated drinks and they go further to require that communities review contracts with companies to ensure “opportunities should be given to parents, pupils, and community members to review food and beverage contracts to ensure that items sold on campus provide nutritious sustenance to pupils, promote good health, help pupils learn, provide energy, and model fit living for life”
I just wanted to comment briefly on my observations about the posters who are always attacking Elaine for hating Mt. Lebanon and for not having anything positive to say, and if she doesn't like it here to move, or at least move into her cellar is she doesn't like AR-15 assault weapons being shot next to her home.
It appears to me that the people attacking Elaine personally for being negative are always the residents who oppose Elaine's positions; i.e. they are pro-toxic turf and pro-cull, etc. So I believe the purpose of their personal attacks on Elaine is to try to damage her credibility, and in doing so to damage her position on the issues that she supports.
I think the inherent purpose of this kind of community news blog is to get behind the spin and propaganda (to pull the curtain back), and to inform Mt. Lebanon residents what's really going on in the municipality and in the school district, i.e. how their taxes are being used, and to raise topics of interest for discussion. It's a forum where residents can connect with each other and express their opinions on these issues. There is no other forum that serves this purpose. If you submit any criticism about the Municipality to the Mt. Lebanon Magazine, it won't get published, or post a complaint on Mt. Lebanon's Facebook page, it will get deleted. All criticism is censored. If you call and complain typically nothing will get done and you are treated rudely. There is no way for residents to get the real news or be able to connect with each other on issues. This blog has also evolved into a bipartisan forum and movement to oppose the toxic turf and deer culling programs. So the blog is what it is. If you don't like it don't read it.
These residents attacking Elaine are not being forced to read her blog and so why do they - some apparently religiously. So there must be something of interest that keeps them coming back to her blog.
I didn't see any of these self-righteous loving Mt. Lebanon right-or-wrong complainers helping Elaine clean up the parks after the killing corrals were torn down.
BTW, when you watch the local news, how much of the news is dedicated to covering everything positive happening in Pgh. Most of the news reported is about problems and controversial issues. The local news basically reports that days murders. So complain to them, and tell them to move.
Bottom line, if you don't like Elaine's blog or the issues and content discussed on her blog, please stop reading it, and attacking Elaine about her blog. No one is forcing you to read her blog.
To all the pro coffee in the high school, why do you suppose the states in 11:07 comment rule against caffeine drinks in schools?
I'm of the mind that it's not a good idea to provide adolescents with another caffeine source, so please show me why you think it is a good idea.
This isn't a fight, as Franklin wants to believe, it is a civil debate.
Will anyone storm the high school over coffee, probably not. Will people sneak into the food court with SuperSoakers loaded with natural fruit juices and spay them around the coffee machines... highly unlikely.
Does anyone recall the name of the gentleman who lives near the HS Stadium and lamented the extent to which the stadium lights are now in use to both the commission and the school board? He also expressed concern about sleep deprivation among students who attend very early morning sports practices. Likewise, there are students who attend very late evening practices.
Can't remember his name 11:17, but Fraasch, Silhol, and Hart were on the school board at that time. There was a debate about putting in new stadium lights which we can thank Hart for finding a supplier that did the job for about half of what was initially proposed.
11:17 AM, yes I do. He has also complained understandably that noisy refuse pick-up at the high school can be as early as 4:30 AM when entire dumpsters, not just trash barrels are being handled, Stadium lights were typically left on all night, and some practices went until 11:00 PM.
Yeah, I know him well, lives on Lebanon Ave., a real nice guy.
This may be your guy 11:17. http://www.thealmanac.net/article/20141022/OPINION02/141029998
Something in the Almanac article piqued my curiosity. Is it wise to make caffeine available to young athletes whose heart rates are already elevated by early morning practices. I'm not a doctor, but it doesn't seem wise to pile on a stimulant/diuretic on a young body that needs to replenish liquids and wind down.
Any pediatricians out there reading that would like to chime in?
I don't really care, but I don't think it's a good idea for a high school to introduce kids to addictive stimulants (drugs). Most parents are against cocaine and speed, and caffeine is in the same category of stimulants, but to a much lesser degree. Posters are saying that kids are tired and run down, or sleep deprived, or they need to cram for a test, and so they need a cup of stimulant. That's training them for taking a hit of speed in college to cram for a test, etc. If they want to get coffee on their own outside of school fine, but I don't think the high school should be the drug pusher, i.e. caffeine is basically a legal drug.
Remember the DRUG FREE ZONE signs around the high school? We don't have drugs in the high school unless you look in the kids' lockers.
What we need is an unannounced dog sniffing of lockers to root out the drugs in the high school. The last time we tried this the dog sniffing was announced a month ahead of time and all the stashes disappeared.
Board Policy says those caught with drugs can be forever expelled but the PTA never brings it up. My guess is the parents lobbied for coffee.
I doubt that the parents didn't lobby for coffee. I'm guessing the students/teachers/administration said it'd be nice a that the philosophy is to make the cafeteria like some sort of mall food court or student center experience. Has nothing to do with education of nutrition. I'm wondering how the Baby Boomers ever got through k-12 on a carton of milk and water from a fountain.
There has been drugs at rhe Middle Schools and High School for a long time. My oldest graduated in 2005. It was known that that class was the worse class for drugs. I remember 2 kids arrested in rhe Main Park shooting up herion. One kid from Mellon was involved with smoking pot, who then moved on to the hard drugs at that time. Drug activity has always been swept under the rug. This is nothing new.
I'm not quite sure what to make of the conversation regarding drugs and stoned kids walking the halls of the high school. Is the suggestion that since drugs are already there, Supplying them with coffee is no big deal. Or maybe the plan is that if we satiate their 'munchies' with mocha lattes they won't overdose on Fritos and Ho Hos.
I contacted Mr. Lebowitz and Dr. Steinhauer concerning coffee sales, as two out of three of my kids had no recollection of either coffee or tea being sold in the high school when they were there (my youngest lives in Hawai'i and I haven't heard back from her as yet).
Dr. Steinhauer confirms that, yes, Caribou Coffee will be sold. He also wrote, "There are dispensary canisters of coffee available to staff and students throughout most of the day." He said that he believes tea is also available. I asked if coffee had been available in the past, and he said, "I’m not sure what brand of coffee was previously made available." That's not exactly a "yes," but I suppose one could take it that way.
Dr. Steinhauer pointed out that both students and staff will be able to purchase an assortment of items, "including fruit juices, milk, water, coffee, and grab-and-go foods. All sales from the cafeteria must meet the federal regulations.
Caribou Coffee bills itself as "...the first major coffeehouse to serve 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee and espresso." Whether that had anything to do with Caribou being introduced into the high school I can't say; other than it wouldn't surprise me.
Now for me, if I'm going to drink pricy coffee I prefer Kona. Not only is it "sustainable," but it has the additional advantage of being totally grown in the USA - on the "Big Island" of Hawai'i.
I didn't expect to raise my children in a community that is constantly finding loopholes in order to promote unhealthy or hazardous situations.
So, I am moving. In order to ensure I don't find the same situation in my new home, I wrote to the new district about caffeinated beverages being served in the schools. The director of food services wrote back and sent me a copy of the wellness policy. She also wrote this (and please make a note of the phrase "go above and beyond").
Good Evening X,
Coffee and soft drinks are not sold to students during the school day. I have attached are current school wellness policy. Our standards go above and beyond those of the USDA. Feel free to reach out with any further questions. I wish you well in your move to X schools. My children attend X schools and we have been pleased.
Mt Lebanon's wellness policy has not been updated since 2006 and I can tell you that it is not "top of mind" for teachers and administrative staff. In other words, if you ask them questions about any of the topics covered by the policy, they either a) don't know what you are talking about and/or b) state that they can do what they want despite the written wellness policy.
If one inquires with Mt Lebanon's director of food services to help explain some aspects of the wellness policy that conflict with practice, she refuses to answer questions and states "that's going to be revised"... "by a committee" but she won't spill the who, when, what, where or why details.
The way people both answer questions and handle parents has a really other worldly quality to it.
If I am recalling correctly, I believe that Mt. Lebanon does have a wellness policy and that Sue Rose was on the policy committee at the time of its drafting.
Coffee was not sold to the students at the high school when my children attended from 2001-2012.
"So now in the markets we are operating, we have a great opportunity to leverage a loyalty program and high levels of engagement with digital platforms and mobile phones, because we're playing in the region where our brand is well understood and accepted. We don't have to spend time on the functional aspects, we can spend time on the lifestyle aspects of the brand. It's an opportunity to play from a level of strength, rather than a position of playing, 'Hey, we're the little guy and we have to go fight Goliath.' It's an area that's a lot more balanced for us."
And what audience is more heavily involved in digital platforms and mobile phones... nah, couldn't be high school kids could it?
Hook 'em while they're young and impressionable, right Caribou?!
I sent an email to the school board and copied Steinhauer about this. I asked if the school board voted and approved serving coffee to high school students and if so, how does this fit with their wellness policy. If I get a response, I will post. Elaine
I heard back from President Larry Lebowitz concerning coffee being served at the high school. Elaine
"Hi Elaine--thanks for the note. I checked with Dr. Steinhauer and confirmed that coffee is permissible (as it must be for us to serve it) under USDA guidelines. In that same regard, and because it complies with USDA guidelines, the Board does not vote on offering coffee or any other individual menu item. Finally, there is also no conflict with the District's Wellness policy. Have a good day. Larry (for the Board)"
From the U.S. Food & Drug administration (3/2013)— http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm350570.
"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that, in response to a trend in which caffeine is being added to a growing number of products, the agency will investigate the safety of caffeine in food products, particularly its effects on children and adolescents. Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine at FDA, answers questions about his concerns and possible FDA actions.
Q: The announcement comes just as Wrigley's (a subsidiary of Mars) is promoting a new pack of gum with eight pieces, each containing as much caffeine as half a cup of coffee. Is the timing coincidental?
A: The gum is just one more unfortunate example of the trend to add caffeine to food. Our concern is about caffeine appearing in a range of new products, including ones that may be attractive and readily available to children and adolescents, without careful consideration of their cumulative impact.
One pack of this gum is like having four cups of coffee in your pocket. Caffeine is even being added to jelly beans, marshmallows, sunflower seeds and other snacks for its stimulant effect.
Meanwhile, "energy drinks" with caffeine are being aggressively marketed, including to young people. An instant oatmeal on the market boasts that one serving has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, and then there are similar products, such as a so-called "wired" waffle and "wired" syrup with added caffeine.
The proliferation of these products in the marketplace is very disturbing to us."
"Q. What is currently considered a safe amount of daily caffeine? A. For healthy adults FDA has cited 400 milligrams a day—that's about four or five cups of coffee—as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects. FDA has not set a level for children, but the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the consumption of caffeine and other stimulants by children and adolescents. We need to continue to look at what are acceptable levels.
We're particularly concerned about children and adolescents and the responsibility FDA and the food industry have to protect public health and respect social norms that suggest we shouldn't be marketing stimulants, such as caffeine, to our children."
So the pertinent question is NOT "can we serve coffee to high schoolers," but rather "SHOULD WE MAKE COFFEE AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOLERS?"!
"The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the consumption of caffeine by children and adolescents," so we'll ignore that advice and listen to the Superintendent.
But hey Lebo, they're your kids. You want them to be tempted by peer pressure and convenient access to consume caffeine, that's your problem.
I was driving on Cochran thinking about this coffee issue, and a Red Bull truck is pulling out of the Dollar General as kids are walking home from school.
MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) — For today’s kids, caffeine in coffee, soda and energy drinks is easier to get than ever before, a new U.S. government study finds.
Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that children and teens are now getting less caffeine from soda, but more from caffeine-heavy energy drinks and coffee.
“You might expect that caffeine intake decreased, since so much of the caffeine kids drink comes from soda,” said the study’s lead author, Amy Branum, a statistician at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. “But what we saw is that these decreases in soda were offset by increases in coffee and energy drinks.”
Although energy drinks remain a small portion of the caffeine children consume, at about 6 percent, five years ago they weren’t even on anyone’s radar, Branum said.
“In a very short time, they have gone from basically contributing nothing to 6 percent of total caffeine intake,” she said.
Energy drinks have more caffeine than soda, Branum said. “That’s their claim to fame,” she said. “That’s what they’re marketed for.”
Scientists don’t yet understand the effects of excessive caffeine intake on kids, Branum said. “The biggest concern is that there are a lot of questions about how much is too much, and what the adverse effects are,” she said.
The report was published Feb. 10 in the online edition of the journal Pediatrics.
Using data from the 1999 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Branum’s team estimated that 73 percent of American children consume some level of caffeine each day.
Although much of their caffeine still comes from soda, the proportion has decreased from 62 percent to 38 percent. At the same time, the amount of caffeine kids get from coffee rose from 10 percent in 2000 to 24 percent in 2010, the researchers found.
One expert agreed that all this caffeine intake by children is worrisome. Dr. Marielys Rodriguez Varela, a pediatrician at Miami Children’s Hospital, said caffeine’s potential effects include a rapid heart beat, high blood pressure and anxiety.
Varela said she is also concerned about how much the added sugar in coffee, soda and energy drinks will contribute to obesity. “You create a habit that will be difficult to cut off,” she said. “It’s not just caffeine, but all the side effects that come along with it.”
“Caffeine doesn’t have a place in the diet of any child or adolescent,” Varela said, echoing policies set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Instead of caffeinated drinks, children should drink water and moderate amounts of juice.
If they need extra energy, they can always get a boost from exercise. “Children should focus on healthy habits, not supplements that don’t make us healthier,” Varela said.
More information
For more information on caffeine, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
We all have things that are important to us. Things that we worry about. Things that we couldn't care less about. I have plenty of things that I am unhappy about when it comes to my child's education, his school, the Administration, the School Board. I work every day to make things better for him. Oh how I wish some of you who are so outraged at the high school cafeteria apparently continuing to sell coffee would put that outrage towards fighting against over-testing, narrowing of the curriculum, less than impressive mathematics instruction, etc., etc., As someone mentioned earlier - if you don't want your kids to drink coffee in the high school cafeteria - tell them they are not permitted to drink it. Does anyone know how many of the kids actually purchase coffee in the high school cafeteria? Maybe it's not a very large number of students. But with so many negatively impactful changes to our kids' education happening - the outrage over a cup of coffee seems a bit over the top to me. And certainly a true cake-eater, #firstworldproblem. Some parents would love if the biggest problem their kids face on a daily basis in high school is their exposure to a cup of coffee. I have plenty of things I could complain to the Board about - and I do. Caribou coffee in the cafeteria is not something I'm about to waste my time, energy or political capital complaining about. Sorry, Elaine. I have to disagree with you on this issue.
Saint E.T., I would love to see you live in a city with real problems that need to be addressed. Take a trip beyond the three rivers to see homelessness, poverty, gangs, kids going to bed hungry. If deer, coffee and turf are the biggest concerns you have to face in life, your fortunate. Just shows how cray cray people on this "blog" really are.
Well Elaine, the easy way to figure out if many support Caribou Coffee being dispense in the high school is too count how many parents object at the next school board meeting and deduct that number from the total number of Mt. Lebanon parents.
3:13 AM, I suppose. Another way would be to count the number of parents who comment, in support of serving coffee and subtract it from the number of Mt. Lebanon parents. Or we can have Barbara Logan do a survey which would show the percentage of parents in favor of coffee being served to high school students.
11:03 PM, I have written about kids dying here from drug overdoses. I have written about pedestrians being hit or killed by drivers in Mt. Lebanon. I have written how newcomers were being unfairly targeted and having to move because they couldn't afford to live here. I have written about how ineffective our overpaid superintendent is. I have written about how our PIO likes to spin Mt. Lebanon news. I have written about how our First Amendment Rights have been violated. I have written how our school district finance director plays games with the budget. I have started Dress 4 Work, which helps the unemployed look their best for job interviews.
Keep knocking the blog, 11:03 PM. You sound threatened. I must be doing something right. Elaine
71 comments:
I'm finally up to date with the school board meeting podcasts on lebocitizens.com.
I still need to update the change order list. Thanks for your patience.
Elaine
Now they'll be able to 'grind' that much faster at the school dances.
http://m.livescience.com/36164-caffeine-bad-kids.html
"Dr. Matthew Keefer, General Pediatrician at Children's Hospital Los Angeles
I would say at best it's no harm, at worse, it can cause a lot of side effects that aren't necessary. Certainly, young children don't need any caffeine at all. If an older child has a cup of coffee or a soda every once and a while it's not a big deal.
But when it comes to energy drinks, there's no role for them in pediatrics. If you're using these for working out or to enhance athletic promise, it's not a drug for that.
What happens is some kids use them in replacement of good hydration, which is worse. Caffeine can cause you to lose more water.
We do use caffeine in young infants if they're having trouble remembering to breathe. Occasionally it's used for some people with migraine headaches, but beyond that, there's no medical use really.
There's a reason why caffeine in the form of coffee is one of the highly subsidized corporate perks. It keeps people alert and working. But it's a problem if you're talking about teenagers who need a lot of sleep. They probably need a good 8 plus or 10 hours a night, and teenagers as whole tend to get a lot less sleep. Many use caffeine to stay awake, and using a drug to make up for a deficit and it isn't good."
But, we'll be able to fill more game slots at the "crown jewel" because the kids will be up all night!
I have to ask....is there anything in this community that you do approve of? It is not possible for disagree with everything! This is no different then buying tea or soda (actually better for them then soda).
12:07 I have to ask...do you ever think?
Why when kids drink huge amounts of sugary soft drinks and run to Starbucks at the drop of a hat, would you add a caffeine and sugar drink to their daily routine?
Please tell us all how Carribou Coffee is better for them?
Times have changed. Teenagers drink coffee. And good tasting coffee at that! I used to complain about the crappy cafeteria coffee we had in college. And my sister said, "At least you had that! We drank coffee that came from a vending machine!" I highly doubt the Lebo H.S. kids drinking a cup of coffee during the day are going to start having massive health problems because of it. I hear their schedules are so tight. I doubt they'll be grabbing a cup between every class. Enjoy, kiddos.
From the federal governments National Institute on Drug Addiction.
http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/latest-science/adolescent-caffeine-use-cocaine-sensitivity
I guess there is some truth, 12:07, in the phrase "Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding everything you see."
Apparently 12:07 you have no intention of heeding Bendel's advice to put the divisiness behind us.
Some logic... "times change."
Oh OK, marijuana is now being legalized across the country.
Guess due to changing times, we can look forward to kids walking the halls stoned sometime soon.
Yes, times do change. We had a smoking section at Mt. Lebanon High School so that students wouldn't smoke in the bathrooms or on the street corners. We weren't allowed to have soda machines. I'm glad to see that things are moving in the right direction. Let's bring back the smoking section too. With kids' schedules being so tight, there is little time to grab a smoke.
Elaine
The gold standard for school nutrition was created in 2007 by a committee organized by the Institute of Medicine. Adherence to the recommended standards has been analyzed across the country. As a state, Pennsylvania is one of the least adherent to the standards.
In their comprehensive report, "Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools", the IOM committee "did not support the sale of caffeinated products to school-age children because of the potential for negative effects, including shakiness, headaches, and other symptoms of dependency and withdrawal that could disrupt their abilities to concentrate and learn. They recognize that some products that do not meet the minimal amount, such as chocolate milk, contain naturally occurring trace amounts of caffeine and those items are permissible".
12:35, I agree that a high schoolers having a coffee or two during the day isn't a big problem. It's no big deal.
But let's look at the overall picture. The Kid arrives at schoonearly and grabs a Caribou Coffee.
Then grabs a mocha latte for lunch.
Afternoon they go to their sports practice and hydrates with a caffiene laden Gatorade.
Then they come home, wash down dinner perhaps with a soft drink.
Then it's off to the Galleria to socialize with friends at Starbucks or take in a movie with a 32 oz cola.
Still want to tell the kiddie to enjoy?
I'm curious is the Caribbou Coffee for the kids or for the bottom line of food services?
Do they make a profit on the coffee?
Is it in the same range as the profit on the regular food items?
Since the field sign ordnance has been passed will we see advertising through out the school and athletic facilities promoting Caribbou Coffee?
Is the order of the day "Just Do It" with no thought given to whether doing it is a good idea or not?
I find it funny the same group who wants less government control, spending, oversight is the same group that complains when the government implements something that is 100% a choice. Our education system in this country is not lagging because of caffeine in schools. Take a step back and look at the big picture. Parents need to teach their kids responsibility. If you as a parent do not want this then teach your kids. Are you against ice cream sales on Friday afternoon at elementary schools? What next will take the ire of your eyes? Again, I have to ask, does this community do anything right in your eyes?
There is usually some benefit associated with a deal like this. Perhaps it is free coffee machines for teachers' lounges. Or free Caribou K-cups.
When we had the smoking section, Coca Cola offered to put in a scoreboard for free, had the school district permitted pop machines in the school. Instead, the school district banned candy sales, but kept the smoking section.
In recent years, weren't regular sodas banned, but diet sodas were permitted? Has that changed too?
Elaine
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.12594/full
3:54 oversimplifying as usual.
No one is suggesting that the government should control kids caffeine intake.
The issue is whether the government should provide one more source for something the kids really don't really need and some "experts" say might be bad for them in large amounts.
Suggest you open up the link in the comment at 12:36 regarding caffeine and adolescents.
You might learn something if you can move beyond trying to fight with people.
I am a fan of this blog. I was against the cull. I think the turf deal is shady and horrible for this community and our kids. But good Lord - high school kids drinking a cup of coffee during the day is not going to keep me awake at night (pardon the pun). I love the comparison of a cup of coffee to legalized marijuana. Stretch much? And 3:35pm - with a diet like that - I'd blame the parents for allowing their child to develop such awful habits. And Elaine - while the old smoking section still amazes me to this day - if my memory serves me correctly, the under 18 law wasn't in effect then. So while a really bad idea -it wasn't illegal for kids to be smoking back in those days. Last I checked - coffee is still legal. And of course someone is making money off of this deal. Seriously Elaine - love you but in my opinion the outrage expressed on this thread seems silly at this point. With everything else we should we worrying about going on up at the high school (drugs)....we're all going to freak out about coffee?
1:08pm. Have you read about the drug problems in this community and up at the high school? Clearly not. I'm betting there are quite a few stoned kids already walking the hallways.
3:35 - "Afternoon they go to their sports practice and hydrates with a caffiene laden Gatorade."
There is no caffeine in Gatorade products. They explicitly state this on their website.
4:36 can you not read, can you not comprehend.
No one compared pot to coffee!
The comment refer to "times change."
It was a comment that pot is being legalized across the country. In fact it's being debated whether to legalize right here in Pennsylvania. If it is... can we expect to see it being sold in the cafeteria?
To 4:39, yes I am fully aware of the drug problem and yes, no doubt there are kids stoned in the hallway and I've heard rumors that there are kids pushing drugs in the hallways.
So what is your point 4:39? Do you have one? Do you want me to look the other way or what?
I suggest you open the link provided by 12:36 from the Federal Government National Institute. The claims within are from doctors and pediatricians, surely experts more knowledgable on the subject than you or I.
I don't think anyone is "freaking" out about coffee sales at the high school. In reading this, I think there is an exchange of idea, pro/con, coupled with some links to literature.
I heard the coffee isnt cheap.. This isnt your $1 cup that drops from the vending machine .. My HS student says the new cafeteria is nice but unnecessary and way over the top.
Yes, you are correct 5:15 and I stand corrected.
I lumped energy drinks (which I know slot of our young athletes use) under the Gatorade label.
Much like using we use Xerox to describe a copy.
My bad.
But apparently the sports companies are noticing the consumption of energy drinks among athletes.
http://running.competitor.com/2013/12/nutrition/energy-drinks-vs-sports-drinks_26671
5:45 exactly, no one is freaking out. Some of us just wonder if it's a good idea.
Based on info like the following.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.12594/full
The above is an editorial from "Addiction" magazine.
"Marketing tactics for caffeinated products targeting youth appear as egregious as previously admonished practices of the tobacco and alcohol industries. As researchers we should move more quickly to understand more clearly the impact of caffeine products on youth health and behavior. In the meantime, initiation of actions (e.g. mandatory labeling, retail and marketing restrictions, educational campaigns) [5] to curtail and counter marketing promotions that promise our youth a better life through caffeine would appear the responsible thing to do. We should not worry—no one is going to take away our Joe.""
http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/latest-science/adolescent-caffeine-use-cocaine-sensitivity
From the Federal National Institute on Drug Addiction.
"In a new study, rats that were treated with caffeine in adolescence showed an increased sensitivity to cocaine as adults that was associated with altered dopamine signaling in brain reward pathway involved in addiction. These changes were not seen in animals that were given caffeine as adults. These results highlight that adolescent brains are still developing and can be impacted by substances in ways that are different from fully developed adult brains. Caffeine use by adolescents may prime the still developing brain for later use of other illicit drugs."
Did you catch that last sentence, 4:39?
Mr. or Ms. 5:30pm. I highly doubt if pot becomes legal in this state that it will be legally sold to minors in a school cafeteria. But let me check and see if I can find a link from an expert so you can relax a little bit.
6:39 don't bother.
I highly doubt it too.
It was a little sarcasm directed at the "times change" argument for putting coffee in the school cafeteria.
I could have just as easily said "tattooing" is trendy, should we put it into the art curriculum.
Get the point now.
It is tragic though that Elaine's piss and vinegar attitude about all things Mt. Lebanon has complete strangers arguing about a coffee stand at the high school.
Dave Franklin
Let the kids have Coffee,, with all the classes and activities needed woo the right college, these kids are very very sleep deprived...
Wow, Dave. All that from my shortest post of all time. I'm flattered.
Elaine
There he is again.
I thought you weren't going to converse with "gutless wonders" any more Mr. Franklin. Which meet your gutless definition Dave, the pro or anti coffee people?
Yep Mr. Bendel there's your citizen that supports putting divisiveness behind us.
Mr. Franklin, 2 things:
#1 When someone challenges free speech that our forefathers fought so hard for us to have and that same person criticizes a person who exercises that same right, what does that say about you?
#2 Is anyone forcing you to type in the html address of Elaine's blog and forcing you to read it?
Nick M.
I hear piss and vinegar got the deer cull stopped--literally and figuratively.
- Jason M.
Now why would Franklin be so quick to marginalizing Elaine and her blog? Hmmmm.
He surely didn't chime in here to debate about coffee in the high school.
CT bans sale of coffee to students in schools
http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/lib/sde/PDF/DEPS/Nutrition/HFC/HF_Q&A.pdf
SC bans sale of coffee to students in schools
http://www.ed.sc.gov/agency/stateboard/documents/168.pdf
WV bans sale of coffee to students in schools
http://apps.sos.wv.gov/adlaw/csr/readfile.aspx?DocId=26170&Format=PDF
Hawaii bans sale of coffee to students in schools
http://www.hawaiipublicschools.org/TeachingAndLearning/HealthAndNutrition/NutritionStandards/Pages/home.aspx
Vermont restricts sales of beverages to include bottled water, fruit/vegetable juice, low or non-fat white/flavored milk, drinkable yogurt
http://healthvermont.gov/admin/legislature/documents/SchoolNutritionGuidelines_legrpt011509.pdf
CA restricts sale of beverages not to include habit forming caffeinated drinks and they go further to require that communities review contracts with companies to ensure “opportunities should be given to parents, pupils, and community members to review food and beverage contracts to ensure that items sold on campus provide nutritious sustenance to pupils, promote good health, help pupils learn, provide energy, and model fit living for life”
http://law.onecle.com/california/education/49431.5.html
MA bans sale of coffee to students in schools
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/docs/dph/mass-in-motion/school-nutrition-guide.pdf
Etcetera, etcetera
I just wanted to comment briefly on my observations about the posters who are always attacking Elaine for hating Mt. Lebanon and for not having anything positive to say, and if she doesn't like it here to move, or at least move into her cellar is she doesn't like AR-15 assault weapons being shot next to her home.
It appears to me that the people attacking Elaine personally for being negative are always the residents who oppose Elaine's positions; i.e. they are pro-toxic turf and pro-cull, etc. So I believe the purpose of their personal attacks on Elaine is to try to damage her credibility, and in doing so to damage her position on the issues that she supports.
I think the inherent purpose of this kind of community news blog is to get behind the spin and propaganda (to pull the curtain back), and to inform Mt. Lebanon residents what's really going on in the municipality and in the school district, i.e. how their taxes are being used, and to raise topics of interest for discussion. It's a forum where residents can connect with each other and express their opinions on these issues. There is no other forum that serves this purpose. If you submit any criticism about the Municipality to the Mt. Lebanon Magazine, it won't get published, or post a complaint on Mt. Lebanon's Facebook page, it will get deleted. All criticism is censored. If you call and complain typically nothing will get done and you are treated rudely. There is no way for residents to get the real news or be able to connect with each other on issues. This blog has also evolved into a bipartisan forum and movement to oppose the toxic turf and deer culling programs. So the blog is what it is. If you don't like it don't read it.
These residents attacking Elaine are not being forced to read her blog and so why do they - some apparently religiously. So there must be something of interest that keeps them coming back to her blog.
I didn't see any of these self-righteous loving Mt. Lebanon right-or-wrong complainers helping Elaine clean up the parks after the killing corrals were torn down.
BTW, when you watch the local news, how much of the news is dedicated to covering everything positive happening in Pgh. Most of the news reported is about problems and controversial issues. The local news basically reports that days murders. So complain to them, and tell them to move.
Bottom line, if you don't like Elaine's blog or the issues and content discussed on her blog, please stop reading it, and attacking Elaine about her blog. No one is forcing you to read her blog.
Just my 2 cents.
Gee, 11:07 I wonder where that reallebo girl that during the high school renovation debates implored the school board to be more like California is?
To all the pro coffee in the high school, why do you suppose the states in 11:07 comment rule against caffeine drinks in schools?
I'm of the mind that it's not a good idea to provide adolescents with another caffeine source, so please show me why you think it is a good idea.
This isn't a fight, as Franklin wants to believe, it is a civil debate.
Will anyone storm the high school over coffee, probably not. Will people sneak into the food court with SuperSoakers loaded with natural fruit juices and spay them around the coffee machines... highly unlikely.
Does anyone recall the name of the gentleman who lives near the HS Stadium and lamented the extent to which the stadium lights are now in use to both the commission and the school board? He also expressed concern about sleep deprivation among students who attend very early morning sports practices. Likewise, there are students who attend very late evening practices.
This is just the latest example of the poor judgment and decision making skills of those in power at the school district and municipality. I think they thought it would be "cool" to have coffee available in the new café. Sort of like being the cool parent who wants to be their kid's friend instead of their parent and authority figure. They don't care about the health effects of their decision or that other states have banned this practice. This will be a profit generator, I'm sure, so that is another plus for them. Does anyone know if any surrounding districts sell coffee to their students?
Can't remember his name 11:17, but Fraasch, Silhol, and Hart were on the school board at that time.
There was a debate about putting in new stadium lights which we can thank Hart for finding a supplier that did the job for about half of what was initially proposed.
http://news.yahoo.com/lights-australia-earth-hour-kicks-off-110059101.html
Speaking of lights. Why do we light the sliding board at the municipal pool all winter long?
Thought we were worried about global warming, PAYT and stuff.
11:17 AM, yes I do. He has also complained understandably that noisy refuse pick-up at the high school can be as early as 4:30 AM when entire dumpsters, not just trash barrels are being handled, Stadium lights were typically left on all night, and some practices went until 11:00 PM.
Yeah, I know him well, lives on Lebanon Ave., a real nice guy.
This may be your guy 11:17.
http://www.thealmanac.net/article/20141022/OPINION02/141029998
Something in the Almanac article piqued my curiosity.
Is it wise to make caffeine available to young athletes whose heart rates are already elevated by early morning practices.
I'm not a doctor, but it doesn't seem wise to pile on a stimulant/diuretic on a young body that needs to replenish liquids and wind down.
Any pediatricians out there reading that would like to chime in?
I believe it would be a vape area today ;)
I don't really care, but I don't think it's a good idea for a high school to introduce kids to addictive stimulants (drugs). Most parents are against cocaine and speed, and caffeine is in the same category of stimulants, but to a much lesser degree. Posters are saying that kids are tired and run down, or sleep deprived, or they need to cram for a test, and so they need a cup of stimulant. That's training them for taking a hit of speed in college to cram for a test, etc. If they want to get coffee on their own outside of school fine, but I don't think the high school should be the drug pusher, i.e. caffeine is basically a legal drug.
Remember the DRUG FREE ZONE signs around the high school? We don't have drugs in the high school unless you look in the kids' lockers.
What we need is an unannounced dog sniffing of lockers to root out the drugs in the high school. The last time we tried this the dog sniffing was announced a month ahead of time and all the stashes disappeared.
Board Policy says those caught with drugs can be forever expelled but the PTA never brings it up. My guess is the parents lobbied for coffee.
I doubt that the parents didn't lobby for coffee.
I'm guessing the students/teachers/administration said it'd be nice a that the philosophy is to make the cafeteria like some sort of mall food court or student center experience.
Has nothing to do with education of nutrition.
I'm wondering how the Baby Boomers ever got through k-12 on a carton of milk and water from a fountain.
This is:
1. marketing of non-nutritional beverage to children in a school setting
2. promotion of unhealthy habit forming substance
3. facilitation of brand loyalty to new consumers at a young age
4. provision of unapproved competitive beverage
during meal time
5. careless
There has been drugs at rhe Middle Schools and High School for a long time. My oldest graduated in 2005. It was known that that class was the worse class for drugs. I remember 2 kids arrested in rhe Main Park shooting up herion. One kid from Mellon was involved with smoking pot, who then moved on to the hard drugs at that time. Drug activity has always been swept under the rug. This is nothing new.
I'm not quite sure what to make of the conversation regarding drugs and stoned kids walking the halls of the high school.
Is the suggestion that since drugs are already there, Supplying them with coffee is no big deal.
Or maybe the plan is that if we satiate their 'munchies' with mocha lattes they won't overdose on Fritos and Ho Hos.
I contacted Mr. Lebowitz and Dr. Steinhauer concerning coffee sales, as two out of three of my kids had no recollection of either coffee or tea being sold in the high school when they were there (my youngest lives in Hawai'i and I haven't heard back from her as yet).
Dr. Steinhauer confirms that, yes, Caribou Coffee will be sold. He also wrote, "There are dispensary canisters of coffee available to staff and students throughout most of the day." He said that he believes tea is also available. I asked if coffee had been available in the past, and he said, "I’m not sure what brand of coffee was previously made available." That's not exactly a "yes," but I suppose one could take it that way.
Dr. Steinhauer pointed out that both students and staff will be able to purchase an assortment of items, "including fruit juices, milk, water, coffee, and grab-and-go foods. All sales from the cafeteria must meet the federal regulations.
Caribou Coffee bills itself as "...the first major coffeehouse to serve 100% Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee and espresso." Whether that had anything to do with Caribou being introduced into the high school I can't say; other than it wouldn't surprise me.
Now for me, if I'm going to drink pricy coffee I prefer Kona. Not only is it "sustainable," but it has the additional advantage of being totally grown in the USA - on the "Big Island" of Hawai'i.
I didn't expect to raise my children in a community that is constantly finding loopholes in order to promote unhealthy or hazardous situations.
So, I am moving. In order to ensure I don't find the same situation in my new home, I wrote to the new district about caffeinated beverages being served in the schools. The director of food services wrote back and sent me a copy of the wellness policy. She also wrote this (and please make a note of the phrase "go above and beyond").
Good Evening X,
Coffee and soft drinks are not sold to students during the school day. I have attached are current school wellness policy. Our standards go above and beyond those of the USDA. Feel free to reach out with any further questions. I wish you well in your move to X schools. My children attend X schools and we have been pleased.
Best,
XXX
Director of Food Service
Does Mt. Lebanon have a wellness policy?
Elaine
Funny that you ask, Elaine.
Mt Lebanon's wellness policy has not been updated since 2006 and I can tell you that it is not "top of mind" for teachers and administrative staff. In other words, if you ask them questions about any of the topics covered by the policy, they either a) don't know what you are talking about and/or b) state that they can do what they want despite the written wellness policy.
If one inquires with Mt Lebanon's director of food services to help explain some aspects of the wellness policy that conflict with practice, she refuses to answer questions and states "that's going to be revised"... "by a committee" but she won't spill the who, when, what, where or why details.
The way people both answer questions and handle parents has a really other worldly quality to it.
http://www.mtlsd.org/foodservices/stuff/jljschoolwellness.pdf
If I am recalling correctly, I believe that Mt. Lebanon does have a wellness policy and that Sue Rose was on the policy committee at the time of its drafting.
Coffee was not sold to the students at the high school when my children attended from 2001-2012.
Is Caribou Coffee using our high school and our students as shills as the first step in re-establishing the brand in the Pittsburgh market.
I hope our directors and administrators negotiated a good deal for us all by letting them associate with the Mt. Lebanon School District brand.
"Pittsburgh-area Caribou Coffee shops closing to make way for Peet's"
Post Gazette, September 9, 2013 12:00 AM
http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2013/09/09/Pittsburgh-area-Caribou-Coffee-shops-closing-to-make-way-for-Peet-s/stories/201309090179
http://adage.com/article/cmo-interviews/caribou-coffee-finds-silver-lining-store-closures/243656/
"So now in the markets we are operating, we have a great opportunity to leverage a loyalty program and high levels of engagement with digital platforms and mobile phones, because we're playing in the region where our brand is well understood and accepted. We don't have to spend time on the functional aspects, we can spend time on the lifestyle aspects of the brand. It's an opportunity to play from a level of strength, rather than a position of playing, 'Hey, we're the little guy and we have to go fight Goliath.' It's an area that's a lot more balanced for us."
And what audience is more heavily involved in digital platforms and mobile phones... nah, couldn't be high school kids could it?
Hook 'em while they're young and impressionable, right Caribou?!
I sent an email to the school board and copied Steinhauer about this. I asked if the school board voted and approved serving coffee to high school students and if so, how does this fit with their wellness policy. If I get a response, I will post.
Elaine
I heard back from President Larry Lebowitz concerning coffee being served at the high school.
Elaine
"Hi Elaine--thanks for the note. I checked with Dr. Steinhauer and confirmed that coffee is permissible (as it must be for us to serve it) under USDA guidelines. In that same regard, and because it complies with USDA guidelines, the Board does not vote on offering coffee or any other individual menu item. Finally, there is also no conflict with the District's Wellness policy. Have a good day. Larry (for the Board)"
From the U.S. Food & Drug administration (3/2013)—
http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm350570.
"The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that, in response to a trend in which caffeine is being added to a growing number of products, the agency will investigate the safety of caffeine in food products, particularly its effects on children and adolescents.
Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine at FDA, answers questions about his concerns and possible FDA actions.
Q: The announcement comes just as Wrigley's (a subsidiary of Mars) is promoting a new pack of gum with eight pieces, each containing as much caffeine as half a cup of coffee. Is the timing coincidental?
A: The gum is just one more unfortunate example of the trend to add caffeine to food. Our concern is about caffeine appearing in a range of new products, including ones that may be attractive and readily available to children and adolescents, without careful consideration of their cumulative impact.
One pack of this gum is like having four cups of coffee in your pocket. Caffeine is even being added to jelly beans, marshmallows, sunflower seeds and other snacks for its stimulant effect.
Meanwhile, "energy drinks" with caffeine are being aggressively marketed, including to young people. An instant oatmeal on the market boasts that one serving has as much caffeine as a cup of coffee, and then there are similar products, such as a so-called "wired" waffle and "wired" syrup with added caffeine.
The proliferation of these products in the marketplace is very disturbing to us."
"Q. What is currently considered a safe amount of daily caffeine?
A. For healthy adults FDA has cited 400 milligrams a day—that's about four or five cups of coffee—as an amount not generally associated with dangerous, negative effects. FDA has not set a level for children, but the American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the consumption of caffeine and other stimulants by children and adolescents. We need to continue to look at what are acceptable levels.
We're particularly concerned about children and adolescents and the responsibility FDA and the food industry have to protect public health and respect social norms that suggest we shouldn't be marketing stimulants, such as caffeine, to our children."
So the pertinent question is NOT "can we serve coffee to high schoolers," but rather "SHOULD WE MAKE COFFEE AVAILABLE TO HIGH SCHOOLERS?"!
"The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages the consumption of caffeine by children and adolescents," so we'll ignore that advice and listen to the Superintendent.
But hey Lebo, they're your kids. You want them to be tempted by peer pressure and convenient access to consume caffeine, that's your problem.
Cheers!
I was driving on Cochran thinking about this coffee issue, and a Red Bull truck is pulling out of the Dollar General as kids are walking home from school.
http://news.health.com/2014/02/11/energy-drinks-coffee-increasing-sources-of-caffeine-for-kids-cdc-says/
By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Feb. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) — For today’s kids, caffeine in coffee, soda and energy drinks is easier to get than ever before, a new U.S. government study finds.
Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that children and teens are now getting less caffeine from soda, but more from caffeine-heavy energy drinks and coffee.
“You might expect that caffeine intake decreased, since so much of the caffeine kids drink comes from soda,” said the study’s lead author, Amy Branum, a statistician at the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. “But what we saw is that these decreases in soda were offset by increases in coffee and energy drinks.”
Although energy drinks remain a small portion of the caffeine children consume, at about 6 percent, five years ago they weren’t even on anyone’s radar, Branum said.
“In a very short time, they have gone from basically contributing nothing to 6 percent of total caffeine intake,” she said.
Energy drinks have more caffeine than soda, Branum said. “That’s their claim to fame,” she said. “That’s what they’re marketed for.”
Scientists don’t yet understand the effects of excessive caffeine intake on kids, Branum said. “The biggest concern is that there are a lot of questions about how much is too much, and what the adverse effects are,” she said.
The report was published Feb. 10 in the online edition of the journal Pediatrics.
Using data from the 1999 to 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Branum’s team estimated that 73 percent of American children consume some level of caffeine each day.
Although much of their caffeine still comes from soda, the proportion has decreased from 62 percent to 38 percent. At the same time, the amount of caffeine kids get from coffee rose from 10 percent in 2000 to 24 percent in 2010, the researchers found.
One expert agreed that all this caffeine intake by children is worrisome. Dr. Marielys Rodriguez Varela, a pediatrician at Miami Children’s Hospital, said caffeine’s potential effects include a rapid heart beat, high blood pressure and anxiety.
Varela said she is also concerned about how much the added sugar in coffee, soda and energy drinks will contribute to obesity. “You create a habit that will be difficult to cut off,” she said. “It’s not just caffeine, but all the side effects that come along with it.”
“Caffeine doesn’t have a place in the diet of any child or adolescent,” Varela said, echoing policies set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Instead of caffeinated drinks, children should drink water and moderate amounts of juice.
If they need extra energy, they can always get a boost from exercise. “Children should focus on healthy habits, not supplements that don’t make us healthier,” Varela said.
More information
For more information on caffeine, visit the U.S. National Library of Medicine.
http://m.kidshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/caffeine.html
Are these links being sent to the school board? Is there a plan to start a petition? Anyone going to complain at a school board meeting?
Elaine
We all have things that are important to us. Things that we worry about. Things that we couldn't care less about. I have plenty of things that I am unhappy about when it comes to my child's education, his school, the Administration, the School Board. I work every day to make things better for him. Oh how I wish some of you who are so outraged at the high school cafeteria apparently continuing to sell coffee would put that outrage towards fighting against over-testing, narrowing of the curriculum, less than impressive mathematics instruction, etc., etc., As someone mentioned earlier - if you don't want your kids to drink coffee in the high school cafeteria - tell them they are not permitted to drink it. Does anyone know how many of the kids actually purchase coffee in the high school cafeteria? Maybe it's not a very large number of students. But with so many negatively impactful changes to our kids' education happening - the outrage over a cup of coffee seems a bit over the top to me. And certainly a true cake-eater, #firstworldproblem. Some parents would love if the biggest problem their kids face on a daily basis in high school is their exposure to a cup of coffee. I have plenty of things I could complain to the Board about - and I do. Caribou coffee in the cafeteria is not something I'm about to waste my time, energy or political capital complaining about. Sorry, Elaine. I have to disagree with you on this issue.
Elaine@7:34.
Lebowitz said to have a nice day.
Saint E.T.,
I would love to see you live in a city with real problems that need to be addressed. Take a trip beyond the three rivers to see homelessness, poverty, gangs, kids going to bed hungry. If deer, coffee and turf are the biggest concerns you have to face in life, your fortunate. Just shows how cray cray people on this "blog" really are.
9:00 that is your prerogative and apparently many agree with you.
Many, 11:29 PM? How many? 400-500? 400-600? Thousands? Is it evenly divided? Did the survey show 95%? Overwhelming majority?
Elaine
Well Elaine, the easy way to figure out if many support Caribou Coffee being dispense in the high school is too count how many parents object at the next school board meeting and deduct that number from the total number of Mt. Lebanon parents.
3:13 AM, I suppose. Another way would be to count the number of parents who comment, in support of serving coffee and subtract it from the number of Mt. Lebanon parents. Or we can have Barbara Logan do a survey which would show the percentage of parents in favor of coffee being served to high school students.
11:03 PM, I have written about kids dying here from drug overdoses. I have written about pedestrians being hit or killed by drivers in Mt. Lebanon. I have written how newcomers were being unfairly targeted and having to move because they couldn't afford to live here. I have written about how ineffective our overpaid superintendent is. I have written about how our PIO likes to spin Mt. Lebanon news. I have written about how our First Amendment Rights have been violated. I have written how our school district finance director plays games with the budget. I have started Dress 4 Work, which helps the unemployed look their best for job interviews.
Keep knocking the blog, 11:03 PM. You sound threatened. I must be doing something right.
Elaine
"Saint E.T."
Commissioner Bendel, apparently there are some residents that just don't get your appeal to put the "divisiness" behind us.
Are you going to stand behind your position or are you going to actually do something constructive to put and end to the bickering?
You want to be a leader, then get off your duff and show us the way.
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