The fizz is gone from the Lawrence school board’s debate about banning carbonated beverages from vending machines in schools.

The four-person majority on the board interested in banning Pepsi, Coke and other soft drink sales at secondary schools evaporated as it became clear the district could negotiate a multimillion-dollar contract with a soft-drink supplier.

“If we handle it the right way, we’re not selling kids out,” said board member Cindy Yulich, a consistent supporter of soft-drink sales.

She welcomed the change of heart by board members Austin Turney, Leni Salkind and Leonard Ortiz. Those three backed off their opposition to beverage sales and now are part of the 6-1 majority — along with Sue Morgan, Linda Robinson and Yulich — that is seeking a long-term, districtwide deal with Coke, Pepsi or 7-Up.

Ortiz said classroom and lunchroom chats with Free State High School students had changed his mind about a pop ban.

“I came away thinking there really isn’t much of a problem, at least in Lawrence, with overconsumption of soda,” he said. “I didn’t see … every kid carrying a 20-ounce soda around.”

In a September straw poll, Ortiz sided with Salkind, Turney and Rich Minder to create a voting block capable of ending the annual sale of nearly 150,000 cans or bottles of pop at the four junior high schools and three high school buildings. Students can’t buy sodas in elementary schools.

Minder now stands as the only board member who wants to end soft-drink sales in Lawrence schools. The damage these beverages do to children in terms of tooth decay and demineralization of bone can’t be ignored, he said. Pop is a contributor to obesity in children, and the district shouldn’t sell products that contribute to that national emergency, he said.

“Even if we are not eliminating pop, the discussion has raised awareness that this is a real problem,” Minder said.

Among the board members who flip-flopped, Salkind appeared the most conflicted.

“I took a stand, and I might not be on the same stand at the end of the trip,” she said. “You make certain compromises.”

Salkind said that while she was fearful of possible health risks for students who consume carbonated drinks, she also was disturbed by financial problems facing the district that could undermine education. Turning aside the millions of dollars the district can raise as its cut of the soda sales doesn’t make sense, she said.

“In the face of hard financial times,” Salkind said, “it doesn’t seem the prudent thing to do. You have to balance what is best for the students in the district as a whole.”

Turney said it wasn’t the board’s responsibility to dictate what students could or couldn’t drink.

“I pretty much settled on the point of saying, ‘Let’s make sure these kids have a lot of good choices but not prescribe anything,'” he said.

Robinson, who said she hadn’t had a soft drink in more than 30 years, agreed with Turney.

“I don’t feel like it’s fair for me to be self-righteous about it. You know, ‘I don’t do it. Nobody else should do it.'”

Morgan said the board likely would negotiate to expand the types of drinks in vending machines. There could be more flavored waters, juice blends and milk-based drinks in the future, she said.

The board authorized the district administration to collect proposals for a beverage contract for the 2004-2005 school year. The deal might generate $1 million to $3 million for the district, depending on length of the contract and limitations placed on sales by the board.

In the 2002-2003 school year, contracts at individual schools brought in more than $50,000 in commissions from Pepsi and Coke.

The board would require that the new contract give the district control over vending machine location, quantity, marketing and hours of operation in the schools.

A policy banning machines for the sale of soft drinks to elementary schools would remain. Machines in junior high schools would be shut off during school hours, while machines in the high schools would be available throughout the day.

School district gears up for cola war (11-22-03) Lawrence students stand up for soft drink sales (10-14-03)¢ 6News video: Students object to proposal to remove sodas at school¢ Letter: Soda a side issue (10-6-03)¢ Letter: Soda revenue (10-2-03)¢ District majority wants to can cola sales (9-26-03)¢ School board to fight cola wars (9-21-03)¢ Editorial: Brought to you by … (7-02-03)¢ Take a stand: Schools fuel soda-pop trend (6-12-03)¢ Board set to approve LHS contract with Coca-Cola (1-12-03)¢Board revamps soda contract plans (12-03-02)¢ District wants to keep tabs on soda contracts (12-02-02)