School Board Divided on Flavored Milk Ban

Flavored milk could soon be off the menu, but it might take a big fight for it to happen.

At that began Wednesday evening and crept into the early hours of Thursday, four people on the seven-member Board of Education determined the governing panel should vote on whether to ban flavored milk.

The issue was before the board as a discussion item, so a ban could not have been approved during the session. A vote will take place next month.

Oscar de la Torre, Ralph Mechur and Nimish Patel said they favor a ban as a first step toward creating for the district. Ben Allen said he was interested in supporting a ban, although he wants more information. Board President José Escarce, Laurie Lieberman and Maria Leon Vazquez were opposed to the ban based on the idea that if flavored milk were not offered, many students would not drink any milk at all.

Leon Vazquez said she would like the SMMUSD to take a wider look at how it could offer more nutritious meals. Other board members, including those on both sides of the flavored milk issue, agreed with her.

This article was originally published on Malibu Patch.