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Peoria Unified adopts tighter language on caffeinated drinks after DECA students urge education over bans
Summary
The school board approved updates to the district’s food‑services procedure concerning highly caffeinated beverages after student DECA leaders testified that controlled, regulated sales fund student trips and conferences and that education — not prohibition — should be the emphasis.
Peoria Unified’s governing board on Aug. 28 approved revisions to Procedure 3‑301A (Food Services Nutrition), a policy the district had asked administration to clarify with respect to highly caffeinated beverages on high‑school campuses.
What changed
The board approved the procedural revisions presented by district staff. The policy revision defines district standards for cafeteria sales and aligns school‑store operations with USDA smart‑snack guidance and district safety protocols. District staff and board members described the changes as intended to protect student health while clarifying what constitutes an allowable beverage in high schools.
Public comment from students and DECA
A coalition of DECA student leaders and student‑run school‑store operators addressed the board in support of continuing controlled caffeinated‑beverage sales at high schools. Students said the items fund leadership conferences, competitions and professional development: Ironwood DECA president Haley Grama and other students said the stores limit sales to one energy drink per student per day and that the product they sell (Red Bull at 80 mg caffeine per can) is within commonly cited teen limits. Student testimony included a financial example: a chapter reported selling about 50–70 Red Bulls per day, making roughly $1.80 profit per can and generating several hundred dollars a week that underwrites conference participation.
Students urged an educational approach to excess caffeine rather than a district‑wide ban; they proposed school‑led moderation campaigns, signage and a one‑drink‑per‑day cap. Student speakers distinguished their campus‑run sales from higher‑caffeine vending products such as Celsius, which several speakers and board members noted are sold on some campus vending machines and have substantially higher caffeine content per can.
Board action and rationale
Board members acknowledged students’ concerns about fundraising and described the difficulty of balancing student safety with student autonomy and fundraising needs. Mrs. Bowles noted that district liability for minors requires prudence; others said the district already restricts distribution for younger grades and that high‑school decisions differ under federal guidance.
The board approved the procedural revisions on a unanimous voice vote. District staff said the policy will be implemented consistent with USDA smart‑snack rules, and vendors selling high caffeine products will be reviewed to ensure compliance with district limits.
