Library coffee bars: the new buzz at high schools

The Dallas Morning News Says A spoonful of sugar might help the literature go down, but caffeine stirs criticism. Some campuses in the Irving, Allen, Plano and Richardson school districts are stealing pages from the likes of Barnes & Noble and Starbucks, creating cozy settings that supply hot cups of joe and a nice place to relax.

Many adults can’t get through the day without a cup of coffee, and their kids are no different. Now schools, eager to latch on to the teenage enthusiasm, have added coffee bars to their libraries and elsewhere to draw them in.

“Kids don’t need to be hyped up on coffee and caffeine,” said Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian and an assistant professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Coffee provides no nutritional value, and adding cream and sugar makes it even worse, she said.

“I think we’re sending the wrong message here,” she said. Kids should get enough rest and eat well enough so they don’t feel like they need to rely on a drug like caffeine, she said.

“Whether it’s Coke or coffee, if you ask me, they shouldn’t be drinking any of it.”
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