SCS board votes to bring vending machine meals to schools

MEMPHIS, TN (WMC) - Shelby County Schools students could soon be buying their breakfast and lunch from vending machines.

SCS discussed the proposal during Tuesday night's board meeting. If approved, Shelby County students can expect a whole new approach to school meals.

Board member Kevin Woods said, "This is not to eliminate any possible positions, it's just to simply allow more people to get through the process quicker and to have more options without having to wait in long lines."

Vending machines with healthy lunch and breakfast choices are springing up around the country.

Here in Memphis, the idea is generating mixed reaction among students.

"I think it would be fun, yes," said White Station High School senior Ibrahim Elmi. "As long as we have a good amount of them because our school is very populated."

"Ah, I feel like it's a bad idea," argued University of Memphis student Pooja Nagarbhaf. "You'd rather get fresh food instead of vending machine food."

If approved, the vending concept would be tested at White Station, Whitehaven, and Wooddale school in the coming weeks. The lunches would be free.

The machines would be provided by Horizon Software International out of Duluth, Georgia.

Like their children, parents also have mixed opinions about the vending machines.

"We brown bag it," said parent Andrea Barrach. "But for the kids that need a nutritional hot meal, maybe it would be fun for them. It would encourage them to eat if they get to pick from a vending machine."

But on the other hand, parent Lee Wallace said, "I say bad idea."

Some parents were concerned about how fresh the vending machine food will be. However, a report in the Commercial Appeal said the machines would be stocked every day by special education students in the school who would learn job skills from their efforts.

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