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Sugar-laden drinks like soda and some fruit juices have been linked to a wide range of ills, from the current obesity epidemic to the rising incidence of type II diabetes and heart disease in this country. The soda habit is one that frequently begins during youth, particularly for children that have the sugary drinks readily available at home or at school. Fortunately, many schools are taking a stand against allowing these types of drinks on their campuses, with fewer soda options available at public schools, according to a recent study.

Research Methodology

Recent research conducted by the Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Chicago at Illinois indicates that the availability of sugary beverages at the elementary school level is on the decline. The study, conducted by Lindsey Turner and Frank Chaloupka, used the guidelines issued by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) when analyzing their research. The IOM recommends that schools only offer students water, 100-percent juice and non-fat and 1-percent milk on their beverage menus, according to the .

Turner and Chaloupka’s research looked at five years of surveys from public elementary schools nationwide. According to , researchers were able to compile data from hundreds of schools between 2007 and 2011. The information was provided by principals and food service workers that recorded the specific types of beverages available to students and precisely where in the school those beverages were sold.

What the Numbers Show

The research found

Whoever said, “There is no such thing as a free lunch,” could have easily been referring to the state of public education today. In addition to the rising cost of school lunches, many other components of the so-called “free” education system in the United States are also increasing in price. As parents prepare to pack their children off for the world of academia in just a few short weeks, it is wise to weigh the cost of such an endeavor to avoid the sticker shock that many parents face today.

BYOS (Bring Your Own Supplies)

Parents who grew up in school systems that provided supplies to students are often surprised by the long supply lists they are expected to fill before the school year begins. The reports that one Brooklyn mother spent more than $300 on supplies to equip her two first-graders for their year at Public School 130 last year. Included on the list were items like construction paper, crayons, and markers.

However, this parent might have gotten off relatively easy for this school year, as other parents reported purchases of graphing calculators to the tune of $300 apiece and other expensive equipment. Others cite lists that include basic necessities for the classroom, such as hand sanitizer, soap, and paper towels. One parent even told the New York Times that rugs for the classroom turned up on one of her recent supply lists.

Tina Manis, a parent of a New

New York churches now have legal permission to meet on weekends in public schools in the city, thanks to a recent ruling by the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. The ruling marks the next milestone in a long-running battle between the Bronx Household of Faith and New York City. The fight began in 1995 when the church sought legal action after being denied the use of a school for their Sunday morning services. The ruling provides access to public schools by churches throughout the city, a move that some celebrated and others promised to continue to fight.

About the Bronx Household of Faith and NYC

In 1995, the Bronx Household of Faith submitted an application to city officials, expressing their desire to hold Sunday worship services at Public School 15. The New York City Department of Education denied the application, which cited the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause as the primary reason for keeping church services out of public school buildings.

However, the church countered that the denial violated its First Amendment rights and sued the city of New York to overturn the decision. The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has been representing the Bronx Household of Faith in court ever since the case originated in 1995. According to the Christian Post, the ADF argued against claims by the city that if schools allowed churches to hold worship services at the schools, it would be seen as an endorsement of religion by the

High school students have many options in extracurricular activities today, allowing them to explore a wide range of interests. For students who want to move beyond the basic theatre productions, school newspaper, and high school athletics, there is another choice available at a growing number of schools today – atheist clubs. These organizations of self-proclaimed free-thinking students have been cropping up at high schools from coast to coast, thanks in part to the rising number of religious clubs that have also been making their way into classrooms today.

The Rise of Atheist Clubs

According to the , the increase in atheist clubs is being fueled in part by an organization known as the . This group is responsible for placing more than 300 college-based clubs into schools nationwide for free-thinking students, and it is now moving into the high school realm.

This video reports on an atheist group's activities.

The director of the high school program for Secular Student Alliance, JT Eberhard, told the Huffington Post that he would like to see the rise in both atheist and other religious clubs inspire a dialogue between all students. In addition, Eberhard said, “I also hope it will let the atheist students know that you can be an atheist and it’s okay.”

At the start of the 2011-2012 school year, there were approximately one dozen clubs established at