To the editor:

We are writing in response to the article that appeared in the Sept. 26 Journal-World, “District majority wants to can cola sales.” As future teachers and recent members of the Lawrence community, we were proud that the majority of the Lawrence board of education thinks more of the health and well-being of our city’s youth than of the almighty dollar.

It is inspiring to have courageous individuals putting our students’ education and health before profit. This decision is not merely about controlling our students’ diet. Sodas are not banned from school. If they want to drink “carbonated cans of worms” they are more than welcome to bring them from home. This decision is about eliminating some of the double standards from our schools — no longer teaching about health right next to a glowing Coke machine.

This decision is also about eliminating force-fed advertising in the schools. How can our schools claim to create democratic, free and independent thinkers when every day, subconsciously, we are ramming Coke or Pepsi brands down their throats?

And have you noticed the recent cycle? Advertisers increase spending in our public schools and Uncle Sam takes funding away? If we support corporate America in our schools, we really are supporting the slow privatization of our public school system.

So we applaud the four forward- thinking members of the Lawrence school board for showing us that there is more to decision-making than dollar signs.

Marisa Clogston

and Thomas Hegeman,

Lawrence