As classroom controversies go, this doesn't seem that tough. We've survived debates on the teaching of evolution and global warming, on uniforms and gun detectors, on no Child left behind and Cultural Literacy, so we can probably survive the debate on chocolate milk as well.
Chocolate milk -- really? Is that the most important thing we have to fight about?
The anti chocolate milk forces are concerned about the added sugar in chocolate milk compared with plain milk. We understand this concern: it's easy for kids to get too much sugar. For example, the amount of sugar in chocolate milk (6 teaspoons) is the same as that in two slices of white bread or a hamburger bun. You'll also find added sugar in spaghetti sauce, barbecue sauce, canned fruits, and of course in all dessert foods served in school cafeterias.
The pro chocolate milk camp points out that many children who won't drink milk straight will drink chocolate milk, thus taking in all the nutrition of milk -- instead of soda or "juice drinks" which typically contain much more sugar and little nutritional value. Chocolate milk has just 56 more calories than plain milk -- an extra amount of energy that ought to be burnt up at recess.
Read all the details of chocolate milk's nutritional value in a PDF file on the subject. We say kids should ask their parents' permission -- and schools should get back to more important controversies.
