Soda is basically sugar-water, about ten teaspoons per can. It offers no nutrition and should be kept to a minimum, if consumed at all. With education budgets shrinking, these vending contracts seem to be a valuable source of extra income for schools, and kids are going to drink what they want anyway. If it's not available in the school, they'll buy it at the store and bring it in. The article, written by Marc Kaufman, presented this view from many who support the contracts as a relatively benign and profitable way for school districts to raise money.
Schools are in a bind.
Every time a student spends a buck on a soda, the school keeps about 50 cents. Doing so sure puts health teachers in a tough spot. How do the schools justify pumping caffiene, which is addictive, into students when they are all fighing an anti-drug campaing. I realize that caffiene is far less damaging than other drugs, nevertheless, it has been proven that it has negative effects. It just seems like a contradiction to me.