Schools cope with loss of soda dollars

WASHINGTON – Removing sugary sodas from San Fernando High School’s vending machines is squeezing wallets as well as waistlines.

Fewer sales have meant less money for school activities. The school has raised ticket prices for concerts, increased concession charges at sporting events and held more car washes to make up the difference.

Contracts with soda suppliers funnel thousands of dollars every year to schools. The money is used to pay for field trips, sporting equipment and classroom supplies. So while health advocates applaud the decision earlier this month by soft drink makers to voluntarily restrict the on-campus sale of full-calorie drinks nationwide, school administrators are bracing for belt-tightening.

“We’ve had to make adjustments,” said San Fernando High’s Principal Jose Luis Rodriguez, who estimates the 4,600-student school has lost about $30,000 a year since the Los Angeles Unified School District began restricting soda sales several years ago. Under the agreement between the American Beverage Association and a foundation headed by former President Bill Clinton, the industry will sell only water, unsweetened juices and low-fat or nonfat milk in elementary and middle schools. Diet sodas and sports drinks also will be available in high schools.

The new rules would take effect when existing contracts come up for renewal. Soda bottlers often provide schools thousands of dollars annually over several years in exchange for the right to sell their products exclusively on campus.