In efforts to improve our school, we analyzed, scrutinized, and restructured every aspect except food service. That was off limits to us. We met with strong resistance to make changes, because the a la carte junk foods children buy bring in revenues that support personnel positions. Although drastic changes in children's behaviors are often blamed on violent television programming and lack of parental guidance, nutrition is rarely mentioned. The relationship between food substances and learning has received considerable general attention, but little specific research.
Teachers instinctively know that genuine school reform comes from within.
They change their own attitudes and priorities as they push forward to make a difference in the lives of their students. Teachers expect other educational decision makers to take emerging knowledge about the brain and body seriously, too. Teachers can create exciting lesson plans about nutrition, and they can work with parents to provide appropriate classroom snacks, but school administrators must do their part to ensure the availability of nutritious foods in the lunchroom, the vending machines, and the classrooms. If administrators ignore this responsibility, teachers may as well be whistling in the wind because children's eating habits are caught more than taught. Teaching children about foods and their relationships to behavior and achievement is important, but action by parents, school boards, administrators, and politicians is equally critical.