Energy Drinks at school?

I have no idea if local schools sell energy drinks, but I hope not. I just can't think of any reason for them to. I am struggling right now with caffeine headaches because I am trying to get off Diet Coke. I really don't want my kids, even when they're teenagers, to drink a bunch of caffeine. Now, I am sure they probably will at some point, but I am all for schools making it harder for kids to get energy drinks. However, a school in New Jersey is taking heat for doing this.


Here's the story from ABC:

Schools in New Jersey are beginning to debate over whether or not energy drinks should be allowed. The concern is that they are harmful to young bodies. It seems to be the first of its kind, as the principal in Hillsborough is taking the lead and paving the way for other schools and legislators.

But is the ban fair or does it cross a line? "I play in a band, and I've drank it before shows to just get my energy level up, just to jump around stuff," one student said. The 16-year-old says he reaches for energy drinks that guarantee a quick pick-me-up, sometimes providing a pop of instant energy.


But don't even think of bringing one to Hillsborough Middle School, where the beverages are now banned. The students are seventh and eighth graders entering their early teens. It is an age Trybulski feels is too young to be consuming so much caffeine and sugar. It's a multi-billion-dollar industry, with a range of products containing loads of caffeine. But insiders stressed that the products are designated for adults and are not marketed in schools.

But kids are still exposed to it. "It's not like Red Bull or any drinks are a necessity you need to have in school," student Erica Barveto said. In nearby Manville High School, the only beverage students are allowed to bring to school is water. Still, the principal recently noticed something unusual happening. More students needed more visits to the health office. "Instead of breakfast, they were stopping at the convenience store and consuming one to four of those energy drinks," Manville principal Mary McLoughlin.


Trybulski says that since the ban has been put in place, there has not been a single instance of students breaking the rules.

Does your child's school sell energy drinks? Are you for or against this idea?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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