Implementing the new Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act that was put into place July 1 of this year, the vending machines have been eradicated of junk food and lunches have been reconstructed.

While the district has been making conscious strides in trying to become healthier, our school is lagging behind. Despite the changes in the food in the commons, there is still plenty of candy and junk food circulating the hallways — and a lot of it is being sold by school-sanctioned organizations.
Unfortunately, even though many school officials have been well-informed about the policy, it is being ignored in certain parts of the building. And it’s bad enough that chips and candy are being sold in a wellness zone; it’s worse that we’re being sent contradicting messages by the people who are supposed to be educating us.
Being an adult comes with certain responsibilities, especially if you happen to be working with kids. Whether people care to admit it or not, what students see around school does affect them. So when students see teachers blatantly disregarding a policy while principals are well aware of this infringement, what are we to learn?
Should we take away that turning a blind eye on actions in violation of laws is appropriate behavior? Or should we stand up for what is right?
Understandably, we’re not talking about some life-threatening issue; nevertheless, the same principles apply. When is it OK to stand by the regulations, and when is it OK to ignore them?
As students, it’s frustrating to always be told to do what is right, no matter the consequences, especially when we are inundated with examples throughout society where what is popular often trumps what is right. What is shocking, though, is that our school is now a prime example of that hypocrisy.
When this noncompliance with the wellness act was brought to the attention of officials of our school, the response was astounding. It varied from pleading ignorance to claiming to be well-informed and choosing to do absolutely nothing about it. It seemed the only interest to fix the violation came when a hefty fine and loss of funding was mentioned. Until that, it seemed as if the school was content in its continued hypocrisy.
Unless the staff decides to firmly implement the rules, then this school will remain not only in violation of the new wellness policy, but will also sink in its own hypocrisy.
The school is further expressing that it is OK to ignore rules and turn a blind eye on something just because it may not be the popular decision.
The big question is, should we do what is right, or what is easy? That’s a question that we will have to encounter and answer for ourselves the rest of their lives. We, as students, will continue to model what we see until we get to a point in our own adult lives of trusting our own judgement.
Don’t let us see the adults in our lives do what is easy; show us what is right.